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 UNITED STATES FRANCHISE NEWS ARCHIVE
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: : May 2008
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Pizza Hut Celebrates 50th Anniversary. On May 31, 1958, the doors of a little pizzeria in Wichita, Kansas, opened to serve a thin-crust pizza to a small community. Fifty years later, that pizzeria has grown into a chain of more than 10,000 restaurants around the world serving pizza and more. .... [more]
30 May, 2008
Wolfgang Puck vs. Wolfgang Zwiener. Two restaurant chains with similar names are about to square off in a trademark-infringement showdown. .... [more]
30 May, 2008
LaSalle Brands announces national franchise program. US-based LaSalle Brands has announced a program of national franchising for the company's LaSalle Ice Cream and Bean Factory dessert cafes. .... [more]
29 May, 2008
7-Eleven puts 250 stores on market. 7-Eleven Inc. last week announced plans to convert its 425 corporate-owned stores in Florida -- including more than 250 in Central Florida -- to franchise locations. .... [more]
29 May, 2008
Einstein Noah Restaurant and Twins S&Z sign franchise development agreement. Einstein Noah Restaurant Group has signed a new multi-unit development agreement with Twins S&Z to franchise Einstein Bros Bagels restaurants and continue to expand the brand. .... [more]
29 May, 2008
Fresh Enterprises Hires Two New Franchise Directors to Accelerate Franchise Expansion. California-based Fresh Enterprises announced today it has hired Thomas Grady and Gene Savage as Directors of franchise development. .... [more]
29 May, 2008
Geeks On Call Partners with Ident-A-Kid Through Endorsed Vendor Program. Geeks On Call Holdings, Inc. announced today a new partnership with child safety provider Ident-A-Kid through the Geeks On Call Endorsed Vendor Benefit Program and Ident-A-Kid’s Corporate Partnership program. .... [more]
28 May, 2008
Qdoba Adds Seven New Franchisees. Denver-based Qdoba Mexican Grill announced seven new franchise partners. .... [more]
28 May, 2008
While others struggle, McAlister’s franchisee plots growth. At a time when rising fuel and food prices threaten to strangle many eateries, McAlister’s Deli franchisee Bothwell Saxton Restaurants of Tulsa has charted a two-year growth plan to almost triple its size. .... [more]
28 May, 2008
Yogen Fruz Opens First San Francisco Location at the Embarcadero Center. Yogen Früz, a frozen yogurt chain with 1,100 stores in over 20 countries, is launching a bid for a major scoop of the American fro-yo market with the opening of its first San Francisco store on May 30-31. .... [more]
28 May, 2008
Seek to add more than 160 franchises. Staffing company Seek Careers/Staffing Inc., of Grafton, announced plans Tuesday to add more than 160 franchised locations across the United States over the next five years. .... [more]
27 May, 2008
Franchisee closes four Chili's restaurants, while franchisor Brinker trys to sell Romano's. Quality Restaurants Northwest Inc. has closed four local Chili's Grill & Bar locations, putting as many as 480 people out of work. .... [more]
27 May, 2008
EVOS Sets Sights on Growth in Florida. After experiencing growth in several states, EVOS USA is actively seeking to add more stores in its home state of Florida. The quick-service restaurant chain specializes in healthier burgers, fries and shakes. .... [more]
27 May, 2008
UPS Must Face Trial in Fight With Its 'Mom & Pop' Franchisees. A decision by the California Appellate Court here Friday (May 23) reversed the 2007 decision by a Los Angeles Superior Court that had granted motions by United Parcel Service and Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. (MBE) for summary judgments against its franchisees. .... [more]
26 May, 2008
Hotel franchiser rebrands collection. Choice Hotels International Inc. is boosting its boutique hotel business by rebranding its Clarion Collection as the "Ascend Collection" with a more upscale logo and more independence for the hotel owners, the company announced at its annual gathering of franchisees this month. .... [more]
26 May, 2008
McDonald's coffee's strength stirs questions. McDonald Corp.'s Venti-size ambitions to take on Starbucks as the preferred purveyor of up-market coffee may not be showing signs of the jolt to sales some analysts had hoped. .... [more]
23 May, 2008
Veterans Heavily Recruited as Franchisees. The military taught them how to lead teams, perform under pressure and execute a plan. These skills happen to be the same critical ingredients for owning and running a franchise. .... [more]
23 May, 2008
SuperShuttle acquires Golden Touch Transportation of New York. SuperShuttle International Inc. has acquired Golden Touch Transportation of New York Inc. The Scottsdale-based airport transportation company has about 200 vehicles: 100 buses, 85 vans and 15 sedans. SuperShuttle will inherit 75 employees and 125 franchisee drivers as a part of the transaction. .... [more]
22 May, 2008
Firm gets a grip on franchise market. Albuquerque's Get A Grip Inc. has expanded to 38 franchise locations in 22 states from the 16 franchises it had in 2005. .... [more]
22 May, 2008
7-Eleven conversion to franchises under way. 7-Eleven plans to convert approximately 475 company-operated stores in parts of Tampa, St. Pete and three other Florida market areas into franchised operations, according to a release. .... [more]
21 May, 2008
Yum Brands donates $2.3 million to China earthquake relief efforts. Yum Brands Foundation, the charitable arm of Louisville-based restaurant company Yum Brands Inc., has joined with the company's China Division to donate $2.3 million to disaster relief efforts in China in the wake of the massive May 12 earthquake that killed thousands of people there. .... [more]
20 May, 2008
Pet Butler sells Dallas-Fort Worth franchises. Pet Butler, which provides pet waste cleanup and removal services, has sold its Dallas-Fort Worth area company-owned franchise territories to Bartonville businessman Mark Hamel for $1.2 million. .... [more]
20 May, 2008
IHOP details sale of 187 restaurants in wake of Applebee’s purchase. Moving forward with plans to pay for its $2.1 billion purchase of Applebee’s International Inc., IHOP Corp. on Tuesday announced the sale-leaseback of 187 restaurants for $347 million. .... [more]
20 May, 2008
Dunkin' Donuts plans to open 142 stores in Alabama. Dunkin' Donuts said it is searching for franchisees to open more than 142 new stores across Alabama over the next several years. .... [more]
20 May, 2008
Jim Skinner Calls for Industry Collaboration. Recalling the homey wisdom of McDonald's Corp. founder Ray Kroc, the chief executive of the world's largest restaurant chain on Saturday called for members of the restaurant industry large and small to unite in the face of global challenges like employee retention and food safety. .... [more]
19 May, 2008
Garduño's goes franchise route. Plans for new company-owned Garduño's of Mexico locations are on hold as owner Dave Garduño Sr. moves to turn his concept into a national franchise. .... [more]
19 May, 2008
Franchising is cool. Jerry Van Vlack, at age 61, decided to start over and open a new business. He is all about keeping his customers cool with the niche he settled upon: Selling vehicle radiators, air conditioner compressors and other specialized parts primarily to Akron- and Canton-area repair shops. .... [more]
19 May, 2008
At McDonald's, a slippery oil deadline. McDonald's Corp. says it will complete a national rollout of cooking oil free of artery-clogging trans fats by the end of 2008 — a deadline later than some industry experts and health advocates expected. .... [more]
18 May, 2008
Wolfgang Puck sues Beverly Hills eatery in trademark case. Wolfgang Puck, the Austrian chef and franchiser of more than 80 namesake eateries, filed a trademark lawsuit against competing restaurateur Wolfgang Zwiener for opening a Beverly Hills steakhouse with a similar name. .... [more]
15 May, 2008
First Watch hires expert in franchising. Manatee-based restaurant chain First Watch Restaurants, Inc. has hired a franchising expert to lead its expansion, the company announced Wednesday. .... [more]
15 May, 2008
First WHIZard Academy Franchise to Open in Minnesota. The first Minnesota franchise of WHIZard Academy -- a tutoring center that offers a customized teaching program based on Minnesota state curriculum requirements -- will open in Eden Prairie on June 14. .... [more]
15 May, 2008
Dunkin’ franchisor group looks at new direction. The largest association of Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees has replaced its board of directors as it adjusts to Dunkin’ Donuts’ nationwide ambitions. .... [more]
15 May, 2008
Texas-based Veria acquires Massage Envy. Massage Envy, an Arizona-based franchisor, has been acquired by Veria, a Texas multimedia company focusing on health and wellness. .... [more]
14 May, 2008
Chicken fight: McDonald's looks to challenge Chick-fil-A. Starting this week, McDonald's will share a little bit of the Southern cuisine with customers nationwide and go head to head with Atlanta-based fast food giant Chick-fil-A Inc. .... [more]
13 May, 2008
Pollo Campero opens franchise in US Wal-Mart store. Pollo Campero, a Latin American fried-chicken favorite that had been seen in the U.S. only in takeout boxes aboard arriving flights, has teamed up with Wal-Mart to expand its reach to the nation's growing Hispanic population. .... [more]
12 May, 2008
McD's coffee perks slowly. Early sales figures for McDonald's Corp.'s new specialty coffees underscore the challenge the burger chain faces as it tries to compete with Starbucks. .... [more]
12 May, 2008
On Franchising. More than 200 new franchising opportunities were introduced in the U.S. last year, underscoring the industry's enormous popularity here. But which ones will be around 10 years from now, and which are simply somebody's make-a-quick-buck scheme? .... [more]
10 May, 2008
Yoshinoya Begins U.S. Franchise Expansion. Yoshinoya, a Japanese restaurant company with more than 1,300 locations throughout the world and a history that began in a Tokyo fish market nearly 110 years ago, has announced two new appointments in a plan that will expand its base of 86 restaurants in the United States through nationwide franchising. .... [more]
10 May, 2008
Consultant, franchisee sets a fast pace. Ask Michelda Johnson about her Edible Arrangements store, and she'll tell you how excited she is to have the retailer's first franchise in Alabama and how impressed she was with the company's business plan. .... [more]
9 May, 2008
Sophie's Cuban Cuisine Opens First Franchised Restaurant. Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine Franchising, Inc. announced today that their first franchisee, Tom Chamberlain of Hayworth, NJ, has opened the first franchised Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine restaurant. .... [more]
9 May, 2008
Comfort Keepers to add 36 locations. In a rapidly growing medical and home care sector, more entrepreneurs want into the industry, which works out well for one local home care franchiser growing in size and revenue as a result. .... [more]
9 May, 2008
Franchising still brisk business, says group. It is still a good time to operate a franchise business amid the economic slowdown, with a local franchising association generating P13.8 billion in sales in 2007. .... [more]
9 May, 2008
Papa John's surpasses $1 billion in online pizza sales. Sometimes during peak hours, the phones are silent in Andy Freitas' pizza restaurants, yet the cooks are busy keeping pace with hungry customers. .... [more]
8 May, 2008
Seaway Valley Engages Fransaction to Explore Brick-Oven Pizza Franchise Model. Seaway Valley Capital Corporation today announced that through its newest subsidiary, North Country Hospitality, Inc., it has engaged franchise development company, Fransaction, Inc., to explore the development of its “Goodfello’s Brick-Oven Pizza and Wine Bar” into a multi unit franchise concept. .... [more]
8 May, 2008
Pride to Join 'McJob' Menu at McDonald's. McDonald's seeks to make a "McJob" something that members of its work force do with pride. The company hopes initiatives such as health insurance and 401(k) plans can combat employee turnover. .... [more]
7 May, 2008
Papa Gino's Signs First Franchise Agreement. Papa Gino's, a venerable New England pizza chain, has signed an agreement with the brand's first-ever franchisee. .... [more]
7 May, 2008
Volvo Rents eyes Dallas for franchise growth. The company, which is a division of Asheville, N.C.-based Volvo Construction Equipment North America Inc. that offers franchise opportunities in the construction equipment rental business segment, said that construction spending in the Dallas market is projected to reach $10.4 billion in 2008. .... [more]
7 May, 2008
Baskin-Robbins scooping out new territory: Soft serve. Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest ice cream chain, Thursday will announce plans to sell soft-serve ice cream, a risky marketing move that it has resisted since its founding 62 years ago. .... [more]
7 May, 2008
Dairy Queen Appoints New President & CEO. Charles W. Mooty, president and CEO, announced today the beginning of his leadership transition and implementation of his succession planning for International Dairy Queen, Inc. by naming John P. Gainor, as president and CEO effective July 1, 2008. .... [more]
7 May, 2008
Boulder firm set to franchise in China. Mark Mallen, owner of the Boulder-based Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato company, recently signed a deal with Shanghai-based Barony Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, which plans to franchise the local scoop shop throughout China. .... [more]
6 May, 2008
Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners to form new board. The directors of a large Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners group have resigned their seats to form a new “professional” board comprised of non-franchisee businesspeople. .... [more]
6 May, 2008
Aaron Rents to slow opening of new stores. At Aaron Rents' annual meeting today, Charlie Loudermilk, board chairman and chief executive officer, explained why the rent-to-own chain's stock hit a one-year low of $13.27 during day trading in January. .... [more]
6 May, 2008
Burger King Gets New SVP of North American Operations. Burger King Corp. yesterday announced the appointment of Gladys DeClouet as senior vice president, North America company operations. .... [more]
6 May, 2008
Alamo Drafthouse heads to East Coast during national expansion. Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas is opening its first East Coast theater early next year. The movie theater and restaurant franchise will open a location in Winchester, Va., a college town about 75 miles from Washington D.C. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
Domino's 'Delivering the Dream' Program Opens Doors for Minority Franchisees. Domino's Pizza's "Delivering the Dream" program, in partnership with American Equipment Finance, LLC, grants financial assistance to elite minority team members so they may build their own Domino's stores. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
Papa John's selected as a top franchise for minority business owners. Pizza giant Papa John's International Inc. was selected in 2007 as the top 50 franchise for minorities by the National Minority Franchising Initiative. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
Florida Based Franchise Expands Operations by Offering New Low Cost Program. Publishing franchise business, TheHomeMag, is expanding operations by adding 58 new markets throughout the United States. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
Yum continued growth of franchises in 2007. Yum Brands Inc. continued its growth in 2007, largely as a result of adding franchised restaurants around the world. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
PRstore Franchise Expanding in North Carolina, Georgia, Colorado and California. PRstore, a national marketing firm franchise catering to small and mid-market businesses, is slated to open six new locations across the country. .... [more]
5 May, 2008
Faltering economy spurs interest in franchising. Spurred by the faltering economy, corporate downsizings are producing a pool of seasoned managers and executives considering self-employment. .... [more]
3 May, 2008
Arby's facing Biggie-sized challenges with Wendy's buyout. Triarc Companies Inc., the franchisor of the Arby's sandwich chain and the winning bidder for a struggling Wendy's International Inc., boasts operational excellence and brand-building experience as strengths it can apply across the 6,645-restaurant chain from Dublin. But industry observers say the outlook for its efforts is anything but clear. .... [more]
2 May, 2008
McDonald's Operators Meet the President. President Bush welcomed three of McDonald's restaurant managers and Owner/Operators to the White House for an invitation-only reception today in celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. .... [more]
2 May, 2008
Boardwalk Fresh Burger & Fries to franchise. Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries has announced a partnership with Alexandria, Va.-based franchise developers Fransmart, to begin ramping up a national franchise expansion plan. .... [more]
2 May, 2008
Ritter's sold to New York firm. The family owners of Ritter's Frozen Custard have agreed to sell the popular homegrown chain to New York-based TruFoods LLC for an undisclosed price. .... [more]
2 May, 2008
UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. Announces Termination of Franchise Agreement with FL Operator. UFood Restaurant Group, Inc., a franchisor and operator of fast-casual restaurants and nutritional product retail stores, today announced the termination of a 2005 franchise agreement with a franchisee operator in Florida. .... [more]
2 May, 2008
Bookkeeping Express Plans to Franchise Nationwide. Three entrepreneurs in McLean, Virginia, have purchased Bookkeeping Express, a national provider of bookkeeping services, and plan a major expansion, which includes launching a national franchising system in June. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
Franchise program's founder to retire. Carolyn Gough will retire this summer after more than 14 years as executive director of UTEP's Franchise Center, a program she founded and spurred to have global impact. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
De Niro to open Japanese-themed condos. Robert De Niro is planning to open a Japanese-themed condo and hotel complex in New York, one of the actor's business partners said. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
Burger King beats estimates, but renovations weigh. Burger King Holdings Inc posted better-than-expected earnings and raised its full-year profit forecast on Thursday, but said costs related to restaurant renovation would weigh down margins in the current quarter. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
Nanny Poppinz franchise coming to Jacksonville. Jacksonville's first Nanny Poppinz is one of 70 franchise locations of the childcare referral service company expected to open around the nation by the end of this year. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
Hardee's Sells 59 Restaurants as Part of Ongoing Strategic Refranchising. CKE Restaurants, Inc. announced today the sale of 59 restaurants as part of its ongoing strategic refranchising program that was originally announced in April, 2007. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
7-Eleven will add 100 O.C. locations. 7-Eleven wants to add 100 new convenience stores in Orange County by 2010 including five this year and plans to do it mostly by converting other businesses rather than building new shops. .... [more]
1 May, 2008
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