STANDARD FORM
APPLEBEE'S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL & BAR
FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
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(Location Address)
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(Franchisee Name)
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(Date)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECITALS.................................................................
3
1. FRANCHISE GRANT AND
TERM........................................ 4
2. UNIFORM
STANDARDS...............................................
5
3. COMPLIANCE WITH THE
SYSTEM...................................... 6
4. GENERAL SERVICES OF
FRANCHISOR.................................. 6
5. RESTAURANT SYSTEM AND
PROCEDURES................................ 7
6.
TRAINING........................................................
10
7. RESTAURANT
MAINTENANCE.......................................... 10
8.
ADVERTISING.....................................................
11
9.
FEES............................................................
13
10. RECORD
KEEPING..................................................
15
11. FRANCHISEE ORGANIZATION,
AUTHORITY,
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND SHAREHOLDERS............................
15
12.
TRANSFER........................................................
18
13. CONFIDENTIALITY;
RESTRICTIONS................................... 21
14.
INSPECTIONS.....................................................
23
15. RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES AND
INDEMNIFICATION..................... 24
16.
INSURANCE.......................................................
26
17. DEBTS AND
TAXES................................................. 28
18. TRADE NAMES, SERVICE MARKS AND
TRADEMARKS....................... 28
19. EXPIRATION AND TERMINATION; OPTION
TO
PURCHASE RESTAURANT; ATTORNEYS' FEES............................
30
20. NO WAIVER OF
DEFAULT............................................ 35
21. CONSTRUCTION, SEVERABILITY,
GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION..................................
35
22. INTERFERENCE WITH EMPLOYMENT
RELATIONS.......................... 36
23. LIQUOR
LICENSE..................................................
37
24. FORCE
MAJEURE...................................................
37
25.
MISCELLANEOUS...................................................
38
26.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................
39
EXHIBIT 1: ROYALTY
FEE................................................ 41
APPENDIX A: STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP
INTERESTS........................... 42
APPENDIX B: REVIEW AND CONSENT WITH
RESPECT TO TRANSFERS.......................................
43
APPENDIX C: CONFIDENTIALITY
AGREEMENT.................................. 44
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APPLEBEE'S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL & BAR
FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made this ________ day of
_____________________,
20______, by
and between APPLEBEE'S INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Delaware corporation
("FRANCHISOR"),
_____________________________________________,
a
(_______________ corporation, sole
proprietorship,
_______________ partnership,
_______________ limited partnership [strike inappropriate language])
("FRANCHISEE")
and
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______________________________ (collectively, the "PRINCIPAL
SHAREHOLDERS" and,
individually, a "PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDER" of Franchisee if a corporation or
general partner if Franchisee is a limited
partnership
having as its
general
partner
a
corporation)
and
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("GENERAL PARTNER" of Franchisee if
Franchisee is a limited partnership).*
* (If Franchisee is not a corporation
or a sole proprietorship, or if
Franchisee is a limited liability company,
the parties hereto
hereby agree that
an Addendum shall be attached to this
Agreement so as properly to reflect the
responsibilities of the partners of any
general partnership, the general partner
of any limited partnership and the
shareholders of any corporate general partner
of any partnership, or the members of any
limited liability company.)
WITNESSETH:
RECITALS
A. Franchisor owns the rights to develop
and operate a unique system of
restaurants which specialize in the sale of
high quality, moderately priced food
and alcoholic beverages in an attractive, casual setting, which includes
proprietary rights in certain valuable trade names, service marks and
trademarks, including the service mark
Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill & Bar and
variations of such mark, designs, decor and color schemes for restaurant
premises, signs, equipment, procedures and formulae for preparing food and
beverage products, specifications for certain food and beverage products,
inventory methods, operating methods, financial control concepts, training
facilities and teaching techniques ("the
System").
B. Franchisor established, through its own
development and operation, and
through the granting of franchises,
a chain of Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill
&
Bar restaurants which are distinctive;
which are similar in
appearance, design
and decor; and which are uniform in
operation and product consistency.
C. The value of Franchisor's
trade names, service
marks and trademarks is
based upon: (1) the maintenance of uniform
high quality standards
in connection
with the preparation and sale of
Franchisor-approved food and beverage products,
(2) the uniform high standards of
appearance of the individual restaurant units
in the System, (3) the use of distinctive
trademarks,
service marks,
building
designs and advertising signs representing a uniformly high
quality of product
and services, and (4) the assumption by
Franchisor and its
franchisees of the
obligation to maintain and enhance the
goodwill and public
acceptance
of the
System (and of Franchisor's trade names,
service marks and trademarks) by strict
adherence to the high standards required by
Franchisor.
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D. Franchisor, Franchisee and
the Principal Shareholders have entered into
a Development Agreement dated __________________,
20____
("Development
Agreement"), relating to the development by Franchisee of Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill & Bar
restaurants.
E. Franchisee desires to use
the System in
connection with the
operation
of an Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
restaurant at the
location which is
specified in Subsection 1.1 of this
Agreement, pursuant to the terms, conditions
and provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
obligations contained herein, it
is hereby agreed as follows:
1. FRANCHISE GRANT AND TERM
1.1 Franchisor grants Franchisee, for the term stated below,
the right,
license and privilege:
(a) to use
the System incident to the operation of an Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill
& Bar restaurant at
____________________________________
(the
"Restaurant");
(b) to use
the trade names, service marks and trademarks which
Franchisor shall from
time to time designate as part of the System, but only
in connection with the sale at the Restaurant of those products which
Franchisor has
designated and approved; and
(c) to hold itself out
to the public as a Franchisee of Franchisor.
1.2 The term of the franchise shall commence
as of the Commencement
Date,
as hereinafter defined, and shall end twenty (20)
years thereafter, unless this
Agreement is terminated prior to that date in accordance
with its provisions.
"Commencement Date," as used herein, shall mean the date upon which the
Restaurant opens for business. The parties agree to affix to this
Agreement an
addendum expressly setting forth the
Commencement Date, which, when so affixed,
shall become a part of this Agreement.
1.3 At the expiration of the term
hereof, Franchisee
shall have an option
to operate the Restaurant for four (4) successive terms of five (5) years
(unless the franchise agreement with
respect to that additional term is sooner
terminated in accordance with its
provisions), provided
that immediately
prior
to each such five (5) year term (a)
Franchisee satisfies
the requirements which
Franchisor then-imposes on its new
franchisees, (b) all
other restaurant units
within the System which Franchisee
then-operates
substantially
comply, in the
opinion of Franchisor, with Franchisor's
then-current standards, specifications,
requirements and instructions, and (c)
Franchisee executes the form of franchise
agreement which Franchisor is then using
with respect to new restaurants within
the System, with the amount of royalty and
advertising fees payable at the rates
then-prevailing under the franchise agreements which Franchisor is then using
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for new restaurants within the System, and Franchisee pays to Franchisor for
each of said five (5) year periods a
franchise fee equal to ten percent (10%) of
the prevailing franchise fee paid by new
franchisees at that time. Any franchise
agreement which Franchisee executes for such additional term
will also contain
options to obtain an assignment of
Franchisee's lease
with a third party and/or
to purchase certain property or to purchase or lease
the Restaurant
premises
exercisable by Franchisor upon termination
thereof and an option
to purchase or
lease the Restaurant premises exercisable by Franchisor upon
expiration of the
renewal term (subject to any then-existing
renewal rights of
Franchisee). Such
options will contain provisions substantially similar to the provisions of
Franchisor's options described in
Subsection 19.4 hereof. Franchisee shall give
Franchisor written notice of its desire to exercise
its option to operate
the
Restaurant for an additional term no earlier than twelve (12)
months, and no
later than seven (7) months, prior to expiration of the initial term. If
Franchisee gives that notice, Franchisor, in its sole discretion, reasonably
exercised, shall determine whether Franchisee has satisfied the foregoing
requirements. Within forty-five (45) days of receiving
the notice
described
above, Franchisor shall notify
Franchisee in writing
whether or not Franchisee
is eligible to exercise the option
described in this Subsection.
1.4 During the period from the date of
this Agreement to the
expiration or
earlier termination of this Agreement, Franchisor shall not establish a
restaurant unit utilizing the System, or
license another franchisee to establish
a restaurant unit utilizing the System,
at any location within
the lesser of a
three (3) mile radius of the Restaurant or a radius from the
Restaurant
which
includes either a daytime or residential
population of forty
thousand (40,000)
or more people. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Franchisor may establish a
restaurant unit or may license a restaurant unit to a third party within the
geographic area set forth in the preceding sentence, provided that (i) such
restaurant is located within an airport (serviced by one or more public or
charter carrier), arena, stadium, state or
national park, or military fort, post
or base, (ii) is located across an international border, or (iii) does not
utilize the System or utilize the
Applebee's
Neighborhood
Grill & Bar
service
mark.
1.5 Franchisee, in consideration of
the benefits and privileges provided to
it by this Agreement, agrees to operate the Restaurant
and perform as required
hereunder for the full term of this
Agreement.
1.6 This Agreement is entered into
pursuant to and subject to the terms and
conditions which are set forth in the
Development Agreement.
2. UNIFORM STANDARDS
2.1 The System is a comprehensive
restaurant
system for the
retailing of
certain uniform and quality food and
beverage products (including alcoholic
beverages), emphasizing a varied menu of high
quality, moderately
priced food
products (including appetizers, creative sandwiches, dinner entrees and
desserts), a selection of alcoholic and other beverages, and prompt and
courteous service in a clean, wholesome, casual atmosphere. The foundation of
the System is the establishment and
maintenance of a reputation among the public
for the operation of high quality
restaurant units. A fundamental requirement of
the System, this Franchise Agreement and
franchises which Franchisor will grant
to others is adherence by all franchisees
to Franchisor's standards and policies
providing for the uniform operation of all restaurant
units within the
System,
including, but not limited to, (a) selling
only those products which Franchisor
has designated and approved, (b) using only Franchisor's prescribed building
layout and designs, equipment, signs, interior and exterior decor items,
fixtures and furnishings, (c) adhering strictly to Franchisor's
standards and
specifications relating to the selection, purchase, storage, preparation,
packaging, service and sale of all food and
beverage products being sold at the
Restaurant, and (d) satisfying all of Franchisor's prescribed standards of
quality, service and cleanliness. Compliance by all franchisees with the
foregoing standards and policies in
conjunction
with the use of
Franchisor's
trade names, service marks and trademarks
provides the basis for the wide public
acceptance of the System and its valuable goodwill. Accordingly, strict
adherence by all franchisees to all aspects of the System is required
at all
times.
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2.2 The provisions of the Agreement shall
be interpreted to give effect to
the intent of the parties stated in this Section 2 to assure that Franchisee
shall operate the Restaurant in conformity with the System, through strict
adherence to Franchisor's standards and policies as they now
exist and as they
may be modified from time to time.
3. COMPLIANCE WITH THE SYSTEM
Franchisee
acknowledges
that every component
of the System is important to
Franchisor, to all franchisees and to the
operation of the Restaurant, including
the requirements (a) that only those products designated and approved by the
Franchisor are sold at the Restaurant,
and (b) that there is
uniformity of food
and beverage specifications, preparation methods, quality,
appearance, building
and interior design, color and decor,
landscaping,
facilities and service among
all restaurant units in the System.
Accordingly,
Franchisee agrees to and shall
comply with all aspects of the System (as it now exists and as it may be
modified from time to time). Franchisee recognizes and agrees that
Franchisor
may prohibit the use of the System and its
trade names,
notwithstanding
the
granting of this Agreement, if Franchisee
fails to design,
construct, equip
or
furnish its Restaurant in compliance with the specifications designated by
Franchisor, unless prior written approval
has been received from Franchisor.
4. GENERAL SERVICES OF FRANCHISOR
4.1 Franchisor shall advise and consult with
Franchisee
periodically
in
connection with the operation of the
Restaurant, and at
other reasonable
times
upon Franchisee's request. Franchisor will provide to Franchisee such of
its
know-how, new developments, techniques and improvements in
areas of restaurant
design, management, food and beverage preparation,
sales promotion and
service
concepts as may be pertinent to the
construction and operation of the Restaurant
under the System. Franchisor may provide the foregoing information (a) by
sending representatives to visit the Restaurant,
(b) by providing
written or
other material, (c) at meetings or seminars,
and (d) at training
sessions at
Franchisor's training facility and/or such
other locations as may be selected by
Franchisor from time to time. Franchisor
also shall make available to Franchisee
all additional services, facilities, rights and privileges which Franchisor
makes available from time to time to its
franchisees of the System generally.
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4.2 For approximately eight (8) days
prior to the opening of the Restaurant
and the first six (6) days that the
Restaurant is open for business, Franchisor
shall provide Franchisee, at Franchisor's expense, with the
services of up to a
maximum of six (6) of Franchisor's training personnel to facilitate proper
operation of the kitchen, bar and dining room areas during
that period and to
assist in correcting any operational
problems which may arise.
4.3 From time to time during the term
of this Agreement,
Franchisor
will
develop and test new menu items. The menu
consists of approved national food and
beverage selections. Franchisee shall comply with all menu changes which
generally occur every six (6) months.
The menu may be
modified to reflect food
and beverage items peculiar to Franchisee's
local area, subject to
Franchisor's
testing and approval.
5. RESTAURANT SYSTEM AND
PROCEDURES
5.1 Franchisor shall furnish Franchisee with advice and assistance in
managing and operating the Restaurant,
and Franchisor's representatives will
visit the Restaurant periodically. Franchisor will assist Franchisee in
coordinating the Restaurant's pre-opening activities, and as noted more
particularly in Subsection 4.2 hereof, shall provide Franchisee with the
services of certain of Franchisor's
personnel to
facilitate proper operation of
the Restaurant when it opens for
business.
5.2 Franchisee shall designate an employee who will supervise the
Restaurant, and devote his or her full time,
best efforts and constant personal
attention to the day-to-day operation of
the Restaurant (the "General Manager").
Franchisee also shall designate an employee who will
supervise the
Restaurant
kitchen, and devote his or her full time,
best efforts and
constant personal
attention to the day-to-day operation of the Restaurant kitchen (the "Kitchen
Manager").
5.3 Franchisee shall require that the
General Manager, the
Kitchen Manager
and each of Franchisee's employees who serve as Restaurant
managers to maintain
his or her principal personal residence within a usual
driving time of not more
than approximately one (1) hour from the Restaurant.
Franchisor
reserves the
right to require that, as a condition of his or her employment, the General
Manager must successfully complete Franchisor's interview process and a
psychological profile test in a manner which satisfies a uniform standard
established by Franchisor. The test shall
be administered by Franchisor, or by a
testing agency designated by Franchisor, at
Franchisee's expense.
5.4 Unless Franchisor shall have given its prior written approval,
Franchisee shall keep the Restaurant open for business only during the hours
which are specified by Franchisor in the
Franchise Operations
Manual or in such
other materials or manuals provided or made available by Franchisor to
Franchisee (collectively the "Manuals"), provided that such hours do not
conflict with state laws or local
ordinances
relating to the sale
of alcoholic
beverages or governing the hours during
which restaurant
establishments may
be
open for business. In addition, Franchisee
expressly agrees to:
(a) operate
the Restaurant in a clean, safe and orderly manner,
providing courteous,
first-class service to the public;
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(b) diligently
promote and
make every
reasonable effort to
increase
the business of the
Restaurant;
(c) advertise
the business of the Restaurant by the use of the
Franchisor's
trade names, service marks and trademarks and such other
insignia, slogans, emblems, symbols, designs and other identifying
characteristics
as may be developed or established from time to time by
Franchisor
and included in the Manuals, subject to the limitations of
Subsections 8.4 and
8.5 hereof;
(d) prohibit and, to
the best of Franchisee's ability, prevent the use
of the Restaurant for any immoral or illegal purpose, or for any other
purpose, business activity, use of function which is not expressly
authorized hereunder
or in the Manuals; and
(e) comply fully with
all applicable laws and regulations, including,
but not limited to,
those relating to building construction, maintenance and
safety, environmental, fire prevention, food safety,
public access and the
sale of alcoholic
beverages.
5.5 Franchisee hereby acknowledges receipt and loan of a copy of the
Manuals heretofore or hereinafter furnished to Franchisee, and agrees to
faithfully, completely and continuously perform,
fulfill, observe and
follow
all instructions, requirements, standards, specifications, systems and
procedures contained therein, including (a)
those relating to the
construction,
design, decor, building and equipping of the Restaurant, (b)
those relating to
the selection, purchase, storage,
preparation,
packaging, service and
sale of
all products being sold at the Restaurant,
(c) those relating to the maintenance
and repair of Restaurant building, grounds, equipment, signs, interior and
exterior decor items, fixtures and furnishings, and (d) those relating to
employee uniforms and dress, accounting, bookkeeping, record retention, and
other business systems, procedures and
operations. The Manuals are incorporated
herein by reference and hereby made part of this Agreement. Franchisee
acknowledges and agrees that the materials contained in the Manuals are
integral, necessary and material elements
of the System.
5.6 Franchisee understands, acknowledges and
agrees that strict conformity
with the System, including the standards,
specifications,
systems,
procedures,
requirements and instructions contained in
this Agreement and in the Manuals, is
vitally important, not only to the success
of Franchisor, but to
the collective
success of all of Franchisor's other franchisees, by reason of the benefits
which Franchisor and all of its franchisees will derive from uniformity in
products sold, identity, quality,
appearance,
facilities and service
among all
restaurant units which are part of the
System. Without
limiting the generality
of the foregoing provisions, Franchisee agrees to adhere strictly to the
requirements in the Manuals relating (a) to the construction, design, decor,
building and equipping of the Restaurant,
(b) to the maximum
permissible ratio
of sales of alcoholic beverages to sales of food at the
Restaurant, and (c)
to
the limitations on the number of video games or
similar devices
which may be
placed on the Restaurant premises. Any failure to adhere to the standards,
specifications, systems, requirements or instructions contained in this
Agreement or in the Manuals shall constitute a material breach of this
Agreement.
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5.7 Franchisor shall have the right, at any time
and from time to time, in
the good faith exercise of its reasonable
business judgment, consistent with the
overall best interests of the System generally, having due regard for the
financial burden which may be placed upon
its franchisees,
to revise,
amend,
delete from and add to the System and the
material contained in the Manuals.
Franchisee expressly agrees to comply with all such revisions, amendments,
deletions and additions.
5.8 Franchisee shall offer for sale
from the Restaurant,
at all times when
the Restaurant is open for business, only the products which are expressly
designated in the Manuals, except, as noted
more particularly in Subsection 4.3,
to the extent that Franchisee has obtained
Franchisor's prior written consent to
a modification of that requirement. No product shall be offered or
sold at or
from the Restaurant under, or in connection with, any
trademark or service mark
other than Franchisor's designated trademarks and service marks without
Franchisor's prior written consent.
5.9 Franchisee shall obtain all food and beverage
products, equipments,
signs, interior and exterior decor items,
fixtures, furnishings,
supplies, and
other products and materials required for the operation of or sold at the
Restaurant solely from suppliers (including manufacturers, distributors and
other sources) who demonstrate, to Franchisor's continuing reasonable
satisfaction, the ability to meet Franchisor's then-current standards and
specifications for such items; who possess adequate quality controls and
capacity to supply Franchisee's needs promptly and
reliably; and who have
been
approved in writing by Franchisor
and not thereafter
disapproved.
The Manuals
contain a list of approved suppliers. If Franchisee desires to purchase any
items from an unapproved supplier, Franchisee shall submit to Franchisor a
written request for such approval,
which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld, or shall request the supplier
itself to do so.
Franchisor shall have
the right to inspect the supplier's
facilities, and to require that samples from
the supplier be delivered, at Franchisor's
option, either to Franchisor or to an
independent, certified laboratory designated by Franchisor for testing.
Franchisee or the supplier shall pay the costs of any such
test. Franchisor
shall notify Franchisee in writing within
forty-five (45) days of receiving any
such request whether it disapproves
the supplier.
Failure by Franchisor
to so
notify Franchisee within that period shall
be deemed to constitute Franchisor's
approval of such supplier. Franchisor reserves the right, at its option, to
reinspect the facilities and retest products of any such approved
supplier at
any time and to revoke its approval upon
the supplier's
failure to continue
to
meet any of Franchisor's criteria.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any
supplier
of goods having any trademark, trade name,
service mark, logo or symbol owned by
Franchisor shall not be approved to supply Franchisee such goods until such
supplier has entered a written agreement with Franchisor regarding the
production, use and sale of such goods.
5.10 No food or
beverage product,
interior or exterior
decor item,
sign,
item of equipment, fixtures, furnishings or supplies, or other product or
material required for the operation of the Restaurant, which bears any of
Franchisor's trade names, service marks or
trademarks, shall be
used or sold in
or upon the Restaurant premises unless the same shall
have been first submitted
to and approved in writing by
Franchisor.
5.11 The Manuals and
all related material furnished to Franchisee hereunder
are and shall remain the property of Franchisor, and must be returned to
Franchisor, along with any copies made
thereof, immediately upon request or upon
the expiration or earlier termination of
this Agreement.
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6. TRAINING
6.1 Franchisor shall make its
operations training
course available to
the
General Manager, the Kitchen Manager, and Franchisee's Assistant Managers and
other Restaurant managers.
6.2 Before the Restaurant opens for
business, and thereafter as replacement
personnel are employed by Franchisee,
the General Manager,
the Kitchen
Manager
and each Assistant Manager shall attend Franchisor's operations training
facility for such period of time as
Franchisor shall deem reasonably necessary,
and shall successfully complete that course to Franchisor's reasonable
satisfaction. If the General Manager,
Kitchen Manager or an
Assistant Manager
fails to successfully complete Franchisor's operations training course,
Franchisor may require designation of a new
General Manager,
Kitchen Manager or
Assistant Manager, as the case may be, and
Franchisee
shall designate a new
General Manager, Kitchen Manager or Assistant
Manager, who shall be required to
successfully complete such training
course.
6.3 The General Manager, the Kitchen Manager and each Assistant Manager
shall, from time to time as reasonably required by Franchisor, attend and
successfully complete to Franchisor's
reasonable
satisfaction a
Franchisor-provided refresher course in
restaurant operations.
6.4 Franchisee shall be responsible for the Restaurant's compliance with
the operating standards, methods,
techniques and material taught at Franchisor's
operations training course, and shall cause the employees of
the Restaurant to
be trained in such standards, methods and techniques as are relevant to the
performance of their respective duties.
6.5 Attendance of the General Manager, the Kitchen Manager and each
Assistant Manager at any of Franchisor's
training courses shall be tuition-free.
Franchisee shall pay all other costs and
expenses relating to
the attendance of
Franchisee's personnel at any of Franchisor's training courses, including,
without limitation, the cost of travel, lodging, meals, and other related and
incidental expenses.
7. RESTAURANT MAINTENANCE
7.1 Franchisee shall, at Franchisee's
sole cost and expense,
maintain the
Restaurant in conformity with the
standards,
specifications and requirements of
the System, as the same may be designated by Franchisor from time to time.
Franchisee specifically agrees to repair or replace,
at Franchisee's cost
and
expense, equipment, signs, interior and exterior decor items, fixtures,
furnishings, supplies, and other products and materials required for the
operation of the Restaurant as necessary or desirable, and to obtain, at
Franchisee's cost and expense, any new or
additional equipment,
signs, interior
and exterior decor items, fixtures, furnishings, supplies, and other products
and materials which may be reasonably
required by Franchisor for new products or
procedures. Except as may be expressly
provided in the Manuals, no alterations
or improvements, or changes of any kind in
design, equipment, signs, interior or
exterior decor items, fixtures or furnishings shall be made in or about the
Restaurant or Restaurant premises without the prior written approval of
Franchisor in each instance.
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7.2 In order to assure the continued
success of the
Restaurant, Franchisee
shall, at any time from time to time after
________________,
_________, (i.e.,
six [6] years after the date of this Agreement) as reasonably required by
Franchisor (taking into consideration the cost and
then-remaining term of
this
Agreement), modernize the Restaurant premises,
equipment,
signs, interior
and
exterior decor items, fixtures, furnishings, supplies, and other products
and
materials required for the operation of the Restaurant, to Franchisor's
then-current standards and specifications,
provided that at the
time Franchisor
requires Franchisee to so modernize the
Restaurant premises at least twenty-five
percent (25%) of Franchisor-owned
and operated
Restaurants meet such
standards
and specifications. Franchisee's obligations under this Subsection are in
addition to, and shall not relieve
Franchisee from, any of its other obligations
under this Agreement, including those
contained in the Manuals.
7.3 If Franchisee is or becomes a lessee of the Restaurant premises,
Franchisee shall have included in the lease
provisions expressly permitting both
Franchisee and Franchisor to take all
actions and make all alterations referred
to under Subsections 7.1 and 7.2 hereof,
requiring the lessor thereunder to give
Franchisor reasonable notice of any
contemplated termination, and providing that
Franchisee has the unrestricted
right to assign the
lease to Franchisor without
the lessor having any right to impose
conditions on such assignment or to obtain
any payment in connection therewith. Franchisee shall not, without the prior
written consent of Franchisor, execute any lease or other agreement which
imposes, or purports to impose,
any limitations on the ability of Franchisee
and/or of Franchisor to operate additional restaurants at any particular
location beyond the geographic limitation set forth in Section
1.4 hereof, or
any lease the term of which is shorter than
the term of this Agreement.
8. ADVERTISING
8.1 Franchisor shall develop and
administer
advertising, public
relations
and sales promotion programs designed to promote and enhance the collective
success of all restaurant units in the System. It is expressly understood,
acknowledged and agreed that in all phases of
such advertising
and promotion,
including, without limitation, type, quantity, timing, placement
and choice of
media and medium, market areas, advertising
agencies and public relations firms,
Franchisor's decisions shall be final and binding.
Franchisee
shall have the
right to participate actively in all such advertising, public relations and
sales promotion programs, but only in full and complete
accordance with
such
terms and conditions as may be established
by Franchisor for each such program.
8.2 Franchisee shall pay Franchisor,
in the manner
described in Section
9
hereof, a minimum dollar amount equal to
two and twenty-five
hundredths percent
(2.25%) of Franchisee's gross sales, as defined in
Subsection 9.3 hereof.
Such
funds shall become the sole and absolute
property of Franchisor, to be allocated
to a separate "advertising account"
established by Franchisor. Franchisor shall
use such funds for market studies, advertising and marketing studies or
services, production of commercials, advertising copy and layouts, traffic
costs, agency fees, marketing personnel,
or any other costs
associated with the
development, marketing and testing of advertising, and for the purchase of
advertising time, space or materials in
national, regional or
other advertising
media, in a manner determined by Franchisor in its
sole discretion.
Within six
(6) months following the end of Franchisor's fiscal year, Franchisor shall
provide all franchisees with an accounting
of all amounts received from them and
expended by Franchisor for the matters set
forth above. In addition, Franchisee
shall expend a minimum dollar amount equal
to one and one-half percent (1.5%) of
Franchisee's gross sales, for local promotional activities, subject to the
provisions of Subsections 8.4 and 8.5
hereof. Franchisor shall have the right at
all times to review Franchisee's books and
records, and to require Franchisee to
produce evidence of its gross sales and
local promotional activities, to ensure
Franchisee's compliance with this Section.
Any amount determined
by said audit
to be due Franchisor as part of the
advertising
fee will be paid to
Franchisor
by Franchisee within ten (10) days thereafter. At any time after execution of
this Agreement, Franchisor may in its sole
discretion increase, to a maximum of
four percent (4%) of gross sales, the
percentage of gross sales which Franchisee
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shall be required to pay to Franchisor for
allocation to a separate advertising
account pursuant to this Subsection 8.2. Franchisor shall use the funds paid
pursuant to that increased percentage requirement solely for the purchase of
advertising time, space or materials in
national, regional or
other advertising
media, in a manner determined by Franchisor in its
sole discretion,
provided
that in each calendar year (or other twelve [12] month
period established
by
Franchisor) in which Franchisor makes
expenditures for
advertising from such an
advertising account, so long as Franchisee
is in compliance with its obligations
hereunder, Franchisor's expenditures for advertising in the Territory
encompassed by the Development Agreement
(including expenditures for national or
regional advertising in media which reach
that Territory)
shall be on a
basis
which is roughly proportional to Franchisee's
contribution to that
advertising
account during that calendar year or other
twelve (12) month period. Franchisor
also may increase the percentage of gross sales which Franchisee shall be
required to spend for local promotional
activities, provided however, that in no
event shall Franchisee be required to make
payments pursuant to
this Subsection
8.2 in a dollar amount in excess of five
percent (5%) of gross sales.
8.3 Franchisee shall submit to
Franchisor, for
Franchisor's approval,
an
advertising campaign plan relating to the promotion of the opening of the
Restaurant which is sufficient to meet the needs of the
market. The Manuals
contain a Press Release kit to assist Franchisee in this regard. Franchisee
shall conduct the approved advertising campaign and make all expenditures for
advertising to promote the opening of the
Restaurant
no later than sixty
(60)
days after the Restaurant opens for business. Franchisor will reimburse fifty
percent (50%) of Franchisee's out-of-pocket opening advertising
expenditures up
to a maximum of two thousand five hundred
dollars ($2,500), if
Franchisee meets
the following criteria:
(a) Franchisee's
opening advertising expenditures are made within
sixty (60) days after
the opening of the Restaurant;
(b) Franchisee
submits to Franchisor
within one hundred
twenty (120)
days after the opening of the Restaurant documentation for the opening
advertising
expenditures,
such as paid invoices
from suppliers of goods or
services evidencing
expenditure on the opening advertising promotion; and
(c) Franchisee's
opening advertising expenditures are made pursuant to
the approved
advertising
campaign plan and in accordance with the Grand
Opening Reimbursement
Program Policy Guidelines set forth in the Manuals.
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8.4 Nothing in the foregoing Subsections shall be deemed to prohibit
Franchisee from making additional
expenditures for local promotional activities.
All of the Franchisee's local promotional activities shall utilize approved
advertising media. "Approved advertising
media" are limited to the following:
(a) Newspapers,
magazines and other such periodicals;
(b) Radio and
television;
(c) Outdoor
advertising by signs displayed on billboards or buildings;
and
(d) Handbills, flyers,
door-hangers and direct mail.
In the event Franchisee wants to use a form
of advertising medium
not set forth
above, Franchisee shall submit a description of such
medium and advertising to
Franchisor. Franchisor shall notify
Franchisee
whether it approves
the use of
such medium within thirty (30) days of Franchisee's request. Failure by
Franchisor to so notify Franchisee within that period shall be deemed to
constitute Franchisor's approval of such request. Guidelines for local
promotional activities are contained in the Manuals,
including Franchisee's
required participation in any co-operative
marketing program.
8.5 All advertising copy and other
materials employed by Franchisee in
local promotional activities shall
be in strict
accordance and conformity with
the standards, formats and specimens
contained in the
Manuals and shall receive
the prior approval of Franchisor. In the
event Franchisee wishes to deviate from
the materials contained in the Manuals, Franchisee shall submit, in each
instance, the proposed advertising copy and
materials to Franchisor for approval
in advance of publication. Franchisor shall
notify Franchisee in writing, within
fifteen (15) days of such submission, whether Franchisor disapproves such
advertising copy and materials. Failure by Franchisor to so notify
Franchisee
within that period shall be deemed to
constitute
Franchisor's approval
of such
advertising copy and materials. In no event shall Franchisee's advertising
contain any statement or material
which may be
considered
(a) in bad taste
or
offensive to the public or to any group of
persons, (b) defamatory of any person
or an attack on any competitor, (c) to infringe upon the use, without
permission, of any other persons' trade name, trademark, service mark or
identification, or (d) inconsistent with the public image of
Franchisor or of
the System.
9. FEES
9.1 As partial consideration for the
rights granted
hereunder,
Franchisee
shall pay Franchisor:
(a) an initial franchise fee of _____________________
dollars
($__________),
to be paid in the
manner prescribed in Subsection 4.l of the
Development Agreement
as payment for the grant of the franchise;
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<PAGE>
(b) a monthly royalty
fee as determined by
Franchisor, not to
exceed
five percent (5%) of each calendar month's gross sales, as provided in
Subsection 4.3 of the
Development
Agreement,
as payment for
Franchisee's
continuing
right to operate the Restaurant as part of the System (see
Exhibit 1); and
(c) a monthly advertising fee equal to such percentage of each
calendar month's gross sales as Franchisor may require pursuant to
Subsection 8.2
hereof.
9.2 The fees referred to in Subsections 9.l(b) and (c) (the "Fees")
shall
be paid by check mailed and postmarked on or before
the twelfth day of the next
full month immediately following the month to which the
Fees relate. Any
Fees,
including the initial franchise fee, which are not paid when due shall
bear
interest from and after the due dates
thereof at the rate of
eighteen percent
(18%) per annum or the highest rate
permitted by
applicable law,
whichever is
less.
9.3 (a) Except for the sale of a gift
certificate (on which
royalty shall
be due and payable upon redemption
of the gift
certificate
and as provided in
Subsection 9.3(b) hereof, the term "gross sales," as used in this
Agreement,
shall mean all receipts (cash, cash equivalents or credit) or revenues
from
sales from all business conducted upon or
from the Restaurant premises, whether
evidenced by check, cash, credit, charge account, exchange or otherwise,
including, but not limited to, amounts
received from the sale
of goods, wares
and merchandise (including sales of food beverages and tangible
property of
every kind and nature, promotional or otherwise),
from all services
performed
from or at the Restaurant premises, and
from all orders taken or received at the
Restaurant premises, regardless of where such orders are filled.
Gross sales
shall not be reduced by any deductions for
cash shortages incurred in connection
with the transaction of business with
customers, credit card
company charges or
theft which is reimbursed by insurance or is not reported to the
appropriate
police authorities. Each charge or sale upon
installment
or credit shall be
treated as a sale for the full price in the
month during
which such
charge or
sale shall be first made, irrespective of
the time when Franchisee shall receive
payment (whether full or partial)
therefor.
(b) Gross sales shall
not include:
(i) the sale of
merchandise
for
which cash has been refunded or, except as provided in the second
sentence of
Subsection 9.3(a), not received, or allowances made for
merchandise,
if the
sales of any such returned or exchanged
merchandise
shall have been
previously
included in gross sales, (ii) the amount of any sales tax imposed by any
federal, state, municipal or other
governmental authority directly on sales and
intended to be collected from customers, provided that the amount
thereof is
added to the selling price and actually paid by the Franchisee to such
governmental authority, (iii) the sale of merchandise for which a gift
certificate is redeemed, if the initial sale of the gift
certificate shall have
been previously included in gross sales, (iv) the
sale of waste products of the
Restaurant, (v) telephone, game and vending machine revenues,
(vi) the sale of
non-food items or beverages at a discount in connection with a promotional
campaign, (vii) one-time sale of furniture,
fixtures or equipment,
and (viii)
theft which is not covered by insurance and is reported to the appropriate
police authorities. In addition,
Franchisor may, from
time to time, in writing,
permit or allow certain other items to be excluded
from gross sales.
Any such
permission or allowance may be revoked or
withdrawn at Franchisor's discretion.
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<PAGE>
10. RECORD KEEPING
10.1 Franchisee
shall employ a point
of sale system approved by Franchisor,
without modification, in connection with the business of the Restaurant.
Franchisee shall use such bookkeeping and record keeping forms as shall be
prescribed in the Manuals.
10.2 Franchisee
shall complete and submit to Franchisor, on a regular,
continuous basis, each of the following
reports, in the form specified in the
Manuals:
(a) monthly Restaurant
reports, on or before the twelfth day of
each
calendar month
following the month to which the report relates;
(b) annual Restaurant
reports, on or before the fifteenth day of April
of each year; and
(c) weekly gross sales
reports, on or before the Tuesday following the
calendar week to which
the report relates.
10.3 The annual
Restaurant reports referred to above shall include a balance
sheet dated as of the end of Franchisee's fiscal year or calendar year and a
profit and loss statement for such year,
together with such additional financial
information as Franchisor may reasonably
request. Such balance
sheet and profit
and loss statement shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, certified as correct and complete
by Franchisee's chief
executive officer, president, chief
financial officer or controller and reported
on and reviewed by an independent
state-licensed certified public accountant. If
Franchisee fails to provide Franchisor with such balance sheet and profit
and
loss statement, Franchisor shall have the right to have an
independent audit
made of Franchisee's books and records,
and Franchisee shall
promptly reimburse
Franchisor for the cost thereof.
10.4 Each of the
reports referred to in
this Section 10 shall
be completed
by Franchisee or its accountant in the respective specimen forms, and in
accordance with the instructions, contained in the Manuals.
Subsection
10.3
notwithstanding, time is of the essence with respect to the completion and
submission of each such report.
11. FRANCHISEE ORGANIZATION, AUTHORITY,
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND SHAREHOLDERS
11.1 Franchisee and
each Principal
Shareholder represent
and warrant that:
(a) Franchisee is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly
existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of its
incorporation;
(b) Franchisee is
duly qualified and is authorized to do business and is in good
standing as a
foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in
which its business activities or the
nature of the properties owned by it requires such qualification; (c) the
execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the transaction contemplated hereby
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<PAGE>
are within Franchisee's corporate power; (d) the execution
and delivery of this
Agreement has been duly authorized by the Franchisee; (e) the articles of
incorporation and by-laws of Franchisee delivered to Franchisor are true,
complete and correct, and there have been no changes
therein since the date
thereof; (f) the certified copies of the minutes electing the officers of
Franchisee and authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement are
true, correct and complete, and there have been no changes
therein since the
date(s) thereof; (g) the specimen stock
certificate delivered to Franchisor is a
true specimen of Franchisee's stock certificate; (h) the balance sheet of
Franchisee as of ____________________, ________ ("Balance Sheet") and the
balance sheets of its Principal Shareholders as of ____________________,
________, heretofore delivered to Franchisor,
are true, complete and
correct,
and fairly present the financial positions of Franchisee
and each Principal
Shareholder, respectively, as of the dates thereof;
(i) the Balance Sheet
and
each such balance sheet have been prepared
in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles; and (j) there have been no
materially adverse changes in
the condition, assets or liabilities of Franchisee or Principal
Shareholders
since the date or dates thereof.
11.2 Franchisee and
each Principal Shareholder covenant that during the term
of this Agreement: (a) Franchisee shall do or cause to be done all things
necessary to preserve and keep in full
force its corporate
existence and
shall
be in good standing as a foreign
corporation in each
jurisdiction in which
its
business activities or the nature of the
properties
owned by it requires
such
qualification; (b) Franchisee shall have the corporate
authority to carry
out
the terms of this Agreement; and (c) Franchisee shall print, in a conspicuous
fashion on all certificates representing shares of its stock when
issued, a
legend referring to this Agreement and
the restrictions
on and obligations
of
Franchisee and Principal Shareholders
hereunder,
including the
restrictions on
transfer of Franchisee's shares.
11.3 In addition to
the financial
information which
Franchisee is required
to provide to Franchisor under Subsections
10.2 and 11.1 hereof,
Franchisee and
Principal Shareholders shall provide Franchisor with such other financial
information as Franchisor may reasonably
request from time to
time, including,
on an annual basis, copies of the then-most current financial statements of
Franchisee and each Principal Shareholder, dated as of the end of the last
preceding fiscal year of the Franchisee or Principal Shareholder, said
statements to be delivered to Franchisor no later than April 15 of each
year,
which financial statements shall conform to the standards set forth in
Subsection 11.1 hereof.
11.4 Franchisee
and each Principal Shareholder represent, warrant and
covenant that all Interests (as defined in
Subsection 12.4 hereto) in Franchisee
are owned as set forth on Appendix A
hereto, that no
Interest has been
pledged
or hypothecated (except in accordance with Section
12 of this Agreement),
and
that no change will be made in the
ownership of any such Interest other than as
permitted by this Agreement, or otherwise
consented to in writing by Franchisor.
Franchisee and Principal Shareholders agree to furnish Franchisor with such
evidence as Franchisor may request, from time to time, for the purpose of
assuring Franchisor that the Interests of
Franchisee and Principal Shareholders
remain as represented herein.
11.5 Each Principal
Shareholder,
jointly and severally,
hereby personally
and unconditionally guarantees each of Franchisee's
financial obligations to
Franchisor (including, but not limited to, all obligations relating to the
payment of fees by Franchisee to
Franchisor). Each
Principal Shareholder agrees
that Franchisor may resort to such
Principal Shareholder
(or any of them)
for
payment of any such financial obligation, whether or not Franchisor shall
have
proceeded against Franchisee, any other Principal Shareholder or any other
obligor primarily or secondarily
obligated to
Franchisor with
respect to such
financial obligation. Each Principal Shareholder hereby expressly waives
presentment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, and all other notices
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whatsoever with respect to Franchisor's enforcement of this guaranty. In
addition, each Principal Shareholder agrees that if the performance or
observance by Franchisee of any term or
provision hereof is
waived or the time
of performance thereof extended by
Franchisor, or payment
of any such financial
obligation is accelerated in accordance
with any agreement
between Franchisor
and any party liable in respect
thereto or extended or
renewed, in whole or
in
part, all as Franchisor may determine, whether or not notice to or
consent by
any Principal Shareholder or any other
party liable in respect to such financial
obligations is given or obtained, such actions shall not affect or alter the
guaranty of each Principal Shareholder
described in this Subsection.
11.6 Franchisee and each Principal Shareholder represent and warrant to
Franchisor that:
(a) Neither Franchisee nor any Principal Shareholder or any other
person with a direct or indirect ownership interest in Franchisee is
identified, either by
name or an alias,
pseudonym or nickname, on the
list of "Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons"
maintained
by the U.S. Treasury
Department's
Office of Foreign
Assets Control
(texts available at www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/).
Further,
Franchisee and its
Principal Shareholders
represent and warrant
that
neither has violated
and agree that
neither will violate
any law (in
effect now or which may become effective in the future) prohibiting
corrupt business
practices, money
laundering or the aid or support of
persons or entities who conspire to commit acts of terror
against any
person or government, including acts prohibited by the U.S. Patriot
Act
(text available at
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html),
U.S. Executive
Order
13244 (text
available at
http://treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sanctions/terrorism.html),
or
similar law;
(b) Franchisee has not made, nor has any Principal Shareholder made,
any expenditures
other than for lawful purposes or directly or
indirectly offered, gave, promised to give or authorized the
payment or
the gift of any money,
or anything of value,
to any person or entity,
while knowing
or having reason to know that all or a
portion of such
money or thing of
value would
be given or promised, directly or
indirectly, to any
government official,
official of an
international
organization, officer
or employee of a
foreign government
or anyone
acting in an
official capacity for a foreign government, for the
purpose of (1)
influencing any
action, inaction or decision of such
official
in a manner
contrary to his or her position or creating an
improper advantage;
or (2) inducing
such official to influence any
government or instrumentality thereof to effect or influence any
act or
decision of such government or instrumentality.
(c) Franchisee
nor any Principal
Shareholder
or any other person
or
entity who has any direct or indirect ownership interest is or will
become directly or
indirectly
owned or controlled by governmental
authorities of any country that is subject to a United States
embargo;
and
Franchisee
understands and its
Principal Shareholders
understand and
have
been advised by legal counsel on the
requirements
of the United States
Foreign
Corrupt
Practices
Act
(currently
located
at
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.html, any
local foreign corrupt practices laws
and the
Patriot Act
(currently
located
at
www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html,
acknowledge
the importance to
Franchisor and the Restaurants and the
parties' relationship of their respective
compliance with the requirements of these laws, including any applicable
auditing requirements and any requirement to report or provide access to
information to Franchisor or any
government, that is made part of any applicable
law, and agree to take all steps
required by their consultants, agents and
employees to comply with such laws prior to
engaging or employing any such
individuals or entities.
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12. TRANSFER
12.1 There
shall be no
Transfer of any
Interest of Franchisee, or of a
Principal Shareholder in Franchisee, in
whole or in part (whether voluntarily or
by operation of law), directly, indirectly
or contingently, except in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 12.
"Transfer" and "Interest" are defined in
Subsections 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4. Any proposed
Transfer also shall be subject to
the provisions of the Development
Agreement,
which are incorporated
herein by
reference.
12.2 Except as
provided in Subsection 12.3, "Transfer" shall mean any
assignment, sale, pledge, hypothecation, gift or any other event which
would
change ownership of or change or create a new
Interest, including, but not
limited to:
(a) any change in the ownership
of or rights in or to
any shares of
stock or other equity
interest in Franchisee which would result from the act
of any shareholder of
Franchisee ("Shareholder"), such as a sale, exchange,
pledge or hypothecation of shares, or any interest in or rights to
any of
Franchisee's
profits, revenues or assets, or any such change which would
result by operation of
law; and
(b) any change in the
percentage interest owned by any Shareholder in
the shares of stock of
Franchisee, or
interests in its profits, revenues or
assets which would
result from any act of Franchisee such as a sale, pledge
or hypothecation of
any Restaurant assets
(other than a pledge of assets to
secure bona fide loans made or credit extended in connection with
acquisition
of the assets
pledged, provided that immediately before and
after such
transaction
the net worth of
Franchisee shall not
be less than
the amount which is
reflected on the Balance Sheet referred to in Subsection
11.1 of this
Agreement); any sale
or issuance of any shares of Franchisee's
stock; the retirement
or redemption of any shares of Franchisee's stock; or
any sale