Does the Area Development Agreement for Noodles & Company grant the right to use Noodles & Company trademarks?

According to Noodles & Company's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Area Development Agreement does not grant franchisees the right to use any of Noodles & Company's trademarks. The document explicitly states that the Area Development Agreement does not authorize the franchisee to own or operate a Noodles & Company restaurant; this right is granted under a separate Franchise Agreement.

This means that while an Area Development Agreement grants the developer the right to develop an agreed-upon number of Noodles & Company restaurants within a specific geographical area, it does not allow them to use the brand's trademarks or operate a restaurant. The Area Development Agreement focuses on the development schedule and geographical territory.

The right to use Noodles & Company's trademarks and operate a restaurant is only granted upon signing a Franchise Agreement. Therefore, a developer must enter into a separate Franchise Agreement for each Noodles & Company restaurant they plan to open within their development area to gain the rights to use the trademarks and operate the restaurant.

This distinction is important for prospective developers to understand, as the Area Development Agreement solely provides the right and obligation to develop restaurants, not to operate them under the Noodles & Company brand. The operation of a Noodles & Company restaurant and the associated trademark usage rights are governed exclusively by the Franchise Agreement.