Under what conditions can a Noodles & Company restaurant be relocated?
Noodles_Company Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
your death or the death of any of your Principal Owners by will, declaration of or transfer in trust or under the laws of interstate succession; or (5) any foreclosure upon your Noodles & Company Restaurants or the transfer, surrender or loss by you of possession, control or management of your Noodles & Company Restaurants.
"Your Noodles & Company Restaurant" or "the Restaurant" – The Noodles & Company Restaurants you operate at the Premises. The plural includes all your Noodles & Company Restaurants.
* Any capitalized term not defined in this Section shall have the same meaning as otherwise prescribed in this Agreement.
2. GRANT OF RIGHTS.
2.01 Grant of Franchise and Term. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, we grant to you the right, and you assume the obligation, to operate a Noodles & Company Restaurant at the location set forth on the front page of this Agreement (the "Premises") and to use the Marks and System solely in connection therewith, for a term of 20 years, starting on the date of the opening of your Noodles & Company Restaurant (the "Term"). Immediately after the opening date, Noodles & Company may, at its discretion, deliver a Confirmation of Term Commencement Date in the form of Exhibit C hereto. You must conduct the business of your Noodles & Company Restaurant at the Premises for the duration of the Term. You may not conduct the business of your Noodles & Company Restaurant or use the System at any site other than the Premises, or relocate your
Noodles & Company Restaurant, without our consent. For the duration of the Term, you have the obligation to relocate a closed Noodles & Company Restaurant at a mutually acceptable location, unless we determine otherwise at our discretion.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 99–350)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Noodles & Company's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee cannot relocate their restaurant without the franchisor's consent. Specifically, the FDD states that the franchisee must operate the Noodles & Company restaurant at the location specified in the franchise agreement for the entire 20-year term.
To relocate, a franchisee needs prior written consent from Noodles & Company and must also comply with the company's then-current site criteria. This indicates that the new location must meet the standards that Noodles & Company has in place at the time of the proposed relocation.
Furthermore, even if a Noodles & Company restaurant is closed, the franchisee is obligated to relocate the restaurant to a mutually acceptable location, unless Noodles & Company determines otherwise at its discretion. This clause places the onus on the franchisee to find a new suitable site if the original location ceases operations, subject to the franchisor's approval.