Under what name is a Cicis franchisee generally required to operate and advertise their Restaurant?
Cicis Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
With respect to your use of the Marks licensed pursuant to this Agreement:
- (1) Unless we otherwise authorize or require, you will operate and advertise your Restaurant only under the name "Cicis" without prefix or suffix.
However, you will not sign any legal documents or contracts referring to you simply as "Cicis." You will not use the Marks as part of your corporate or other legal name.
- (2) You must, at all times, identify yourself as the independent owner of your Restaurant and not do anything to indicate that you are our affiliate, including uses on invoices, order forms, receipts, and contracts.
At a minimum, you must display a notice to that effect, in such content and form and at such conspicuous locations as we may designate from time to time.
(3) You will not use the Marks to incur any obligation or indebtedness on our behalf.
(4) You will use the trade name we assign to your Restaurant and will comply with all applicable Laws related to the filing of trade name or fictitious name registrations.
You will also execute any documents we deem necessary to obtain protection of the Marks or to maintain their continued validity and enforceability.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD pages 64–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Cicis's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must operate and advertise their restaurant under the name "Cicis" without any additional prefixes or suffixes, unless the franchisor authorizes or requires otherwise. However, the franchisee cannot sign legal documents or contracts referring to themselves simply as "Cicis" and cannot use the marks as part of their corporate or legal name.
This requirement ensures brand consistency across all Cicis locations, which is a common practice in franchising. By maintaining a uniform brand name, Cicis aims to create a recognizable and trusted identity for customers. This consistency helps in building customer loyalty and brand recognition, as customers can easily identify and associate the restaurant with the Cicis brand, no matter the location.
Despite the mandate to use the "Cicis" name for operation and advertising, franchisees must always identify themselves as the independent owners of their restaurant. This distinction is important to avoid any implication that the franchisee is an affiliate of Cicis. Franchisees must display a notice to this effect in a conspicuous location and format designated by Cicis. This requirement protects both the franchisor and franchisee by clarifying their separate legal identities and responsibilities.
Furthermore, franchisees are required to use the trade name assigned to their restaurant by Cicis and comply with all applicable laws related to trade name or fictitious name registrations. They must also execute any documents deemed necessary by Cicis to protect the marks or maintain their validity and enforceability. These measures ensure that Cicis maintains control over its brand and protects its intellectual property rights, while also ensuring that franchisees operate legally and transparently.