Exclusive territory
A geographic territory reserved for a franchisee by the contract: the network commits not to install a competing internal operator within it. Its precise definition — by postcode, municipality, or drive-time isochrone — prevents boundary disputes.
In practice
The balance is economic: a territory too large freezes network development, one too small condemns the franchisee. Mature networks dimension territories by measurable potential — population, target businesses — rather than kilometres. The digital dimension complicates matters: how online orders within a franchisee’s territory are handled must be settled in the contract, not later in court.