What kind of notice must a Cicis franchisee display to indicate independent ownership?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You must, at all times, identify yourself as the independent owner of your Restaurant and not do anything to indicate that you are our affiliate, including uses on invoices, order forms, receipts, and contracts.
At a minimum, you must display a notice to that effect, in such content and form and at such conspicuous locations as we may designate from time to time.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must consistently identify themselves as the independent owners of their restaurants. This means they cannot do anything that suggests they are an affiliate of Cicis. This requirement extends to all business-related documents, including invoices, order forms, receipts, and contracts.
To ensure clarity, Cicis requires franchisees to display a notice indicating independent ownership. The specific content, form, and location of this notice are determined by Cicis and may change over time. This allows Cicis to maintain a consistent brand message and ensure customers understand the ownership structure of each location.
This requirement is fairly standard in franchising, as it protects both the franchisor's brand and the franchisee's independent business status. By clearly stating that the restaurant is independently owned, franchisees avoid creating the impression that Cicis is directly responsible for the restaurant's operations or liabilities.