Are Cicis franchisees required to protect site selection criteria as Confidential Information?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
e signed a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance we approve, pursuant to which they agree to maintain the same level of confidence to which you are bound under this Agreement. We may, from time to time, revise the contents of the Manuals, and you hereby expressly agree to comply with each new or changed standard. In the event of any dispute as to the contents of the Manuals, the terms of the master copy of the Manuals that we maintain will control.
- B. Confidentiality; Innovations. You and your Owners and personnel may from time to time be provided with or otherwise be exposed to certain information about the System and the development and operation of Cicis Restaurants, including your Restaurant (some, but not all of which may be "trade secrets" under applicable law), that we consider and protect as our confidential information (regardless of whether they are marked as such), including the following (collectively, the "Confidential Information"):
- (1) growth and development plans, strategies, and forecasts related to the System;
- (2) site selection criteria;
- (3) initial or additional training and operations materials, including recipes and the Manuals;
- (4) the System Standards and other methods, formats, specifications, standards, systems, procedures, techniques, market research, customer data, knowledge, and experience used in developing, promoting and operating Cicis Restaurants;
- (5) knowledge of specifications for, and vendors of, assets and other products and supplies;
- (6) any software or other technology which is proprietary to us, our affiliates, or the System, including digital passwords and identifications and any source code of, and data, reports, and other materials generated by, the software or other technology;
- (7) customers of Cicis Restaurants (including your Restaurant); and
- (8) knowledge of the operating results and financial performance of Cicis Restaurants (including your Restaurant).
Confidential Information does not include information, knowledge, or know-how, which is lawfully known to the public without violation of applicable law or an obligation to us or our affiliates.
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 protect site selection criteria as Confidential Information. Cicis considers specific information about the System and the development and operation of Cicis Restaurants as confidential. This includes growth and development plans, strategies, and forecasts related to the System, site selection criteria, training and operations materials, System Standards, methods, formats, specifications, systems, procedures, techniques, market research, customer data, knowledge, and experience used in developing, promoting, and operating Cicis Restaurants. It also covers knowledge of specifications for vendors, proprietary software or technology, customer information, and knowledge of operating results and financial performance of Cicis Restaurants.
As a Cicis franchisee, you, your owners, employees, and independent contractors must adopt and implement reasonable procedures to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information. During the term of the agreement and afterward, franchisees cannot disclose any Confidential Information to any other person or use it for purposes other than operating their Cicis franchise.
This obligation ensures that sensitive business information remains protected, preventing competitors or other parties from gaining an unfair advantage. Franchisees should understand the scope of Confidential Information and take necessary steps to safeguard it, as any breach could have legal and financial repercussions.