Does Hardees impose any geographic restrictions on a franchisee's ability to solicit customers?

According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Hardees does not generally impose geographic restrictions on a franchisee's ability to solicit customers. Item 12 of the FDD states this explicitly for both the standard Franchise Agreement and the Development Agreement. However, this is qualified by the statement that Item 13 contains information about internet restrictions, which could potentially limit online solicitation efforts.

This lack of geographic restriction on customer solicitation provides Hardees franchisees with the flexibility to market their restaurants beyond a specific local area. This can be a significant advantage, allowing them to attract customers from a wider region and potentially increase their revenue. However, franchisees must be aware of and adhere to any internet-related restrictions outlined in Item 13 of the FDD to ensure compliance with Hardees's policies.

It's important to note that while Hardees does not impose geographic restrictions on soliciting customers, franchisees may still face competition from other Hardees franchisees, company-owned outlets, or other channels of distribution. The FDD also mentions that in areas where Hardee's and Carl's Jr. restaurants overlap, franchisees of either brand may solicit or accept orders within the same area, and any conflicts will be resolved on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, while there are no explicit geographic restrictions, the competitive landscape should be carefully considered.