Who owns the Golden Corral Manual?

According to Golden Corral's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Golden Corral Manual is the property of Golden Corral. The manual contains proprietary information related to operating a Golden Corral restaurant. As a franchisee, you must keep the manual and any other confidential information secret and confidential. You are prohibited from copying, duplicating, recording, or otherwise reproducing confidential materials or making them available to any unauthorized person.

Golden Corral retains the right to revise the contents of the manual or other confidential information, and franchisees must comply with each new or changed standard or procedure. Franchisees must keep the manual in a secure place on the restaurant premises and ensure that their copy is kept up to date. In case of any dispute concerning the contents of the manual, the terms of the master copy of the manual maintained at Golden Corral's principal office will be controlling.

Furthermore, Golden Corral requires that franchisees and their directors, officers, general partners, and restaurant management employees execute agreements to maintain the confidentiality of information they receive during employment at the restaurant. This ensures that the proprietary information contained in the manual and other confidential materials remains protected.