Must a Floyds 99 franchisee sign a general release and noncompetition covenant during a transfer?
Floyds_99 Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
| Provision | Section in Franchise Agreement | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a. | Length of the franchise term | Section 19.1 | 10 years |
| b. | Renewal or extension of the | Sections 19.3 and | Term in then-current Franchise |
| term | 19.4 | Agreement. | |
| c. | Requirements for franchisee to renew or extend | Section 19.3 | Remodel, pay fee, sign new agreement and release. You may be asked to sign a contract with materially different terms and conditions than your original contract if you choose to renew. |
| d. | Termination by franchisee | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| e. | Termination by franchisor without cause | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| f. | Termination by franchisor with | Sections 20.1 and | We can terminate only if you commit |
| cause | 20.2 | any one of several listed violations. | |
| g. | “Cause” defined – curable | Sections 20.1 and | 30 days for operational defaults, 10 |
| defaults | 20.2 | days for monetary defaults. | |
| h. | “Cause” defined – non-curable defaults | Section 20.1 | Unauthorized disclosure, conviction of a crime, abandonment, unapproved transfers, bankruptcy, assignment for benefit of creditors, unsatisfied judgments, levy, foreclosure, repeated violations, misuse of Marks. |
| i. | Franchisee’s obligations on termination / nonrenewal | Section 20.4 | Pay outstanding amounts, de- identification of the Barbershop, return of confidential information, covenant not to compete (see also r. below). |
| j. | Assignment of contract by franchisor | Section 18.6 | No restriction on our right to assign. |
| k. | “Transfer” by franchisee – definition | Section 18.1 | Includes transfer of Franchise Agreement or of the Barbershop or its |
| Provision | Section in Development Agreement | Summary Agreement or other agreements, notice of termination of Franchise Agreement delivered to Developer by Franchisor or Developer terminates a Franchise Agreement without cause. | |
| i. | Franchisee’s obligations on termination / nonrenewal | Section 9.3 | Loss of development rights, cease use of Marks and confidential information except in connection with Barbershops currently operating; covenant not to compete. |
| j. | Assignment of contract by franchisor | Section 8.6 | No restriction on our right to assign. |
| k. | “Transfer” by franchisee – definition | Sections 8.1 and 8.5 | Includes transfer of interest in Development Agreement, or in the franchisee entity. |
| l. | Franchisor’s approval of transfer by franchisee | Section 8.3 | We or our designee have the right to approve all transfers. |
| m. | Conditions for franchisor approval of transfer | Sections |
Source: Item 17 — RENEWAL, TERMINATION, TRANSFER AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION (FDD pages 44–49)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Floyds 99's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is required to sign a general release and noncompetition covenant as part of the transfer process. Specifically, the franchisor has the right to approve all transfers of the Development Agreement. For Floyds 99 to grant this approval, certain conditions must be met.
These conditions include providing notice of the transfer, ensuring the transferee meets the franchisor's qualifications, paying all outstanding amounts due to Floyds 99, and paying the transfer fee. Additionally, the transferee must sign the then-current contract. Critically, the franchisee initiating the transfer must also sign a general release and a noncompetition covenant as part of the transfer approval process.
This requirement is fairly standard in franchising. The general release protects Floyds 99 from any future claims by the transferring franchisee. The noncompetition covenant ensures that the transferring franchisee will not compete with Floyds 99 after the transfer, protecting the brand and the interests of other franchisees. Prospective franchisees should carefully review the terms of these documents with legal counsel to understand their obligations and limitations.