What is the initial franchise fee for a Cicis Buffet Restaurant?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Initial Franchise Fees: When you sign the Franchise Agreement, you must pay us an initial franchise fee of $30,000 for a Cicis Buffet Restaurant and $15,000 for a Cicis To Go Restaurant (subject to reduction under current incentive programs described below). The initial franchise fee is payable in a lump sum and is uniformly imposed (although we reserve the right to negotiate it at our discretion).
- Development Incentive Program: If you enter into a new 5-unit Area Development Agreement and remain in good standing under all agreements with us, the initial franchise fee you pay under each Franchise Agreement you sign pursuant to the Area Development Agreement will be reduced to $10,000, and the development fee will be $50,000. We will then apply the development fee, in $10,000 increments, in full satisfaction of the initial franchise fee due under each Franchise Agreement you sign pursuant to the Area Development Agreement. To participate in this program, you must sign and satisfy the conditions under the Development Incentive Program Addendum attached as Exhibit D-1 to this Disclosure Document when you sign the Area Development Agreement or, as applicable, the Franchise Agreement.
• Reopen Incentive Program: Under this program, if you agree to reopen a closed Cicis Restaurant, your initial franchise fee under the new Franchise Agreement for that Cicis Restaurant will be reduced to $5,000.
- Veteran's Incentive Program: If you or your owners are active members of, or were honorably discharged from, the United States armed forces and remain in good standing under all agreements with us, then we will waive your obligation to pay the development fee under any new Area Development Agreement and the obligation to pay an initial franchise fee under any new Franchise Agreement.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD pages 11–14)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the initial franchise fee for a Cicis Buffet Restaurant is $30,000. This fee is payable in a lump sum when the Franchise Agreement is signed. However, Cicis does reserve the right to negotiate this fee at their discretion. This fee is uniform for all franchisees and is non-refundable under any circumstances.
There are incentive programs available that could reduce the initial franchise fee. For example, under the Development Incentive Program, if a franchisee enters into a new 5-unit Area Development Agreement and remains in good standing, the initial franchise fee is reduced to $10,000 per franchise agreement signed under the Area Development Agreement. Another incentive is the Reopen Incentive Program, where the initial franchise fee is reduced to $5,000 if the franchisee agrees to reopen a closed Cicis Restaurant.
Additionally, Cicis offers a Veteran's Incentive Program that waives the initial franchise fee for honorably discharged or active members of the United States armed forces who remain in good standing under all agreements. To participate in any of these programs, franchisees must sign and satisfy the conditions outlined in the corresponding addendum attached to the Disclosure Document.