Upon termination or expiration of a Jersey Mikes franchise, what materials relating to the operation of the franchised restaurant must the franchisee return to the franchisor or destroy?

According to Jersey Mike's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, the franchisee must return or destroy (as required by Jersey Mike's) all materials provided by Jersey Mike's relating to the restaurant's operation. This includes manuals, printed copies of the manual, customer lists, records, files, instructions, brochures, agreements, disclosure statements, and any other materials. Franchisees must also delete any electronic copies of the manual they may have saved. These materials are acknowledged to be the property of Jersey Mike's.

This requirement is standard in franchising, as franchisors need to protect their proprietary information and ensure consistent brand standards across all locations. By requiring the return or destruction of these materials, Jersey Mike's prevents former franchisees from using their confidential information to operate a competing business or otherwise undermine the Jersey Mike's system.

For a prospective Jersey Mike's franchisee, this means understanding that all operational materials provided by the franchisor remain the franchisor's property. Upon exiting the franchise system, whether through termination or expiration, franchisees must be prepared to promptly return or destroy these materials as instructed. Failure to do so could result in legal action by Jersey Mike's to protect its intellectual property.