Once a Cicis restaurant commences operations, is the franchisee obligated to continuously operate it throughout the term of the agreement?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- If Franchisee has an obligation to continuously operate its business at the Premises, Franchisee may cease operating for up to sixty (60) days, from time to time, to perform repairs, enhancements or renovations, as required by the Franchise Agreement.
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- Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, Franchisee or Franchisor (should it assume the Lease in accordance with Paragraph 10(c) below) shall have the absolute right, whether or not
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cicis Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees generally have an obligation to continuously operate their Cicis restaurant. However, the Franchisee Lease Rider outlines some exceptions to this rule.
Specifically, a Cicis franchisee may cease operations for up to 60 days at a time to perform necessary repairs, enhancements, or renovations, as required by the Franchise Agreement. This allowance provides some flexibility for franchisees to maintain and improve their restaurants without being penalized for temporary closures.
This clause is included in the Lease Rider, which is part of the overall Franchise Agreement. It is designed to balance the franchisor's interest in maintaining a consistent brand presence with the franchisee's need to occasionally interrupt operations for maintenance and upgrades. The rider also specifies that the premises can only be used for operating a Cicis restaurant, with ancillary services like carry-out, curbside pickup, video games, and vending machines, reinforcing the operational focus.
Prospective franchisees should carefully review the Franchise Agreement and Lease Rider to fully understand their obligations and rights regarding continuous operation, permissible closures, and the specific uses allowed for the restaurant premises.