What must a Gold Star franchisee do with the Manual upon request by the company?
Gold_Star Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 3.2 Confidentiality. All Manuals shall remain the property of the COMPANY, be kept at the Store (if in printed form), be treated as Confidential Materials (as defined in Section 12) and be kept up to date and be returned to the COMPANY promptly upon request by the COMPANY (if in printed form) or at the termination of this Agreement. The version of the Manual available on any extranet, or, if not kept on a COMPANY extranet, the master copy of the Manuals kept by the COMPANY at its principal office, will be controlling, in the event of any dispute relating to the contents of the Manual.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 53–163)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Gold Star's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Manual remains the property of Gold Star and must be kept at the store if in printed form. The franchisee must treat the manual as confidential material, keep it up to date, and return it to Gold Star promptly upon request if it is in printed form. This obligation also applies at the termination of the Franchise Agreement.
If the manual is provided in digital format, accessible through the internet, the franchisee will not have a physical copy to return. In the event of a dispute regarding the contents of the manual, the version available on any extranet, or the master copy kept by Gold Star at its principal office, will be considered the controlling version.
This requirement ensures that Gold Star maintains control over its operating standards and confidential information. It is a common practice in franchising to have franchisees return manuals to protect trade secrets and ensure consistency across all franchise locations. Franchisees should be aware of their responsibility to safeguard the manual and comply with updates and changes made by Gold Star.