Who owns the www.hotchiknkitchn.com domain name for Hck Hot Chicken?
Hck_Hot_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- 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.
Source: Item 21 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (FDD page 54)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Hck Hot Chicken Franchise Disclosure Document, the domain name www.hotchiknkitchn.com is owned by the franchisor or its affiliate. Specifically, the FDD states that the franchisor (or its affiliate) retains all rights, title, and interest in the domain name. This means that as a franchisee, you will not own the primary domain used by Hck Hot Chicken.
This is a common practice in franchising, as the franchisor wants to maintain control over the brand's online presence and ensure consistency across all franchise locations. While the franchisor owns the domain, they may allow franchisees to have input on design elements for pages dedicated to their specific restaurant. However, the franchisor has the right to disable or terminate the website without liability to the franchisee.
As a prospective franchisee, it is important to understand that you will not have ownership or control over the primary Hck Hot Chicken domain or website. You should inquire about the extent to which you can customize your restaurant's page on the website and what marketing or advertising you can do independently to promote your location online.