Can Petro Stopping Center restrict a franchisee's advertising activities to only the e-names they designate?

According to Petro Stopping Center's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Petro Stopping Center has the right to restrict a franchisee's advertising activities to the use of only the e-names they designate. The FDD defines "e-names" as URLs, domain names, website addresses, metatags, links, keywords, email addresses, social media accounts, and any other means of electronic identification or origin. This means that Petro Stopping Center can control how a franchisee identifies their location online for advertising purposes.

This control extends to all aspects of a franchisee's e-commerce activities, as Petro Stopping Center has the right to designate, approve, control, or limit all aspects of a franchisee's use of e-commerce. Petro Stopping Center also has the right to control or designate the manner of a franchisee's use of all e-names. This includes requiring franchisees to provide graphical, photographic, written, or other forms of artistic or literary content for use in e-commerce activities associated with the Marks or the Petro System.

For a prospective franchisee, this means that they will have limited autonomy in their online advertising and e-commerce strategies. They must adhere to Petro Stopping Center's directives regarding e-names and other forms of online identification. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, as franchisors seek to maintain brand consistency and control across all locations. However, it is important for franchisees to understand the extent of these restrictions and how they may impact their ability to attract customers online.