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What are the specific obligations of a Hardees franchisee regarding the purchase of supplies and equipment (Item 8), and how does the franchisor's approved supplier list (Item 8) impact these obligations?

Hardees Franchise · 2025 FDD

Answer from 2025 FDD Document

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. Finally, we and our affiliates provide supply chain, quality assurance, distribution and logistics services for the franchise system. These services include negotiating with suppliers and distributors who will sell and

distribute goods to our franchisees, designating one or more distributors to service our franchisees, and managing distribution logistics. As a result, we and our affiliates reserve the right to recover our costs related to performing these services by collecting a per-case distribution fee for all cases sold by an approved supplier to our franchisees and from other logistics-related programs.

We may charge non-approved suppliers reasonable testing and/or inspection fees.

If you propose to purchase any goods or materials from a supplier that we have not previously approved, you must notify us and submit to us or a designated independent testing laboratory, at your expense, the information, specifications and samples as we reasonably request. A fee not to exceed the reasonable cost of the inspection and the actual cost of the test may be charged by us or by an independent testing laboratory designated by us and must be paid for by you. We will notify you within 60 days as to whether you are authorized to purchase these products from that supplier. In the event we tentatively approve a request for an alternative supplier, you must submit a check for $1,500 to us as a deposit against the cost we incur in inspecting the supplier's facility. You will be responsible for additional costs and expenses associated with the inspection of the facility, which must occur before final approval. Approval of a supplier also may be subject to the frequency of delivery, reporting capabilities, standards of service (including prompt attention to complaints) or other criteria (including the number of suppliers already approved), and may be temporary pending further evaluation of such supplier. We may periodically require that the testing be performed again at your expense to ensure that the supplier continues to meet our specifications. We will advise you in writing if we revoke any approvals.

What This Means (2025 FDD)

According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are obligated to purchase ingredients, food products, materials, supplies, furniture, fixtures, equipment, and packaging that meet the standards and specifications outlined in the Operation Procedures Manual (OPM). Hardees provides a list of approved suppliers for these items, and franchisees are generally required to purchase from these approved sources. A master distributor, McLane Company, Inc. as of the date of the document, typically handles the distribution of meats, cheese, grocery, bread products, paper, and cleaning supplies. However, Hardees retains the right to change or approve other master distributors.

The approved supplier list is crucial because franchisees must purchase the majority of their supplies, approximately 90% of fixtures, furnishings, equipment, décor, signs, food items, ingredients, and other products, from these approved suppliers to comply with Hardees' standards. These purchases represent about 65% of a franchisee's controllable costs, excluding labor and administrative expenses. Hardees may negotiate system-wide contracts with suppliers, allowing franchisees to purchase products at negotiated prices and terms. However, Hardees can limit the number of suppliers offering these prices and terms. To obtain negotiated prices and revenue sharing incentives for equipment, smallwares, and supplies, franchisees must purchase from Hardees' designated third-party vendor, Wasserstrom Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries.

If a franchisee wishes to use a supplier not already on the approved list, they must submit a written request to Hardees for approval. Hardees may inspect the supplier's facilities and require testing of products at the franchisee's expense, with costs not exceeding the reasonable cost of inspection and actual testing expenses. Hardees also reserves the right to re-inspect approved suppliers and revoke approval if they fail to meet the required criteria. This system ensures that all Hardees restaurants maintain consistent quality and standards, but it also limits the franchisee's autonomy in sourcing supplies and equipment. Franchisees are also obligated to participate in online ordering/delivery and loyalty programs that Hardees establishes with approved vendors, and must use approved third-party delivery service providers such as Uber Eats, Door Dash, and GrubHub if they operate in the restaurant's area.

Disclaimer: This information is extracted from the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and is provided for research purposes only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decisions.