Franchising: Page 2

  • A gray and beige fast food building with red and white brand markings for the chain Jollibee
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    Courtesy of Jollibee
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    Jollibee to ramp up US growth with franchising program

    With an AUV of about $4.3 million, the Filipino chicken chain’s unit economics could make it compelling for multi-unit operators.

    By • March 11, 2025
  • Wendy's Global Next Gen store design features a pick-up window for delivery orders and in-store shelving for digital pick-up orders.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s wants to open 1K stores in 3 years

    The burger brand is planning to globalize its supply chain and build up geographical strongholds outside the U.S.

    By • March 6, 2025
  • An image of a Taco Bell restaurant.
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    Ethan Miller via Getty Images
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    Taco Bell franchisee allowed sexually hostile environment to fester for over 2 months, EEOC says

    EEOC noted in 2024 guidance that an employer who opens an investigation one day after a complaint is made has acted promptly, while one who waits two months “very likely has not acted promptly.”

    By Emilie Shumway • March 6, 2025
  • An image of a man wearing a suit in front of a beige brick wall with a giant smiling star in the background.
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    Courtesy of CKE Restaurants
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    Carl’s Jr parent appoints Joe Guith as CEO

    Guith spent the past two years at Church’s Texas Chicken, where he repositioned the brand and improved unit-level profitability.

    By • Updated March 6, 2025
  • A rendering of a restaurant that is both an Applebee's and an IHOP
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    Courtesy of Dine Brands
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    Applebee’s hopes renovations, dual-branding will prevent more closures

    Dine Brands will remodel 30 restaurants it acquired from franchisees last year to help revive the ailing casual dining chain.

    By • March 5, 2025
  • An image of a building with glass front and orange logo that says Big Chicken
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    Courtesy of Craveworthy Brands
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    Craveworthy Brands becomes managing partner in Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken

    The partnership will further the chicken chain’s aggressive growth strategy, which has 40 units open and a pipeline of 350 restaurants.

    By • March 4, 2025
  • A picture of an A&W located at a gas station.
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    Permission granted by A&W
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    A&W promotes COO to CEO post

    Betsy Schmandt, who has been with the company for 18 months, will work on enhancing the brand’s position, focus on value and continue the chain’s growth trajectory.

    By • March 4, 2025
  • The exterior of a Del Taco during the evening
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    Permission granted by Del Taco
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    Del Taco closes 18 Colorado stores

    Franchisee Newport Ventures, which declared bankruptcy in October, shuttered all of its locations after a lender refused further funding.

    By • Feb. 28, 2025
  • An image of chicken wings, tacos, French fries and chicken tenders from Hurricane Grill & Wings
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    Retrieved from Fat Brands on February 25, 2025
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    Franchisees sue Hurricane Grill & Wings over mismanagement of marketing funds

    Operators claim the chain and owner Fat Brands haven’t used the funds to advertise, leading to declining franchisee profitability.

    By • Feb. 26, 2025
  • An image of a woman with short brown hair smiling in front of a gray background. She is wearing a red shirt.
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    Courtesy of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
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    Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf hires Taco Bell vet as president, head of Americas

    Tara Hinkle, who also spent over a decade at Starbucks, will oversee the chain’s growth strategy in the Americas.

    By • Feb. 21, 2025
  • A photograph of a man wearing a gray suit.
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    Courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken
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    Church’s Texas Chicken appoints CEO

    Roland Gonzalez, who served as COO for the past two years, takes over at the chain as it aims to grow systemwide sales from $1.5 billion to $2 billion.

    By • Feb. 21, 2025
  • Exterior of a Potbelly restaurant
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    Permission granted by Potbelly
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    Q&A

    What’s behind Potbelly’s unit growth momentum

    The chain, which has signed over 300 store deals since it began accelerating franchising in 2022, aims to grow from roughly 440 units to over 720.

    By • Feb. 19, 2025
  • An image of a co-branded Applebee's, IHOP restaurant
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    Courtesy of Dine Brands
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    Dine Brands opens first US dual-branded Applebee’s/IHOP restaurant

    The company will debut a total of 15 co-branded units stateside through 2026, bringing its total count of global co-branded units to nearly 30.

    By • Feb. 19, 2025
  • An image of Burger King's Sizzle remodeled restaurant
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    Courtesy of Burger King
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    Burger King accelerates remodels, refranchising

    The QSR giant will start selling off the restaurants it acquired in its $1 billion Carrols deal two years ahead of schedule.

    By • Feb. 12, 2025
  • Popeyes unveils new brand identity, pilots store redesign
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    Popeyes will remodel stores and beef up ad spending

    Restaurant Brands International will add equipment, ranging from a cloud-based point-of-sales system to an automated batter-maker, at the chicken chain’s U.S. stores.

    By • Feb. 12, 2025
  • An image of a light brown building with a small tree out front that lost its leaves. The signage says California Pizza Kitchen.
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    Permission granted by California Pizza Kitchen
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    From vending machines to airports: How CPK is reaching more diners

    California Pizza Kitchen is also investing in a virtual brand partnership and expansion of consumer packaged goods to reach more diners.

    By • Feb. 12, 2025
  • A dawn image of a McDonald's drive-thru. At the foreground is an exit sign and there is a car in the background waiting in line.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s sales are still sluggish 3 months after E. coli outbreak

    While value offerings are helping improve sales, some franchisees have yet to fully recover their visits and sales comps as of January, a BTIG report finds.

    By • Feb. 4, 2025
  • An evening image of Marco's Pizza
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    Permission granted by Marco's Pizza
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    How 3 rising pizza chains are plotting 2025 expansion

    Marco’s Pizza, Mr Gatti’s and Donato’s are poised for growth this year as segment leaders face sluggish performance.

    By • Feb. 3, 2025
  • The side view of a Pizza Hut restaurant can be seen, with promotional posters and banners on the windows and walls.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Pizza Hut buys 18 stores from bankrupt EYM

    The chain paid $720,000 for the units, with five other bidders securing the remaining 77 stores in an auction.

    By • Feb. 3, 2025
  • An image of a Twin Peaks restaurant in the daytime.
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    Permission granted by Twin Peaks
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    What’s driving Twin Peaks’ growth and $5M AUVs

    The sports bar chain, which is now publicly traded, leans on its menu diversity, service model and alcohol mix to target $1 billion in sales. 

    By • Jan. 30, 2025
  • Starbucks logo on building exterior
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    Starbucks wants to claw back $830K from former exec

    The coffee giant says a former senior vice president owes the bulk of a pro-rated signing bonus for leaving four months after he was hired.

    By • Jan. 24, 2025
  • An image of the inside of a Yogurtland with frozen yogurt stands in the back and white and purple chairs toward the front
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    Permission granted by Yogurtland
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    How Yogurtland’s shift to digital powered 3 years of growth

    After adding online ordering and remaking its loyalty program and app, the chain has had double-digit same-store sales growth and strong new unit expansion.

    By • Jan. 23, 2025
  • The exterior of a Panera Bread restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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    Panera hires development chief from GoTo Foods

    Brian Krause’s appointment marks the cafe chain’s latest executive shakeup, following board changes, a CEO departure and new culinary leadership.

    By • Jan. 22, 2025
  • A Smoothie King with a drive-thru.
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    Courtesy of Smoothie King
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    Smoothie King targets 100 openings in 2025

    The chain, which is also testing food items this year, plans to enter Phoenix for the first time as part of its Southwest expansion plan.

    By • Jan. 22, 2025
  • An image of a restaurant with tables that showcases a pretzel, ice cream and cookie concept.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands will grow a new tri-branded snack concept

    The company combined Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker at a unit in Texas, with plans to open more.

    By • Jan. 16, 2025