Denny's

What are the specific issues or allegations in the 1 pending litigation case against the franchisor, and what is the estimated timeline for resolution?

Can you provide details on the outcomes of the 3 litigation cases where the franchisor was named as defendant? Were there settlements, judgments, or other resolutions?

Given the 83-unit closure in 2024 alone, what is the franchisor's assessment of the primary causes—market saturation, unit economics, operational changes, or external factors?

Why does the franchise agreement include no renewal rights for U.S. franchisees? What recourse do franchisees have if they want to continue operating after the initial 20-year term expires?

The territory is non-exclusive with no encroachment protection. Can the franchisor open additional Denny's locations within a franchisee's territory or geographic area?

What is the rationale for the extended 20-year initial term compared to the 10-15 year industry norm? Does this benefit franchisees or primarily protect franchisor interests?

Can you provide a breakdown of the 83 units closed in 2024—how many were for economic viability reasons versus other factors like landlord disputes or ownership transitions?

What support or operational improvements has the franchisor implemented in response to the 18.2% three-year turnover rate, which significantly exceeds typical casual dining benchmarks?

The Support & Training score is 77, below the typical range of 90-100. What specific gaps exist in franchisee training, and how does this affect new franchise success rates?

Are there any pending regulatory actions, health department violations, or compliance issues affecting the system that might not be captured in traditional litigation data?

Given the $55/month technology fee is below market for casual dining, what systems and tools are included, and are there risks of underfunding or outdated technology infrastructure?

For the 54-59 units that closed annually in 2022-2023 (pre-acceleration), what were the primary reasons, and how does the franchisor differentiate between closures due to franchisee performance versus market conditions?

What is the average unit volume (AUV) for the remaining 1,334 units, and how has this changed as the system has contracted?

The non-compete clause is 2 years within 15 miles. How aggressively does the franchisor enforce this, and have there been disputes with former franchisees opening competing concepts?

Can franchisees renegotiate terms at renewal if they choose to continue, or must they accept existing terms to receive a renewal right?

With no renewal rights, what happens to a franchisee's business goodwill and brand value at the end of the 20-year term?

How many franchise transfers occurred among the 11 transfers in 2024, and what percentage of transfer applications were denied or did not proceed to completion?

Are there any class-action settlements, group disputes, or franchisor-wide policy changes currently affecting franchisees that might not appear in litigation records?

What is the current recruitment/development pipeline for new franchisees, and is the system actively opening new locations to replace closures or consolidating the footprint?

Given the liability score of 4/5 and personal guarantee requirements, what recourse do franchisees have if franchisor mismanagement or policy changes significantly impact unit profitability?