Does the Fat Shack franchise agreement contain a post-termination covenant not to compete?
Fat_Shack Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
o is employed by FSI.
The term "Competitive Business" as used in this Agreement shall mean any business operating, or granting franchises or licenses to others to operate a restaurant or other business deriving more than 10 percent of its gross receipts, excluding gross receipts relating to the sale of alcoholic beverages, from the sale of sandwiches, burgers and wings (other than another FAT SHACK Restaurant operated by Franchisee); provided, however, neither Franchisee nor the other Bound Parties shall be prohibited from owning securities in a Competitive Business if such securities are listed on a stock exchange or traded on the over-the-counter market and represent 2 percent or less of that class of securities issued and outstanding. Franchisee agrees that nothing in this Article 21 shall be construed to grant Franchisee any protected territory.
21.2. Post-Termination Covenant Not to Compete
For a period of two years from termination or expiration of this Agreement for any reason, or the date on which Franchisee ceases to conduct business, whichever is later, neither Franchisee nor any Bound Party shall have any direct or indirect interest as a disclosed or beneficial owner, investor, partner, director, officer, employee, consultant, representative or agent or in any other capacity in any Competitive Business located or operating within a 10-mile radius of the former Restaurant Location or within a 10-mile radius of any other franchised or company-owned FAT SHACK Restaurant. If Franchisee or any other Bound Party breaches this section, the two-year period shall start on the date that such person is enjoined from competing or stops competing, whichever is later. Franchisee and the Bound Parties expressly acknowledge that they possess skills and abilities of a general nature and have other opportunities for exploiting such skills. Consequently, enforcement of the covenants made in this section will not deprive them of their personal goodwill or ability to earn a living.
21.3. Additional Remedies for Breach
In addition to any other remedies or damages allowed hereunder, if Franchisee breaches the covenants set forth in Sections 21.1 or 21.2, Franchisee shall pay FSI a fee equal to FSI's then-current Initial Franchise Fee for each Competitive Business opened in violation of the covenants, plus 6 percent of such Business' Gross Sales until expiration of the noncompetition period.
21.4. Confidentiality of Proprietary Information
Franchisee shall treat all information it receives which comprises the Licensed Methods (including without limitation the Operations Manual, the information on and comprising FSI's intranet system, recipes, FSI's distinctive business format, plans, methods, processes, data, marketing systems, formulas, techniques, electronic communications systems, designs, layouts, operating procedures, trademarks, proprietary marks, information and know-how) as proprietary and confidential and will not use such information in an unauthorized manner or disclose the same to any unauthorized person without first obtaining FSI's written consent. Franchisee agrees that all such material is the sole property of FSI. Franchisee acknowledges that the Marks and the Licensed Methods have valuable goodwill attached to them, that the protection and maintenance thereof is essential to FSI and that any unauthorized use or disclosure of the Marks and Licensed Methods will result in irreparable harm to FSI. All ideas, concepts, techniques, or materials concerning a FAT SHACK Restaurant, whether or not protectable intellectual property and whether created by or for Franchisee or its owners or employees, must be promptly disclosed to FSI and will be deemed FSI's sole and exclusive property, part of the FAT SHACK Licensed Methods and works made-for-hire for FSI.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 53–223)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Fat Shack's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchise agreement does include a post-termination covenant not to compete. This means that after the franchise agreement is terminated or expires, the franchisee is restricted from engaging in certain competitive activities. Specifically, for a period of two years after the termination or expiration of the agreement, the franchisee (or any 'Bound Party') cannot have any direct or indirect interest in a 'Competitive Business' within a 10-mile radius of the former Fat Shack location or any other Fat Shack restaurant. The restriction applies regardless of the reason for termination or expiration.
A 'Competitive Business' is defined as any business that operates a restaurant or grants franchises to operate a restaurant that derives more than 10% of its gross receipts (excluding alcohol sales) from the sale of sandwiches, burgers, and wings. However, the franchisee is allowed to own securities in a Competitive Business if those securities are listed on a stock exchange or traded over-the-counter and represent 2% or less of the outstanding securities.
The covenant specifies that if the franchisee or any Bound Party breaches this non-compete clause, the two-year period restarts from the date they are legally stopped from competing or when they voluntarily cease competing, whichever occurs later. Fat Shack emphasizes that the franchisee's skills are general and that enforcing this covenant will not deprive them of their ability to earn a living. This type of clause is common in franchise agreements to protect the brand and market share of the franchisor.
Associates are also subject to a post-termination covenant not to compete. For a period of two years after the earlier of the termination or expiration of the Associate's affiliation with the company, or the termination or expiration of the Company's Franchise Agreement, neither the Associate, nor any member of the Associate's immediate family, shall have any direct or indirect interest in any Competitive Business within a 10-mile radius of the location of the Company's Fat Shack Restaurant, or within a 10-mile radius of any other Fat Shack Restaurant, whether franchised or owned by FSI or its affiliates. If the Associate or any member of the Associate's immediate family breaches this Section, then the two-year period shall start on the date that the Associate or its family member, as applicable, is enjoined from such activity or ceases such activity, whichever is later.