Franchising: Page 2

  • 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
  • A Papa Johns worker delivers fresh dough and ingredients from a truck.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Papa Johns wants market density, not more territories

    The pizza chain’s biggest growth opportunities lie in markets where it already has a presence, executives told investors in December.

    By • Jan. 13, 2025
  • A Qdoba store around dusk.
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    Permission granted by Qdoba
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    Qdoba signs another 77 store agreements

    The brand is looking to speed up its franchised growth and shrink Chipotle’s lead on the strength of its same-store sales and development incentives.

    By • Jan. 9, 2025
  • An image of the inside of a Paris Baguette with tables and chairs.
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    Permission granted by Paris Baguette
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    How Paris Baguette is bringing back the neighborhood bakery

    The chain, which offers fresh-baked goodies, drinks and cakes, signed over 160 franchise deals in 2024 and aims to sign another 200 this year.

    By • Jan. 8, 2025
  • A white building with windows on the front with a large sign that says Cava
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    The restaurant industry’s top 3 winners and losers of 2024

    Sales and traffic fell for many brands, like Starbucks and McDonald’s, but fast casuals like Chipotle and Cava had a good year.

    By , • Dec. 17, 2024
  • An image of an airport sign that says Terminal B with a restaurant sign highlighted in the foreground.
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    BirdImages via Getty Images
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    Taking flight: Why more restaurant chains are catering to travelers

    While big chains appear in numerous airports and train stations, emerging competitors like Slim Chickens and Pollo Campero are also using these locations to build brand awareness.

    By • Dec. 11, 2024
  • An image of several specialty drinks from Taco Bell's Live Mas Cafe lined up on a white counter top.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell/Diversified Restaurant Group
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    An inside look at Taco Bell’s beverage concept

    Live Más Café offers drinks that appeal to Gen Z consumers like chillers, agua frescas and specialty coffee drinks.

    By • Dec. 10, 2024
  • An image of TGI Fridays signage with red and white stripes
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    Former TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette offers $30.5M for 9 company restaurants

    The bid for the restaurants shows some potential buyers still have confidence in the brand’s value, despite its recent closures.

    By • Dec. 9, 2024
  • A photo of a Dave's Hot Chicken location in London. Taken with a long exposure, the photo has motion trails from car lights.
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    Courtesy of Dave's Hot Chicken
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    Dave’s Hot Chicken reaches 250 stores with first UK opening

    The fast casual chicken brand has emerged as one of the fastest-growing chains in recent years.

    By • Dec. 5, 2024
  • A Qdoba store around dusk.
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    Permission granted by Qdoba
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    Qdoba is coming to Arizona

    The fast casual Mexican brand plans to open up to 10 stores in the state in the next two years.

    By • Dec. 4, 2024
  • A store interior with white tile, red accents and pickup cabinets.
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    Courtesy of Pizza Hut
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    Pizza Hut tests new US store design

    The Yum Brands chain hopes self-service kiosks and other new features will drive more transactions and in-store traffic.

    By • Dec. 4, 2024
  • An image of a white building with Keke's logo
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    Permission granted by Keke's Breakfast Cafe/Photo by Seth Parker with Parker Studios
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    Keke’s Breakfast Cafe on path to reach 200 locations

    Two years after Denny’s acquired the breakfast chain, it has signed commitments for over 140 units and is in the early stages of remodeling more than 50 locations.

    By • Dec. 4, 2024
  • Applegreen
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    Permission granted by Applegreen
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    Applegreen to open larger travel centers in the US as part of $1B investment

    The Dublin-based company plans to also expand its foodservice and EV charging infrastructure across the U.S., Ireland and the U.K.

    By Brett Dworski • Dec. 3, 2024
  • 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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    Flynn Group buys 32 more Wendy’s

    The large multi-unit operator now owns about 5% of Wendy’s U.S. store system, plus its Australian and New Zealand master franchises.

    By • Nov. 21, 2024
  • An image of a Jack in the Box restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box sales continue to lag, but unit count grows

    Comparable sales headwinds haven’t slowed Jack in the Box’s growth, with the brand opening more stores than it closed for the second year in a row.

    By • Nov. 21, 2024
  • A rendering of a green building in a corner unit with Griddle & Go branding.
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    Permission granted by Perkins
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    Perkins signs 10-unit agreement for fast casual concept

    In its largest deal since the concept was introduced in September, Griddle & Go will open in New Jersey in October 2025.

    By • Nov. 21, 2024
  • An image inside a restaurant crowded with people. The wall says Fresh Brothers."
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    Retrieved from Fresh Brothers on November 18, 2024
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    Craveworthy buys emerging pizza brand

    The multi-brand platform has been on an acquisition spree in 2024, buying Sigri Indian BBQ and Untamed Brands, among others.

    By • Nov. 19, 2024
  • An image of Quarter Pounder, fries and a drink from McDonald's
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s invests $100M to help franchisees recover from E. coli outbreak

    About $35 million will go toward marketing programs that will help drive traffic and rebuild consumer trust.

    By • Nov. 18, 2024