Is a Cicis franchisee required to participate in all Marketing Programs?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
vely responsible for the terms and conditions of employment of your employees, including recruiting, hiring, firing, training, compensation, work hours and schedules, work assignments, safety and security, discipline, and supervision. You agree to manage the employment functions of your Restaurant in compliance with the Laws.
7. MARKETING AND RELATED FEES
- A. Participation in Marketing and Promotional Programs. We may, from time to time, develop and administer marketing and sales promotion programs designed to promote and enhance the collective success of all Cicis Restaurants, including national, regional, or local programs and limited time offers (each an "LTO") that promote the brand, particular products, or gift cards and other loyalty programs (the "Marketing Programs"). You will participate in all such Marketing Programs, at your expense, in accordance with the terms and conditions we establish for each program.
- (1) All products we require you to offer under any mandatory LTO (or the ingredients for such products) will be automatically shipped to you by our designated supplier within 10 days following the announcement of the LTO unless, within such 10-day period, you have placed an order for the required products (or the ingredients for such products) with our designated supplier in quantities sufficient to satisfy our requirements for the LTO. If you order less than the required amount, our designated supplier will automatically ship the balance to you. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, you shall be responsible for cost and expenses associated with your purchase or automatic supply by our designated suppliers of the products (or the ingredients for such products) and services required by you to offer any LTO. You hereby authorize us to withdraw payment for all products automatically shipped to you by our designated suppliers on or before the payment date set forth in the supplier's invoice by EFT from your account in accordance with Section 4.H. of this Agreement.
- (2) You will comply with all requirements and specifications we establish, and use all designated vendors, for each Marketing Program.
- (3) We may, from time to time, provide you, without charge, certain marketing pieces regarding the Cicis® franchise opportunity. You must display those materials in your Restaurant in accordance with our direction.
- B. Marketing Contributions and Expenditures.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to participate in all marketing and sales promotion programs. These programs are designed to promote and enhance the success of all Cicis restaurants and may include national, regional, or local programs, as well as limited time offers (LTOs). These LTOs promote the brand, specific products, or gift cards and other loyalty programs. Franchisees must participate in these programs at their own expense, following the terms and conditions established by Cicis for each program.
As part of these marketing programs, Cicis will automatically ship products required for mandatory LTOs to the franchisee from a designated supplier within 10 days of the LTO announcement. However, the franchisee has the option to order the necessary products (or ingredients) from the designated supplier in sufficient quantities within that 10-day period to meet the LTO requirements. If the franchisee orders less than the required amount, the designated supplier will automatically ship the remaining balance. The franchisee is responsible for all costs and expenses associated with purchasing or receiving these automatically supplied products or ingredients.
In addition to participating in the Marketing Programs, Cicis franchisees must contribute 5% of their restaurant's net sales to the marketing fund. Franchisees are also required to spend at least 1% of their restaurant's net sales on approved local marketing programs within their protected area. If a Cicis restaurant is located in an area covered by a marketing cooperative, the franchisee must contribute to the cooperative as required by its governing documents. Cicis has the right to designate any geographic area with two or more Cicis restaurants as a region for establishing a marketing cooperative. Franchisees are required to participate in any cooperative established for their area, following the cooperative's rules.