To what jurisdiction do Noodles & Company franchisees irrevocably submit in the event of a lawsuit?

According to Noodles & Company's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchise agreement is generally interpreted under the laws of Colorado, excluding its choice of laws rules, except to the extent governed by the United States Trademark Act of 1946 or other federal law. This means that in most legal disputes arising from the franchise agreement, Colorado law will be applied.

However, there is an exception: if any provision of the agreement would not be enforceable under Colorado law, and the Noodles & Company restaurant is located outside of Colorado, the laws of the state where the restaurant is located will govern that specific provision, but only if that state's laws would make the provision enforceable. This ensures that the agreement is interpreted in a way that maximizes its enforceability, taking into account local laws where the franchise operates.

This clause does not constitute a waiver of any of the franchisee's rights under any applicable franchise law of another state. This means that while Colorado law generally applies, the franchisee still retains any protections or rights afforded to them by franchise laws in their own state. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, where franchisors often choose a specific state's law to govern the agreement for consistency, but must also account for local laws that protect franchisees.