How much is the initial franchise fee for a Cicis franchise, and when is it due?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
CICIS BUFFET RESTAURANT**
| Type of Expenditure (Note 1) | Amount | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment Is To Be Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Note 2) | $30,000 | Lump sum | On Execution | Us |
| Leasehold Improvements (Note 3) | $325,080 - $348,725 | As arranged | As invoiced | Landlord / Third-Party Suppliers |
| Equipment and Supplies | $80,000 - | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party |
| for Game Room (Note 4) | $250,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Impact Fees | $0 - | As arranged | As assessed | Local Authorities |
| (Note 5) | $20,000 | |||
| Equipment, Furniture and Fixtures (Note 6) | $163,752 – $217,000 | Lump sum or as arranged | As invoiced | Our Affiliate / Third Party Suppliers |
| Signage and Graphics (Note 7) | $11,464 – $19,600 | Lump sum | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Insurance (Note 8) | $500 - $2,000 | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Business Licenses (Note | $1,000 - | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party |
| 9) | $4,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Opening Inventory/ Supplies (Note 10) | $28,419 - $34,428 | Lump sum or as arranged | As invoiced | Our Affiliate / Third Party Suppliers |
| Promotional | $10,000 - | As arranged | As incurred | Third-Party |
| Expenses (Note 11) | $15,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Training Costs (Note 12) | $10,750 - $36,000 | As arranged | As needed | Third-Party Suppliers / Employees / Us |
| Deposits and other Pre Opening Costs (Note 13) | $9,000 - $17,000 | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Additional Funds | $25,000 - | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party |
| (3 months) | $45,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Type of Expenditure (Note 1) | Amount | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment Is To Be Made |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TOTALS | $694,965 - $1,038,753 |
YOUR ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT FOR A CICIS TO GO RESTAURANT
| Type of Expenditure (Note 1) | Amount | Method of Payment | When Due | To Whom Payment Is To Be Made |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee (Note | $15,000 | Lump sum | On | Us |
| 2) | Execution | |||
| Leasehold Improvements | $76,600 - | As arranged | As invoiced | Landlord / |
| (Note 3) | $183,725 | Suppliers | ||
| Impact Fees (Note 5) | $0 - $5,000 | As arranged | As assessed | Local Authorities |
| Equipment Furniture and Fixtures (Note 6) | $87,586 - $114,473 | Lump sum or as arranged | As invoiced | JMC / Suppliers |
| Signage and Graphics | $5,000 - | Lump sum | As invoiced | Third-Party |
| (Note 7) | $10,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Insurance (Note 8) | $375 - $2,000 | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Business Licenses (Note 9) | $1,000 - $3,000 | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Opening Inventory/ | $21,025 - | Lump sum | As incurred | JMC / Suppliers |
| Supplies (Note 10) | $27,034 | |||
| Promotional | $10,000 - | As arranged | As incurred | Third-Party |
| Expenses (Note 11) | $15,000 | Suppliers | ||
| Training Costs (Note 12) | $7,500 - $29,000 | As arranged | As incurred | Third-Party Suppliers / Employees /Us |
| Deposits and other Pre Opening Costs (Note 13) | $8,000 - $19,000 | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party Suppliers |
| Additional Funds | $10,000 - | As arranged | As invoiced | Third-Party |
| (3 months) (Note 14) | $15,000 | Suppliers | ||
| TOTALS | $242,086 - $438,232 |
Notes to the 2 preceding charts:
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- All fees payable to us and our affiliates are not refundable. Whether any of the other payments are refundable will depend on the arrangement between you and the supplier.
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- If a Franchise Agreement is signed pursuant to an Area Development Agreement, we will apply the development fee, in increments of $15,000 ($10,000 if you participate in the Development Incentive Program), toward the payment of initial franchise fees. Your initial
franchise fee will be reduced to (i) $5,000 under the Franchise Agreements executed pursuant to the Reopen Incentive Program; (ii) $10,000 under the Franchise Agreements executed pursuant to the Development Incentive Program; and (iii) $0 under the Franchise Agreements executed pursuant to the Veteran's Incentive Program.
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- Cicis Restaurants are typically located in commercially zoned shopping areas. Due to the cost of land acquisition and new construction, the premises are normally leased. These amounts assume that you will lease the premises for the Location and do not include costs of land acquisition and construction of a building.
Source: Item 7 — ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT YOUR ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT FOR A CICIS BUFFET RESTAURANT (FDD pages 21–25)
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 upon the execution of the Franchise Agreement. For a Cicis To Go Restaurant, the initial franchise fee is $15,000, also paid as a lump sum upon execution of the agreement. These fees are non-refundable.
Notably, the initial franchise fee can be reduced under certain incentive programs. For instance, under the Reopen Incentive Program, the fee is reduced to $5,000. Under the Development Incentive Program, it is $10,000, and under the Veteran's Incentive Program, the fee is waived entirely, reducing it to $0. These reductions apply to Franchise Agreements signed pursuant to an Area Development Agreement, where a development fee is applied in increments towards the initial franchise fees.
Furthermore, Cicis offers an Area Development Agreement, requiring a development fee ranging from $30,000 to $45,000 for a typical commitment of opening two or three restaurants. This fee is calculated as $15,000 multiplied by the number of restaurants the franchisee agrees to open and is applied in increments of $15,000 toward the initial franchise fees as Franchise Agreements are executed. Alternatively, under a new five-unit Area Development Agreement with the Development Incentive Program, the development fee is $10,000 multiplied by the number of restaurants, totaling $50,000, and is applied in increments of $10,000 towards the initial franchise fees.
Prospective franchisees should carefully review Item 5 of the FDD for full details on the incentive programs and Area Development Agreements to determine eligibility and specific requirements. Understanding these options can significantly impact the initial investment required to open a Cicis franchise.