What must a Kitchen Solvers franchisee do before maintaining an action against the franchisor or related parties?
Kitchen_Solvers Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
d to those in the main body:
Item 17 The following statements are added to Item 17:
Pursuant to the North Dakota Franchise Investment Law, any provision requiring franchisees to consent to the jurisdiction of courts outside North Dakota or to consent to the application of laws of a state other than North Dakota is void, provided that the Franchise Agreement may provide for arbitration in a forum outside of North Dakota.
Any general release the franchisee is required to assent to is not intended to nor shall it act as a release, estoppel or waiver of any liability Franchisor may have incurred under the North Dakota Franchise Investment Law.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 49–190)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 Kitchen Solvers Franchise Disclosure Document addendum for the state of North Dakota, any general release that a Kitchen Solvers franchisee is required to agree to does not act as a release, estoppel, or waiver of any liability that Kitchen Solvers may have incurred under the North Dakota Franchise Investment Law. This means that franchisees in North Dakota are not required to waive their rights or claims under the North Dakota Franchise Investment Law as a condition of maintaining an action against Kitchen Solvers.
Similarly, the 2025 Kitchen Solvers FDD states that for franchisees in New York, any provision in the Franchise Agreement requiring a franchisee to sign a general release of claims against the franchisor does not release any claim the franchisee may have under the New York General Business Law, Article 33, Sections 680-695. The New York Franchise Law governs any claim arising under that law. This ensures that franchisees in New York are not forced to waive their rights under New York franchise law to pursue legal action against Kitchen Solvers.
For Kitchen Solvers franchisees in Washington, Exhibit G (Sample Release) of the Franchise Disclosure Document is amended to state that the Release does not apply with respect to claims arising under the Washington Franchise Investment Protection Act, RCW 19.100. This means that franchisees in Washington are not required to release claims arising under the Washington Franchise Investment Protection Act before maintaining an action against Kitchen Solvers or related parties. These addenda ensure that franchisees in North Dakota, New York, and Washington retain their rights under state franchise laws, regardless of any general release provisions in the franchise agreement.