Is the Travel Center Development Incentive Program Addendum to the Hardees Restaurant Franchise Agreement entered into simultaneously with the Franchise Agreement?

According to Hardees's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Travel Center Development Incentive Program Addendum to the Hardees Restaurant Franchise Agreement can be entered into simultaneously with the Franchise Agreement. Specifically, the addendum is designed for new franchised Hardees Restaurants located in eligible travel centers, gas, and convenience locations.

To be eligible for the Travel Center Program, franchisees must meet several requirements, including the restaurant's location near an interstate or limited access highway with appropriate signage, opening the location under a Development Agreement dated no later than May 24, 2026, and meeting Hardees's financial and operational criteria for new restaurant development. The franchisee must also not be in default of any existing agreements with Hardees.

If the franchisee and the restaurant meet these requirements and are approved for the Travel Center Program, Hardees and the franchisee will enter into the Addendum. This addendum modifies the Franchise Agreement to reflect the franchisee's participation in the incentive program. The fact that the addendum modifies an existing agreement suggests that it is not necessarily entered into at the same time as the original Franchise Agreement, but can be, as indicated by the excerpt.