Does Mr. Sandless have any liability or obligation to a franchisee who develops improvements to the system?
Mr_Sandless Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We shall own and have the exclusive right to use and incorporate in the System, for the benefit of other franchisees, us and our affiliates, any modifications, changes and improvements (collectively, "improvements") to the System, in whole or in part, developed or discovered by you, your principals or your employees or agents in connection with the System or the operation of a Business, without any liability or obligation to you. This includes, but is not limited to, discoveries or development of products, systems or techniques, management practices or procedures, architectural designs and philosophies and names or groups of words relating to the System or describing the services offered by Mr. Sandless Businesses. You acknowledge and agree that nothing in this Section 11.8 permits you to test, introduce, provide, or otherwise offer any Improvements to customers, or use any Improvement in the operation of the Franchised Business, unless and until Franchisor consents to the use of the Improvement for such purpose.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Mr. Sandless's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Mr. Sandless has no liability or obligation to a franchisee who develops or discovers improvements to the Mr. Sandless system. Any modifications, changes, or improvements to the system, whether in whole or in part, that are developed or discovered by a franchisee, their principals, employees, or agents in connection with the system or the operation of their Mr. Sandless Business become the exclusive property of Mr. Sandless.
This includes discoveries or development of products, systems or techniques, management practices or procedures, architectural designs and philosophies and names or groups of words relating to the System or describing the services offered by Mr. Sandless Businesses. Mr. Sandless has the exclusive right to use and incorporate these improvements into the system for the benefit of other franchisees, Mr. Sandless itself, and its affiliates.
The franchisee is not allowed to test, introduce, provide, or otherwise offer any improvements to customers, or use any improvement in the operation of the franchised business, unless and until Mr. Sandless consents to the use of the improvement for such purpose. This means a franchisee cannot implement their own ideas without express permission from Mr. Sandless, even if those ideas could potentially benefit their business. This clause ensures that Mr. Sandless maintains complete control over the brand and operational standards, but it also means that franchisees may not directly benefit from their own innovations.