Cicis^®

Food & Beverage • Year: 2025

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What Is Cicis?

Cicis is a pizza-focused restaurant franchise operating both Cicis Buffet Restaurants with unlimited buffets and an à la carte dine‑in menu (pizza, pastas, salads, desserts and other items) and Cicis To Go Restaurants offering similar menu items without the unlimited buffet. Primary service channels include dine‑in buffet (for Buffet locations), take‑out/carry‑out, catering, and online delivery through designated ordering and delivery platforms. Catering, carry‑out, and online delivery are identified as significant revenue streams.

Cicis Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchisor offers exceptionally strong onboarding — a 100 training and support score and 300 hours of initial training (top quarter and top 10%) — giving you thorough operational preparation, but minimum assets of $283,635 and maximum assets of $521,028 (both top 10%) create significantly higher upfront equipment and financing needs than peers.

Pros

A 100 training and support score and 300 hours of initial training — both well above typical for franchisors (top quarter and top 10% respectively) — show the franchisor invests heavily in preparing new operators, giving you thorough operational onboarding before opening.

At $15,000 the initial franchise fee is well below what's common in Food & Beverage (bottom 10%), leaving you with more cash on hand for build-out and early working capital.

Zero franchisee-initiated judgments, zero franchisee-initiated settlements, and no government penalties — all well below typical for Food & Beverage (bottom 5%) — indicate a cleaner regulatory and direct-litigation record than most peers, which reduces compliance-related risk.

Cons

Minimum assets of $283,635 and maximum assets of $521,028 are both well above typical (top 10%), meaning your upfront equipment, fixtures and infrastructure needs — and therefore financing requirements — will be significantly higher than industry peers.

Six disclosed lawsuits, three cases alleging fraud, and three franchisor-initiated enforcement actions — figures that are well above typical for Food & Beverage (top 10% and top 5%) — point to elevated legal friction and stricter enforcement between the franchisor and operators.

You do not have the right to relocate your franchise, an unusual absence (about 91% of Food & Beverage franchisors allow relocation), which limits your flexibility to move or respond to a poor location performance.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

64/100

NORMAL

Part 1 (The Facts): Ongoing owner disputes allege breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and related‑party fees; in 2024 the franchisor initiated suits to recover unpaid receipts and to enforce post‑termination obligations; a 2022 commercial claim was resolved via confidential settlement without admission of liability. Part 2 (The Advice): Review post‑termination obligations, default remedies, and related‑party fee disclosures; assess ownership/governance stability and request updates, copies of material settlements, and pending pleadings; consult franchise counsel.

Territory Protection

45/100

NORMAL

Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units. The franchisor retains rights to develop nearby units, sell via e‑commerce and alternative distribution channels, operate under different trademarks or venues including retail, and acquire and convert locations; protection is contingent on meeting performance quotas.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides a Comprehensive 300-hour training curriculum and does not include any trainees in the initial franchise fee, so franchisees must identify and assign staff to participate in the program. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness, with travel and lodging expenses the responsibility of the franchisee and certain on-site services subject to additional fees.

Unit Growth Analysis

This franchise rose from 273 units in 2023 to 279 in 2024 (+6 units, +2.2%) then fell to 270 in 2025 (−9 units, −3.2%), yielding a net decline of 3 units (−1.1%) across the period. The reversal from +2.2% growth to −3.2% (a 5.4 percentage-point swing) indicates a weakening growth trajectory and potential attrition; investors should treat this as a cautionary signal—worth probing management for causes and remediation—even though the absolute change is modest.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Cicis Franchise?

Opening a Cicis franchise requires a total initial investment of $694,965 to $1,038,753, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$694,965

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$1,038,753

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$30,000

Real Estate$325,080

Equipment & Assets$283,635

Reserves$25,000

Training$10,750

Other$20,500

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$30,000

Real Estate$348,725

Equipment & Assets$521,028

Reserves$45,000

Training$36,000

Other$58,000

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do Cicis Franchise Owners Make?

Cicis franchise locations reported average gross sales of $1,404,304 and median gross sales of $1,362,750 in 2025, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$1,404,304

Median Gross Sales:

$1,362,750

High Gross Sales:

$3,329,140

Low Gross Sales:

$658,727

Sample Size:

240

Percent Attaining Average:

46.0%

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: The Item 19 provides only franchised-unit results (240 restaurants) for 2024, so no direct comparison to company-owned performance is possible from this disclosure.

Performance Variability Analysis: Annual Net Company Sales vary widely (low 658,727; high 3,329,140) with a mean of 1,404,304 and median of 1,362,750, and only 46% of outlets meet or exceed the average, indicating a skewed distribution with a minority of high performers raising the mean.

Data Scope and Limitations: The results cover the 2024 fiscal year for franchised buffet restaurants (excluding To-Go locations and five excluded outlets) are self-reported, not independently audited, and include adjustments to normalize royalties and fees to the current franchise agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a Cicis franchise?

The total initial investment for a Cicis franchise ranges from $694,965 to $1,038,753, according to the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the Cicis initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for Cicis is $15,000, as stated in the 2025 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

How much do Cicis franchise owners make?

Cicis franchise locations reported average gross sales of $1,404,304 and median gross sales of $1,362,750 in 2025, based on Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual earnings vary by location, market, and operator experience.

Does Cicis have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

Cicis received a legal risk score of 64 out of 100 in the 2025 FDD analysis. Part 1 (The Facts): Ongoing owner disputes allege breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and related‑party fees; in 2024 the franchisor initiated suits to recover unpaid receipts and to enforce post‑termination obligations; a 2022 commercial claim was resolved via confidential settlement without admission of liability.

Does Cicis offer exclusive franchise territories?

Cicis received a territory protection score of 45 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units.

What training does Cicis provide to new franchisees?

Cicis received a training and support score of 100 out of 100. The brand provides a Comprehensive 300-hour training curriculum and does not include any trainees in the initial franchise fee, so franchisees must identify and assign staff to participate in the program.