Is a Hardees franchisee required to purchase most food items and other goods from a master distributor?

initial period.

(10) You should review these figures carefully with a business advisor before making any decision to purchase the franchise. We do not offer any direct financing for any part of the initial investment.

ITEM 8

RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Where we have issued standards and specifications, you must use only ingredients, food products, spices, seasonings, mixes, beverages, materials, supplies used in the preparation of food products, furniture, fixtures, equipment, smallwares, forms, paper and plastic products and packaging, cleaning supplies, and other materials that meet those standards and specifications. Our standards and specifications are contained in the Operation Procedures Manual ("OPM"). Periodically, we will provide you a list of approved suppliers. Most food items and other goods that you are required to purchase will be purchased from a master distributor. The master distributor will carry items such as meats, cheese, grocery, bread products, paper and cleaning supplies. As of the date of this disclosure document, our master distributor is McLane Company, Inc. We reserve the right to change the master distributors. Other master distributors may be approved from time to time.

We may approve one or more suppliers or distributors for any products, equipment (including computer/cash register system as noted below), goods or materials, and we may approve a supplier or distributor only as to certain goods or materials. We may concentrate purchases with one or more suppliers to obtain lower prices and/or the best advertising support and/or services for any group of Hardee's Restaurants, or any other group of restaurants operated or franchised by HR or its affiliates. Although you are not required to lease a location from us or an affiliate, we must consent to your selection of the site for your Hardee's Restaurant. If you lease the Restaurant premises from a third party landlord, you must sign the Franchise Lease Addendum attached as Appendix G to the Franchise Agreement.

Approval of a supplier or a distributor may be conditioned on requirements relating to the frequency of delivery, reporting capabilities, standards of service, including prompt attention to complaints, sanitation standards, insurance and other quality assurance requirements or other criteria, and concentration of purchases, as set forth above, and it may be temporary pending a further evaluation of the supplier by us. A fee not to exceed our actual costs of reviewing the supplier or distributor and auditing the supplier's facility, if needed, may be charged by us and must be paid by you. We may establish commissaries and distribution facilities owned and operated by us or an affiliate that we will designate as an approved supplier.

One or more of our officers may own nominal interests in certain of our approved suppliers which are publicly traded companies or through investment funds.

We and our affiliates may receive fees, payments, commissions, field-of-use license royalties or other consideration from approved suppliers based on sales to franchisees, from promotional allowances and volume discounts. We and our affiliates may use all amounts received from approved suppliers, distributors or third parties, whether or not based on your and/or other franchisees' actual or prospective dealings with them, without restriction for any purposes we or our affiliates deem appropriate.

Source: Item 8 — Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services (FDD pages 39–42)