What constitutes an eligible Noodles & Company Restaurant for voting purposes within a Cooperative?

According to the 2025 Noodles & Company Franchise Disclosure Document, each Cooperative utilizes a voting system where each eligible Noodles & Company restaurant has one vote. An eligible restaurant is defined as one that is open and operating at the time of the vote. This means that only restaurants currently in business and actively serving customers can participate in Cooperative voting matters.

This condition ensures that only active and invested franchisees have a say in Cooperative decisions. It prevents closed or non-operational locations from influencing the direction of the Cooperative. This seems to be a fair approach, as it ties voting rights to the current operational status of the restaurant.

For a prospective Noodles & Company franchisee, this means that their vote in Cooperative matters will only be counted if their restaurant is open and operating when the vote takes place. This encourages franchisees to maintain continuous operation to ensure their voice is heard in Cooperative decisions.