What kind of information does the Hardees OPM contain?
Hardees Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
social media posts, the OPM and for certain forms, architectural, engineering, and construction plans, advertising materials, product specifications, computer programs, newsletters, training materials, and operation and accounting manuals. While we do not commonly register our materials protected by copyright with the United States Registrar of Copyrights, we may seek registration for these materials at any time.
During the term of the Franchise Agreement, you will have access to trade secret information that is confidential and proprietary to us such as manuals, formulas, methods, Customer Information, vendor and pricing lists and policies. For example, the OPM and other materials contain our detailed standards and specifications for managing and operating your Franchised Restaurant and other proprietary information may discuss the selection, purchase, storage, preparation, packaging, ingredients, recipes, service and sale of the products and beverages you will sell at your Franchised Restaurant.
Source: Item 14 — Patents, Copyrights, and Proprietary Information (FDD pages 61–62)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the OPM (Operation Procedures Manual) contains detailed standards and specifications for managing and operating a franchised Hardee's restaurant. It includes proprietary information regarding the selection, purchase, storage, preparation, packaging, ingredients, recipes, service, and sale of products and beverages. The OPM also covers management and employee training, marketing, advertising and sales promotions, signs, fixtures and furnishings, employee dress attire and appearance standards, menu concepts, and business practices and procedures, including bookkeeping, accounting, records retention, and other business systems.
For a prospective Hardees franchisee, this means the OPM serves as a comprehensive guide to running the business according to Hardees's standards. Franchisees must adhere to these standards to maintain consistency across all Hardees locations and uphold the brand's reputation. The OPM's contents are considered trade secrets, requiring franchisees to maintain confidentiality and restrict access to authorized personnel only.
Hardees retains the right to revise the OPM, and franchisees must comply with any updates or changes. The franchisee is responsible for keeping their copy of the OPM current and purchasing any necessary equipment to receive communications regarding updates. In case of a dispute, the master copy of the OPM maintained by Hardees will control. As of the date of the 2025 disclosure document, the OPM contained approximately 224 pages, according to Exhibit G.