Is there a Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual?
Hck_Hot_Chicken Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
any Owner owning more than forty-nine percent (49%) of the Equity or voting power of Franchisee; and (v) any merger, stock redemption, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other transfer of control of the Franchisee, however effected.
"Authorized Products" means the foods products, sauces and beverages and other food items and ancillary related products, which may include specialty foods, packaged foods, books, hats, t-shirts and novelty items, as specified by Franchisor from time to time in the HCK Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual, or as otherwise directed by Franchisor in writing, for sale at a Restaurant, prepared, sold and/or manufactured in strict accordance with Franchisor's recipes, standards and specifications, including specifications as to ingredients, brand names, preparation and presentation.
"HCK Hot Chicken Brand Product" means any product now existing or developed in the future that bears any of the Marks.
"HCK Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual" means Franchisor's library of operations and training manuals, including a HCK Hot Chicken intranet (if established) and any other written directive related to the System, as the same may be amended and revised from time to time, including all bulletins, supplements and ancillary and additional manuals and written directives established by Franchisor as in effect and amended from time to time.
"Catering" means (i) the preparation, provision and service and management of service of food and beverages (including sales, marketing and promotional practices related thereto) to guests, invitees and other third parties on behalf of a client of the provider, whether on premises owned, leased, managed, licensed, hired or operated by such client, or for a venue-based catering facility not constituting a Restaurant by the provider including, without limitation, a private, cultural, entertainment, healthcare, sports, convention or educational facility, or as part of a special event such as a sporting, cultural, charitable or political event; and (ii) contract catering services which means the preparation, provision and service or management of service of food and beverages (including sales, marketing and promotional practices related thereto) to employees, customers, vendors, guests and invitees (but not the general public) on behalf of a client or to a client directly on an ongoing basis over a period of time pursuant to a contract with such client.
"Competitive Activities" means to, own, operate, lend to, advise, be employed by, or have any financial interest in (i) any restaurant that derives twenty percent (20%) or more of its Gross Sales from the sale of fried chicken, other than a Restaurant operated pursuant to a validly subsisting Franchise Agreement with Franchisor, or (ii) any business that specializes in developing, operating or franchising restaurants that derives twenty percent (20%) or more of its Gross Sales from the sale of chicken, or (iii) any business engaged in the preparation, production or sale, at wholesale, of any fried chicken food product. Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Competitive Activities" shall not include the direct or indirect ownership solely as an investment, of securities of any Entity which are traded on any national securities exchange if the owner thereof (i) is not a controlling
person of, or a member of a group which controls, such Entity and (ii) does not, directly or indirectly, own five percent (5%) or more of any class of securities of such Entity.
"Continuing Royalty" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1 of this Agreement.
"Brand Fund Contribution" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2 of this Agreement.
"Brand Fund" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2 of this Agreement.
"Crisis Management Event" means any event that occurs at or about the Franchised Restaurant that has or may cause harm or injury to customers or employees, such as food contamination, food spoilage/poisoning, food tampering/sabotage, contagious diseases, natural disasters, terrorist acts, shootings, or any other circumstance which may damage the System, Marks, or image or reputation of Restaurants or Franchisor or its Affiliates.
"Default" or "default" means any breach of, or failure to comply with, any of the terms or conditions of an agreement.
"Director of Operations" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.2.5 of this Agreement.
"Dispute" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 18.1 of this Agreement.
"EFT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.6 of this Agreement.
"Entity" means any limited liability company, partnership, trust, association, corporation, or otherentity which is not an individual.
"Equity" means capital stock, membership interests, Partnership Rights, or other equityownership interests of an Entity.
"First Successor Franchise Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 of thisAgreement.
"First Successor Term" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 of this Agreement.
"Force Majeure" means acts of God (such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fire or other natural catastrophe); strikes, lockouts or other industrial disturbances; war, terrorist acts, riot, or other civil disturbance; epidemics; or other similar forces which Franchisee could not by the exercise of reasonable diligence have avoided; provided however, that neither an act or failure to act by a Governmental Authority, nor the performance, non-performance or exercise of rights under any agreement with Franchisee by any lender, landlord, contractor, or other person shall be an event of Force Majeure hereunder, except to the extent that such act, failure to act, performance, non-performance or exercise of rights results from an act which is otherwise an event of Force Majeure. For the avoidance of doubt, Franchisee's financial inability to perform or Franchisee's insolvency shall not be an event of Force Majeure hereunder.
"Franchised Restaurant" means, as context requires, the Restaurant to be developed, or alreadydeveloped, at the Location by Franchisee pursuant to this Agreement.
Source: Item 21 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (FDD page 54)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Hck Hot Chicken's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, there is an Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual. Franchisees must operate their franchised restaurant in strict compliance with the procedures, policies, rules and regulations that are incorporated in this manual. Hck Hot Chicken will provide franchisees with electronic access to the Brand Standards Manual, including bulletins and updates, during the term of the Franchise Agreement.
The Brand Standards Manual includes matters such as product and menu specifications, purchase orders, general operations, online ordering, gift cards, labor management, gross sales reports, training and accounting, sanitation, staff certification, design specifications and uniforms, display of signs and notices, authorized and required information systems, equipment and fixtures, mark usage, insurance requirements, lease requirements, ownership requirements, decor, standards for management and personnel, hours of operation, yellow page and local advertising formats, standards of maintenance and appearance of the franchised restaurant, procedures upon the occurrence of a Crisis Management Event, and required posting of notices to customers as to how to contact Hck Hot Chicken to submit complaints and feedback, participation in surveys and mystery shopper programs, and other matters and policies that Hck Hot Chicken may reasonably elect to include which relate to the System or the franchise relationship under the System.
Hck Hot Chicken has the right to modify the Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual at any time, and modifications become effective upon delivery of written or electronic notice to the franchisee. The manual and all amendments to it are copyrighted and remain Hck Hot Chicken's property. It is loaned to the franchisee for the term of the agreement and must be returned to Hck Hot Chicken immediately upon the agreement's termination or expiration. The manual contains trade secrets of Hck Hot Chicken, and franchisees cannot make copies or excerpts without prior written consent from Hck Hot Chicken.
If a franchisee's copy of the Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual is lost, destroyed, or significantly damaged, the franchisee must pay a replacement fee of $500 to Hck Hot Chicken. Franchisees must also purchase, use, and maintain the Information Systems specified in the Hck Hot Chicken Brand Standards Manual in accordance with Hck Hot Chicken's standards and specifications.