FRANCHISE LAW
Franchise Law Articles
Plain-English analysis of FDD reviews, franchise agreements, exit strategy, and ongoing counsel for franchisees and franchisors.
479 articles
Can AI Review an FDD? What It Can and Cannot Catch
An AI tool can read a Franchise Disclosure Document faster than any lawyer, but it cannot review one — it will summarize all 23 items, pull the fee tables, and …
Texas Franchise Law: What Makes It Different
Texas franchise law is not a separate code of franchise-specific statutes. Texas is not a franchise registration state, it has no franchise relationship …
Franchise Agreement Negotiation: What You Can Change
Yes, you can negotiate a franchise agreement — just not all of it. Franchisors hold certain terms fixed to keep their system uniform and their disclosures …
5 Franchise Agreement Clauses to Watch Before Signing
Five clauses carry most of the long-term risk in a franchise agreement: renewal, non-compete, mandatory upgrades, termination, and transfer. They are not hidden …
Franchise Non-Compete Clauses: What's Enforceable
A franchise non-compete clause is enforceable only to the extent your state’s law allows, and almost every state that allows them, judges them on the same …
Franchise Due Diligence: Vet a Franchise Before You Buy
Due diligence on a franchise means verifying the franchisor’s claims before you sign — reading all 23 items of the Franchise Disclosure Document, calling …
Franchise Termination Notice: Required Elements & Template
A franchise termination notice is the formal written document by which one party tells the other that the franchise agreement is ending — and a proper notice …
How Negotiable Is a Franchise Agreement?
A franchise agreement is more negotiable than most buyers think and less negotiable than most hope — the core economics and brand standards rarely move, but …
FDD and Franchise Agreement: A Franchisor's Guide
A franchisor sells franchises with two documents that do opposite jobs: the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) discloses, and the franchise agreement binds. …
How to Negotiate Franchise Royalty Fees
You can sometimes negotiate franchise royalty fees, but the headline percentage is usually the hardest term to move — what more often gives is the structure …
Do Franchises Give Exclusive Territories?
Not necessarily — franchisors are not required to grant exclusive territories, and many don’t. Whether another franchisee, or the franchisor itself, can …
How to Grow and Scale a Franchise System
Growing a franchise system comes down to one discipline: protect what makes the brand work while you multiply the number of units running it. Scaling is not …
Training and Onboarding New Franchisees
Effective franchisee training does one thing above all: it makes a new owner able to run a unit to your standards before they open the doors. The best programs …
Buying a Franchise Resale: What Buyers Should Know
A franchise resale is the purchase of an existing franchised unit from its current owner, rather than opening a brand-new location from the franchisor. You …
How Much Control Does a Franchisor Have Over You?
A franchisor controls almost everything that touches the brand — operations, suppliers, branding, and store standards — but its control over the prices you …
Franchise Territories: What Your Agreement Actually Grants
A franchise territory is the geographic area — and sometimes the customer set — in which your franchise agreement defines your rights to operate. What most …
Can a Franchisor Require You to Buy From Specific Suppliers?
Yes — in most cases a franchisor can legally require franchisees to buy products, equipment, and services from specific suppliers, including from the franchisor …
Franchise Territory Definition Checklist for Franchisors
Defining franchise territories well means answering seven questions before you sell your first franchise: how much market each territory must contain, how its …
Can a Franchisee Own Other Businesses or Franchises?
Usually, yes — you can own other businesses and even other franchises while operating as a franchisee, as long as they don’t compete with the brand …
Franchise Financial Projections Cheat Sheet
Every reliable number in a franchise financial projection comes from four places: Item 19 of the franchise disclosure document (FDD) — the only place a …
