Does Jack In The Box have any registered patents or copyrights?
Jack_In_The_Box Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Since the Company does not have any registered patents or copyrights, there are no current material determinations of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, or a court regarding any registered patent or copyright, and there are no agreements that limit the use of any registered patent, patent application, or registered copyright. The Company is not aware of any patent or copyright infringement that could materially affect you.
The Company claims a copyright in its manuals, training materials, policies and procedures materials, advertising and marketing materials, menus, certain software processes, restaurant design and similar materials. We have not registered all of these copyrights. These materials and/or other third-party materials may be supplied or made available to you exclusively for use in connection with your operation of the franchised restaurant under the terms of the Franchise Agreement and software agreements or other licenses. They must be used strictly in compliance with the terms of those agreements, and returned to the Company upon termination or expiration of the franchise.
The Company also claims proprietary rights in the contents of its manuals and other materials, much of which constitute trade secrets under applicable law. This information includes product recipes, product preparation procedures, customer service procedures, franchise support procedures, supplier relationship and distribution system information, new product development information, product testing procedures and information, restaurant operation standards and tactics, growth plans or strategies, real estate development plans or strategies, restaurant design plans, equipment designs, computer systems, financial information, business and development plans and strategies, training programs, performance support tools, access to and information contained on the Jack in the Box intranet and other non-public Jack in the Box websites, partner sites or other online sources (including, but not limited to, training materials and manuals), consumer research results, marketing and advertising strategies and materials, and all other information designated by the Company as confidential. You will only be permitted to use these confidential materials in connection with the approved development and operation of your franchised Jack in the Box restaurant. You must take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of all such material.
You must promptly notify us if you become aware of the use of, or a claim of a right to, one of our materials. We may thereafter take such action as we deem appropriate. Under the Franchise Agreement, the Company has the right to control any administrative proceedings or litigation involving materials licensed to you. You must fully cooperate in defending or settling of any administrative proceeding or litigation relating to our materials. Subject to the terms of the Franchise Agreement, we must protect you against claims of infringement or unfair competition based upon any
authorized use of our materials. The Company may require you to modify or discontinue your use of any materials, in its sole discretion, and you may be required to modify or discontinue such use at your own expense.
The Company will also be the sole owner of any new products, equipment, uniforms, building design, facility improvements, service format, advertising or similar items relating to Jack in the Box that you might create. No compensation will be owed to you for them.
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 68–69)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Jack In The Box Franchise Disclosure Document, Jack In The Box does not have any registered patents or copyrights. However, Jack In The Box does claim a copyright in its manuals, training materials, policies and procedures materials, advertising and marketing materials, menus, certain software processes, restaurant design, and similar materials, though not all of these copyrights have been registered. These copyrighted and third-party materials are provided exclusively for use in connection with the operation of the franchised restaurant and must be used in compliance with the Franchise Agreement. Upon termination or expiration of the franchise, these materials must be returned to Jack In The Box.
Jack In The Box also asserts proprietary rights over the contents of its manuals and other materials, which are considered trade secrets. This proprietary information includes product recipes, preparation procedures, customer service protocols, franchise support processes, supplier relationships, distribution system details, new product development information, product testing procedures, restaurant operation standards, growth plans, real estate strategies, restaurant design plans, equipment designs, computer systems, financial data, business and development strategies, training programs, performance support tools, access to the Jack In The Box intranet and websites, consumer research results, and marketing and advertising strategies. Franchisees are permitted to use these confidential materials only for the approved development and operation of their Jack In The Box restaurant and must take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of this information.
Furthermore, the Franchise Agreement stipulates that Jack In The Box retains ownership of any new products, equipment, uniforms, building designs, facility improvements, service formats, advertising, or similar items created by the franchisee related to the Jack In The Box brand, without any obligation for compensation. Franchisees must promptly inform Jack In The Box if they become aware of any unauthorized use or claims to Jack In The Box's materials, and Jack In The Box has the right to control any legal proceedings involving these materials. Franchisees are required to cooperate fully in defending or settling any related administrative proceedings or litigation. Jack In The Box will protect franchisees against infringement claims arising from authorized use of its materials but may require franchisees to modify or discontinue the use of any materials at their own expense.