What happens to electronic files upon termination of the Hck Hot Chicken franchise agreement?

According to the 2025 Hck Hot Chicken Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, the franchisee must immediately cease using all trade secrets, marks, and any confusingly similar trademarks. The franchisee is also required to return the Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual, all training materials, electronic files, records, customer lists, files, advertising and promotional materials, and all other written materials incorporating trade secrets, including all copies, to Hck Hot Chicken. This ensures that all confidential and proprietary information remains with the franchisor.

In practical terms, this means that a franchisee who leaves the Hck Hot Chicken system must hand over all digital and physical documents related to the business operation. This includes not only obvious items like training manuals but also electronic files, customer databases, and marketing materials. The franchisee cannot retain or use any of these materials after the franchise agreement ends.

This requirement is standard in franchising to protect the brand's intellectual property and maintain uniformity across the franchise system. Failure to comply with this provision could result in legal action from Hck Hot Chicken to recover the materials and prevent their unauthorized use. Franchisees should be aware of this obligation and ensure they have a system in place to gather and return all required materials upon termination or expiration of the agreement.