For additional Cicis locations beyond the first, might the franchisee have to reimburse expenses for on-site opening assistance?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
For your Cicis Restaurant opening, we may provide you with on-site opening assistance. We will decide the number of trained representatives and the period for which we may provide assistance based on our assessment of your operational requirements. You do not have to pay any fee for opening assistance, although, for your second Location, as well as any other additional Locations you establish, you may have to reimburse us for any expenses our representatives incur, like the costs of travel, lodging, and meals.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 31–38)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, when opening your first Cicis restaurant, you do not have to pay a fee for on-site opening assistance. However, for your second and any subsequent locations, you may have to reimburse Cicis for expenses incurred by their representatives. These expenses include costs related to travel, lodging, and meals.
This means that while Cicis provides support during the opening of each location, the financial responsibility shifts after the first restaurant. For the initial opening, Cicis covers the costs of their team's assistance, but franchisees need to budget for these expenses when expanding to additional locations. This is a fairly common practice in franchising, as franchisors often provide initial support as part of the franchise fee but require franchisees to cover incremental costs for additional openings.
As a prospective franchisee, it's important to factor in these potential reimbursement costs when planning for multiple Cicis locations. You should discuss with Cicis the typical expenses associated with on-site opening assistance to accurately forecast your investment and operational costs for each additional restaurant. Understanding these costs upfront will help in making informed financial decisions as you grow your Cicis franchise business.