Can the staff members who manage and operate the Cicis System change?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
or publish any part of the Manuals or use its contents in any other business.
D. System Standards and Specifications. You understand the importance of maintaining uniformity among all of the Cicis Restaurants and the importance of complying with all of our standards, specifications, policies, and procedures relating to the operation of your Restaurant and, therefore, agree to comply with all System Standards as they exist from time to time. Though we retain the right to establish and periodically modify System Standards, you retain the right and sole responsibility for the day-to-day management and operation of your Restaurant and the implementation and maintenance of System Standards at your Restaurant. System Standards may regulate any aspect of the operation and maintenance of your Restaurant, including, but not limited to, any one or more of the following:
- (1) sales, marketing, advertising and promotional programs and materials and media used in these programs;
(2) staffing levels for your Restaurant and employee qualifications, dress, and appearance (although employee selection and promotion, hours worked, rates of pay and other benefits, work assigned and working conditions are your sole responsibility);
(3) use and display of the Marks;
(4) days and hours of operation;
(5) methods of payment that your Restaurant may accept from customers;
(6) policies for the registration, use, content, or management of online presences, or other technology systems, solutions, or products;
(7) participation in market research and product and service testing programs;
(8) participation in gift card programs;
(9) menus, including product offerings, appearance, and inclusion of nutrition information;
(10) bookkeeping, accounting, data processing and record keeping systems and forms; formats, content and frequency of reports to us of sales, revenue, and financial performance and condition;
(11) participation in quality assurance and customer satisfaction programs;
(12) use of any third-party food delivery services, online ordering services, or other food aggregation services;
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees have the right and sole responsibility for the day-to-day management and operation of their restaurant. This includes the implementation and maintenance of Cicis's System Standards at their specific location. While Cicis retains the right to establish and periodically modify these System Standards, the franchisee is in charge of staffing levels, employee qualifications, dress, and appearance. However, employee selection and promotion, hours worked, rates of pay and other benefits, work assigned, and working conditions are the sole responsibility of the franchisee.
Cicis also mandates that franchisees maintain a competent, conscientious, and trained staff to ensure good customer relations and compliance with the prescribed dress code. A certified manager, who has satisfactorily completed Cicis's initial training program, must be on duty during all hours of operation. This highlights the importance Cicis places on having qualified personnel in place to uphold their standards.
Furthermore, Cicis requires that General Managers and Assistant Managers complete the initial training program to Cicis's satisfaction no later than 15 days before the Opening Date, or within a reasonable time after their appointment if they are successors or replacements. Cicis has the discretion to determine whether these candidates have satisfactorily completed the training. If a candidate does not complete the training satisfactorily, the franchisee must take corrective measures within 30 days. This ensures that key management personnel are adequately trained and meet Cicis's standards, but the franchisee is responsible for finding replacements if Cicis deems the initial candidate unsuitable.