What actions can the franchisor take to de-identify a Cicis restaurant location after the lease expires?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- Franchisor, its personnel or agents, for a period of up to thirty (30) days after the expiration or sooner termination of the Lease or the Franchise Agreement, may enter the Premises for itself or on behalf of Franchisee to de-identify the Premises as a Restaurant, which may include the removal of signs, decor and materials displaying any marks, designs or logos owned by Franchisor or its affiliates. This right includes the right to remove exterior signs and awnings from the Premises and any Shopping Center pylon or monument sign, interior signs, decor items, and materials displaying any marks, designs, or logos owned by Franchisor and all other items identifying the Premises as a Cicis Restaurant. In addition, Franchisor may make such other modifications (such as repainting) as are reasonably necessary to protect the Cicis system signs, marks, and intellectual property rights.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor has specific rights to de-identify a premises as a Cicis restaurant after the lease or franchise agreement expires or terminates. For up to 30 days after the termination or expiration, Cicis, its personnel, or agents can enter the premises to remove any branding.
This de-identification process may include removing signs, decor, and materials that display Cicis's marks, designs, or logos. This encompasses exterior signs and awnings, signs on shopping center pylons or monuments, interior signs, and any other items that identify the location as a Cicis restaurant. Cicis is also permitted to make other modifications, such as repainting, to further protect its system signs, marks, and intellectual property rights.
This clause ensures that upon the end of a franchise agreement, the location cannot continue to operate or appear as a Cicis restaurant, protecting the brand's image and preventing unauthorized use of its intellectual property. For a franchisee, this means understanding that at the end of the agreement, they must relinquish all branding and potentially allow Cicis to modify the premises to remove any remaining association with the brand.