After termination, can a former Cicis franchisee use imitations of the Cicis Marks in another business?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Upon the expiration or termination of this Agreement, all rights granted to you hereunder will immediately terminate, and:
- B.
Cease Use of the Marks and Confidential Information.
You must immediately and permanently cease to use, in any manner whatsoever, and return to us (or, at our direction, destroy) any Confidential Information and cease to use the mark "Cicis" and all other Marks.
If you fail to promptly de-identify your Restaurant in accordance with our then-current System Standards, then we will have the right to cure deficiency, and you must reimburse us for all costs we incur in curing such deficiency.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Cicis Franchise Disclosure Document, after the franchise agreement terminates, the franchisee must immediately stop using the Cicis marks. The franchisee is prohibited from using the "Cicis" mark and all other marks in any way. They must also return or destroy any confidential information.
Cicis retains the right to ensure the restaurant is no longer identifiable as a Cicis location after termination. If the franchisee fails to de-identify the restaurant according to Cicis' System Standards, Cicis has the right to take action to correct the deficiency, and the franchisee must reimburse Cicis for all costs incurred.
Additionally, the franchisee agrees not to disparage Cicis, its affiliates, directors, officers, employees, representatives, current and former franchisees, the Cicis brand, the System, or any business using the Marks. This includes refraining from any actions that could subject the Cicis brand to ridicule or negatively impact its goodwill. These restrictions are typical in franchise agreements to protect the brand's reputation and goodwill.