What rights does the Franchisee obtain from Mrcool regarding the System?
Mrcool Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Center from a fixed Center Location located within a specified territory. Relying on the representations made by Franchisee and/or Franchisee's Owners in any submitted application and during the application process and, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Franchisee's request has been approved by Franchisor, subject to the following terms and conditions:
- (1) During the Term of this Agreement and subject to the rights of Franchisor including, but not limited to, the Reserved Rights, Franchisor grants to Franchisee and Franchisee accepts, the nonexclusive license, right and obligation to develop and operate, one MRCOOL Center in conformity with the System and this Agreement from a single fixed Center location, selected by Franchisee but requiring the approval of Franchisor ("Franchisee's Center Location") and, as designated by Franchisor in Franchisor's discretion and Reasonable Business Judgment, within a Designated Territory;
- (2) If, as of the Effective Date, Franchisee has selected a proposed Center Location that Franchisor approves as Franchisee's Center Location, then Franchisee's Center Location and Designated Territory, if any, shall be identified in Schedule 1 of this Agreement. To be effective, Schedule 1 must be completed and signed by Franchisor. Franchisee's execution of Schedule 1 with a specific location for Franchisee's Center Location shall constitute Franchisee's obligation to develop and operate the Franchised Business at the designated Franchisee Center Location;
- (3) If, as of the Effective Date, Franchisee has not selected a proposed Center Location, and/or has not obtained Franchisor's approval of the proposed Center Location, and/or Schedule 1 to this Agreement is left incomplete or is not signed by Franchisor, Franchisee must locate, identify and secure a Center Location for the Franchised Business in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including the requirement that Franchisee must obtain Franchisor's approval of
Franchisee's Center Location. If, after the Effective Date, Franchisee proposes and Franchisor approves of Franchisee's proposed Center Location, such approval must be in writing and must be evidenced by Franchisor's execution of Schedule 1 with a specific Center Location designated and identified in Schedule 1. At the time of executing a completed Schedule 1 and, thereby, approving Franchisee's proposed Center Location, Franchisor, in Franchisor's discretion and Reasonable Business Judgment, shall designate and determine Franchisee's Designated Territory;
- (4) If, as of the Effective Date or other appropriate periods after the Effective Date, Franchisee has not selected a proposed Center Location that is approved by Franchisor but, Franchisee has identified an area in which Franchisee may look to secure a Center location for the Franchised Business, Franchisor, in Franchisor's discretion and Reasonable Business Judgment, may enter into the Site Selection Acknowledgment attached to this Agreement as Exhibit 3. If executed by Franchisor, within the Exhibit 3 Site Selection Acknowledgment, Franchisor shall designate a geographic area (the "Site Selection Area") within which Franchisor, during the Site Selection Period, shall not, on behalf of any third party, approve any new Center Location. Franchisee agrees that the Site Selection Acknowledgment does not constitute Franchisor's approval of a proposed Center Location, does not constitute Franchisor's designation of Franchisee's Designated Territory, does not afford Franchisee any territorial rights in or to the Site Selection Area, and does not extend and/or modify any obligation on the part of Franchisee to timely secure an approved Center Location in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
- (5) At all times, Franchisee's rights in and to the real property and the business premises of Franchisee's Center Location shall be subordinate and subject to Franchisee's and Franchisee's landlord's agreement to and execution of the Center Location Lease Agreement Rider attached to this Agreement as Exhibit 4 and, Franchisee's agreement and execution of the Collateral Assignment of Lease attached to this Agreement as Exhibit 5;
- (6) Franchisee may only offer and sell the Approved Services and Products from Franchisee's Center Location in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Operations Manual;
- (7) Franchisor, in Franchisor's Reasonable Business Judgment and for any reason or no reason at all, may prohibit Franchisee from soliciting customers located outside Franchisee's Designated Territory;
- (8) Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement including, but not limited to, the Reserved Rights, provided that, at all times Franchisee is and remains in compliance with all of the terms of this Agreement, during the Term of this Agreement, neither Franchisor nor any affiliate of Franchisor will establish or operate, or grant a franchise to any third party to establish or operate, a Center using the Licensed Marks and System at a Center Location that is located within Franchisee's Designated Territory, provided, that a Designated Territory has been designated and approved by Franchisor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, but excluding Closed Markets.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 55–263)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Mrcool's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee obtains a nonexclusive license to develop and operate one Mrcool Center. This right is granted for the duration of the agreement, contingent upon the franchisee's compliance with all terms and conditions outlined in the agreement and is also subject to Mrcool's reserved rights. The Mrcool Center must conform to the Mrcool System and operate from a single, fixed location that the franchisee selects, but which requires Mrcool's approval. Mrcool also has the discretion to designate a specific territory for the franchisee.
If the franchisee has already selected a location that Mrcool approves by the effective date of the agreement, this location and any designated territory will be specified in Schedule 1 of the agreement, which must be completed and signed by Mrcool. The franchisee's signature on Schedule 1 obligates them to operate the franchise at the designated location. If a location hasn't been selected or approved by the effective date, the franchisee is responsible for finding and securing a location that meets Mrcool's approval standards. Mrcool's approval must be in writing and evidenced by their execution of Schedule 1, which also designates the franchisee's territory at Mrcool's discretion.
It's important to note that these rights are non-exclusive and subordinate to Mrcool's reserved rights. Mrcool retains the right to operate or franchise others to operate Mrcool Centers outside the franchisee's designated territory, use the System in alternative channels of distribution, and operate Mrcool Centers in captive markets. The franchisee may also face competition from other Mrcool Centers, including those in closed markets or adjacent territories, and from marketing activities by other franchisees that reach into their designated territory. The franchisee receives no compensation if Mrcool or another franchisee solicits customers from within their designated territory. Upon termination of the agreement, the franchisee must cease operating under the Mrcool System and discontinue using all related confidential information, marks, and materials.