Can the Noodles & Company franchise agreement be modified, and if so, how?
Noodles_Company Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We own, operate and franchise Noodles & Company restaurants (each, a "Restaurant"), specializing in noodle dishes, salads, sandwiches, soups, desserts, breads, beverages, and other menu items, and merchandise related to the Noodles & Company Restaurant concept, as we may authorize from time to time. We have developed and own a comprehensive system for developing and operating Noodles & Company Restaurants, including trademarks, trade dress, signage, building specifications, designs and layouts, equipment, ingredients, specifications and recipes for authorized food products, methods of inventory control, training programs and certain operational and business standards, policies and procedures, all of which we may improve, further develop or otherwise modify from time to time.
- (a) You acknowledge that you accept the terms, conditions and covenants contained in this Agreement as being reasonably necessary to maintain our high standards of quality and service and the uniformity of those standards at each Noodles & Company Restaurant and thereby to protect and preserve the goodwill of the Marks.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 99–350)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 Noodles & Company Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor may modify certain aspects of the franchise system. Specifically, Noodles & Company retains the right to improve, further develop, or otherwise modify the system for operating Noodles & Company Restaurants. This includes trademarks, trade dress, signage, building specifications, designs and layouts, equipment, ingredients, specifications and recipes for authorized food products, methods of inventory control, training programs, and certain operational and business standards, policies, and procedures.
This means that while the core Franchise Agreement remains largely fixed, Noodles & Company can make changes to various elements of the restaurant's operations and branding over time. These modifications are generally aimed at maintaining the quality and uniformity of the Noodles & Company brand across all locations. Franchisees are expected to adapt to these changes as part of their agreement.
While the FDD excerpt does not explicitly state whether the Franchise Agreement itself can be modified on an individual basis, it does highlight the franchisee's acknowledgment that the terms, conditions, and covenants within the agreement are necessary to maintain the brand's standards. This suggests that significant modifications to the agreement are unlikely. However, prospective franchisees should directly inquire with Noodles & Company about the possibility of negotiating specific terms or conditions before signing the agreement.