What sentence is being deleted from Section 17.3 of the Petro Stopping Center Franchise Agreement?

According to the 2025 Petro Stopping Center Franchise Disclosure Document, Section 17.3 of the Franchise Agreement is being amended. Specifically, the sentence, "You and your owners further agree to sign general releases, in a form satisfactory to us, of any and all claims against us and our shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents, Affiliates, successors and assigns" is being deleted. Additionally, the phrase "and releases" is being removed from the final sentence of Section 17.3.

This change means that Petro Stopping Center franchisees and their owners will no longer be required to sign general releases of claims against Petro Stopping Center and related parties as part of Section 17.3 of the Franchise Agreement. A general release typically waives all known and unknown claims against the released party. By removing this requirement, franchisees retain the right to pursue legal claims against Petro Stopping Center, its shareholders, officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns, subject to other terms and conditions of the agreement.

This amendment could be seen as a positive change for prospective franchisees, as it provides them with greater legal recourse and protection. Franchise agreements often contain clauses that limit the franchisee's ability to sue the franchisor, so the removal of this release requirement could be a significant benefit. Franchisees should still carefully review the entire Franchise Agreement and any addenda to fully understand their rights and obligations.