Who has discretion over the design and content of the Hck Hot Chicken franchisor's website?
Hck_Hot_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
mptly, subject to Franchisor's business needs and scheduling availability. Franchisor may disable or terminate such website(s), in whole or in part, without Franchisor having any liability to Franchisee.
- 8.5.3 Franchisee acknowledges and agrees that Franchisor (or its Affiliate) is the owner of, and will retain all right, title and interest in and to (i) the www.hotchiknkitchn.com domain name and URL; all existing and future domain names, URLs, future addresses and subaddresses using the Marks in any manner; (ii) means all computer programs and computer code (e.g., HTML, XML DHTML, Java) used for or on the Franchisor's web site(s), excluding any software owned by third parties; (iii) all text, images, sounds, files, video, designs, animations, layout, color schemes, trade dress, concepts, methods, techniques, processes and data used in connection with, displayed on, or collected from or through Franchisor's web site(s); and (v) all intellectual property rights in or to any of the foregoing.
- 8.6 Local Advertising Cooperative. Franchisee may be required to participate in any local or regional advertising cooperative for HCK Hot Chicken Restaurants that are established. The area of each local and regional advertising cooperative will be defined by Franchisor, based on Franchisor's assessment of the area. Franchisees in each cooperative will contribute an amount to the cooperative of up to two percent (2%) of monthly Gross Sales for each Restaurant that the franchisee owns that exists within the cooperative's area.
Source: Item 21 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (FDD page 54)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hck Hot Chicken's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor maintains control over the design and content of its website. Specifically, Hck Hot Chicken (or its affiliate) owns and retains all rights to the domain name, URLs, computer programs, code, text, images, sounds, files, video, designs, animations, layout, color schemes, trade dress, concepts, methods, techniques, processes, and data used on the website. This encompasses all intellectual property rights related to the website.
While Hck Hot Chicken may allow franchisees to periodically select from designated alternative design elements for an interior page dedicated to their franchised restaurant, the franchisor ultimately implements these elements based on their business needs and scheduling availability. The franchisor also reserves the right to disable or terminate the website, in whole or in part, without any liability to the franchisee.
This level of control ensures brand consistency and uniformity across all online platforms associated with Hck Hot Chicken. It also means that franchisees have limited ability to customize the website to reflect their individual preferences or local market conditions, as all advertising material must be approved by the franchisor. Franchisees should be aware that any advertising materials or concepts they create and that are approved by Hck Hot Chicken become the sole and exclusive property of the franchisor.