How is the term 'Including' defined in the Cicis franchise agreement?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The headings of the sections and paragraphs are for convenience only and do not define, limit, or construe the contents of these sections or paragraphs.
References in this Agreement to "we," "us," and "our," with respect to all of our rights and all of your obligations to us under this Agreement, include any of our Affiliates with whom you deal. The term "Affiliate" means any person or entity directly or indirectly owned or controlled
by, under common control with, or owning or controlling you or us. "Control" means the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies. "Including" means "including, without limitation."
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 65–263)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cicis Franchise Disclosure Document, the term "Including" is explicitly defined within the context of the franchise agreement. The agreement specifies that "Including" means "including, without limitation." This definition indicates that when the term "including" is used in the Cicis franchise agreement, the items or concepts listed after it are examples and do not represent an exhaustive list.
For a prospective Cicis franchisee, this definition has important implications. It means that any examples provided after the word "including" are illustrative and that other unlisted items or concepts may also fall under the scope of the provision. This gives Cicis flexibility in interpreting the agreement and ensures that the franchisee cannot argue that something is excluded simply because it is not specifically listed.
This type of definition is fairly standard in legal agreements to prevent narrow interpretations. Franchisees should be aware of this definition and understand that their obligations and Cicis's rights may extend beyond the specific examples provided in the franchise agreement. Franchisees should seek clarification from Cicis regarding any specific concerns or ambiguities to fully understand their responsibilities and rights under the agreement.