What happens when the Monicals Pizza franchise agreement expires?
Monicals_Pizza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
17. RIGHTS AND DUTIES UPON EXPIRATION OR TERMINATION
17.1 Actions to be Taken
Except as otherwise provided herein, upon termination or expiration, this Agreement and all rights granted hereunder to Franchisee shall terminate and Franchisee shall:
- 17.1.1 immediately cease to operate the Franchised Restaurant and shall not thereafter, directly or indirectly, represent to the public or hold itself out as a present or former franchisee of Franchisor;
- 17.1.2 cease to use the Trade Secrets and other Confidential Information, the System and the Marks including, without limitation, all signs, slogans, symbols, logos, advertising materials, stationery, forms and any other items which display or are associated with the Marks;
- 17.1.3 upon demand by Franchisor immediately assign (or, if an assignment is prohibited and Franchisor approved the form of lease containing such prohibition, sublease for the full remaining term, and on the same terms and conditions as Franchisee's lease) its interest in any lease then in effect for the Approved Location to Franchisor, and Franchisee shall furnish Franchisor with evidence satisfactory to Franchisor of compliance with this obligation within thirty (30) days after termination or expiration of this Agreement, and Franchisor has the right to pay rent and other expenses directly to the party to whom such payment is ultimately due;
- 17.1.4 take such action as may be necessary to cancel or assign to Franchisor, at Franchisor's option, any assumed name or equivalent registration filed with state, city or county authorities
which contains the name "MONICAL'S PIZZA®" or any other Mark, and Franchisee shall furnish Franchisor with evidence satisfactory to Franchisor of compliance with this obligation within thirty (30) days after termination or expiration of this Agreement;
- 17.1.5 promptly return to any third party any leased, loaned or other third-party equipment used in the operation of the Franchised Restaurant, except to the extent Franchisor shall otherwise direct in writing by which Franchisor shall agree to assume the responsibility of Franchisee with respect thereto under any applicable lease or agreement, but without release of the original liability of Franchisee thereunder;
- 17.1.6 pay all sums owing to Franchisor and any Affiliate. In the event of termination for any default of Franchisee, such sums shall include, but not be limited to, all damages, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, with respect to litigation, arbitration, appellate or bankruptcy proceedings, unpaid Royalty Fees, loss of future royalty Fee payments incurred by Franchisor as a result of any early termination of this Agreement, and any other amounts due to Franchisor or any Affiliate;
- 17.1.7 pay to Franchisor all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Franchisor subsequent to the termination or expiration of the Franchise in obtaining injunctive or other relief for the enforcement of any provisions of this Agreement;
- 17.1.8 immediately surrender access to and return any paper copies of the Confidential Operations Manual, Trade Secrets and all other Confidential Information including records, files, instructions, brochures, agreements, disclosure statements and any and all other materials provided by Franchisor to Franchisee relating to the operation of the Franchised Restaurant, all of which are acknowledged by Franchisee to be Franchisor's property;
- 17.1.9 assign all telephone listings and numbers and e-mail addresses for the Franchised Restaurant to Franchisor, notify the telephone company, Internet service provider and all listing agencies of the termination or expiration of Franchisee's right to use any telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, e-mail addresses and on-line identifiers associated with the Marks in any regular, classified or other telephone directory or Internet listing, and authorize transfer of same to or at the direction of Franchisor; and
- 17.1.10 comply with all other applicable provisions of this Agreement.
17.2 Post-Termination Covenant Not to Compete
- 17.2.1 Franchisee acknowledges that the restrictive covenants contained in this Section and in Section 7 are fair and reasonable and are justifiably required for purposes including, but not limited to, the following:
- 17.2.1.1 to protect the Trade Secrets and other Confidential Information of Franchisor;
- 17.2.1.2 to induce Franchisor to grant a Franchise to Franchisee; and
- 17.2.1.3 to protect Franchisor with respect to its costs in training Franchisee and its officers, directors, executives, professional staff and Designated Managers.
- 17.2.2 Except as otherwise approved in writing by Franchisor, neither Franchisee, nor any holder of a legal or beneficial interest in Franchisee, nor any officer, director, executive, manager or member of the professional staff of Franchisee, shall, for a period of two (2) years after the expiration or
termination of this Agreement, regardless of the cause of termination, either directly or indirectly, for themselves or through, on behalf of or in conjunction with, any person, persons, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or other business entity:
17.2.2.1 own an interest in, manage, operate or provide services to any Competitive Business, whether directly or indirectly, located or operating (a) within a twenty-five (25) mile radius of the Approved Location or within the Area of Primary Responsibility (whichever is greater), or (b) within a twenty-five (25) mile radius of the location of any other Monical's Restaurant, either owned by or affiliated with Monical Pizza Corporation in existence at the time of termination or expiration (franchisees holding a franchise agreement on April 1, 2008 who own an interest in, manage, operate, or perform services for a Competitive Business as of April 1, 2008 shall be permitted to continue to own an interest in, manage, operate, or perform services for that/those specific Competitive Business(es) only); or
17.2.2.2 solicit or otherwise attempt to induce or influence any customer, employee or other business associate of Franchisor to terminate or modify his, her or its business relationship with Franchisor or any Monical's Restaurant, or to compete against Franchisor or any Monical's Restaurant.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 46–257)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Monicals Pizza Franchise Disclosure Document, upon the expiration of the franchise agreement, several actions and duties are required of the franchisee. Monicals Pizza franchisees must immediately cease operating the franchised restaurant and are prohibited from representing themselves as a current or former franchisee. They must also stop using any of Monicals Pizza's trade secrets, confidential information, systems, and marks, including all associated signs, slogans, logos, and advertising materials.
Additionally, the franchisee is obligated to assign their interest in any lease for the approved location to Monicals Pizza. The franchisee must also take necessary actions to cancel or assign any assumed name registrations containing the Monicals Pizza name or marks to the franchisor. The franchisee is responsible for returning leased equipment, paying all sums owed to Monicals Pizza, and surrendering access to confidential operations manuals and other confidential information.
Furthermore, the franchisee must assign all telephone listings and numbers to Monicals Pizza and comply with all other applicable provisions of the agreement. A significant restriction is a post-termination covenant not to compete, which prevents the franchisee from owning, managing, or operating a competitive business within a 25-mile radius of the Monicals Pizza location or any other Monicals Pizza restaurant for a period of two years after the expiration of the agreement. This also restricts the franchisee from soliciting Monicals Pizza's customers or employees.