Good (and Other) News! - April 2021

Welcome back to our monthly news roundup. We’ve added a note of realism, calling it “Good (and Other) News!,” to reflect the ongoing effects of the pandemic on franchising – and now, with vaccines becoming more widespread every day, a glimmer of optimism. So in addition to our regular grab bag of news about business growth and change, we’re leading with our section on how businesses are beginning to get comfortable with the idea of a post-Covid recovery.

Here’s your chance to follow the leaders, every third Tuesday of the month! And if you’re not doing it already, send us your good (and other) news here!

COPING WITH COVID – REOPENING & RECOVERY

U.S. Retail Sales Surged in March on Stimulus, Vaccines

2021 Economic Outlook Bolstered by Additional Fiscal Stimulus

Urban Land Institute & PwC Release 2021 Global Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report

Alignable: Road to Recovery Report, April 2021

ITIF Report: A Proposal To Raise Productivity & Wages in All 50 States and D.C.

How P. Terry’s Rolled Out a $15 Minimum Wage

California Set To Drop Restaurant Restrictions on June 15

Can You Use the American Rescue Plan Act To Save Your Restaurant?

How To Find Out If Your Restaurant Is Eligible for Tax Refunds

The Future of Work in Hospitality: 3 Trends To Watch in 2021

How Health Will Feed into Larger Food Trends in 2021

QSRs Adapt to the Current and Post–Covid World (White Paper)

Numerator’s Vaccinated Shopper Behavior Tracker

UNO Pizzeria Adds “Vaccine Concierge” Service To Help Employees Get Their Shots

COMPANY NEWS

Pizza Hut To Open 1,500 Drive-Thrus

Cracker Barrel & Darden Shine During Pandemic

Landry’s CEO Surprised by the Strength of His Restaurants in March

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria Announces Launch of National Franchise Program

Ninja Nation Announces National Expansion Plans for 2021

First Hoots Wings Franchisee To Develop 60 Restaurants in Texas

Dogtopia Signs 15 New Franchise Agreements in Texas

Rush Bowls Plans To Open 14 to 16 Stores in 2021

Taffer’s Tavern Inks 10-Unit Deal for Florida and Georgia

Pita Mediterranean Street Food Converts Its 6 Corporate Restaurants to Franchised Units

Goldfish Swim School Reports Q1 Growth: 19 Signed Agreements, New Openings, Rising Enrollment

Muscle Maker Grill Buys Florida Meal-Prep Service Superfit Foods as Part of Expansion

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop Signs 8-Unit Franchise Deal for New Jersey

FINANCE/M&A

The 3 Biggest Restaurant Investment Trends of 2021

SBA Moves Closer To Sending Out $28.6 Billion in Restaurant Grants

Duck Donuts Sold to PE Firm NewSpring Capital

Greg & Nick Vojnovic Acquire The Hot Dog Shoppe

Xponential Acquires Rumble, Its 9th Brand

LEADERSHIP

McFamily Feud: Scandal, Lawsuits, and Cultural Upheaval at McDonald’s

LEGAL

IFA’s 2021 Legal Symposium Kicks Off May 4

MARKETING

How Marketers Are Reimagining the Consumer Journey in a Post-Covid World

After a Year of Transformation, Executives Are All-In on Social 

Make Your Website Stand Out in 2021 with These Tips

Coca-Cola Research Finds 5 Major Pandemic-Era Consumer Trends

Linear vs. Advanced TV: The Current State of Television Advertising

Transaction Data Is the Most Powerful Predictor of Future Behavior

Ad Industry Moves Closer to a Single Cross-Media Measurement Solution

Krispy Kreme Offers Free Donuts All Year to Customers Who Get Vaccinated

TECHNOLOGY

4 Lessons Learned About Digital Transformation During the Past 365 Days

One in Three Workers Is Frustrated with Job-Related Technology

Squarespace Acquires Restaurant Reservations Platform Tock for $400+ Million

Yum Brands Acquires Tictuk Technologies; Allows Orders by Text & Social Media

Chipotle Invests in Autonomous Delivery Company Nuro

Starbucks Adds Payment by Bitcoin or Frequent Flier Miles to Starbucks Cards

FRANCHISING CARES

Jersey Mike’s Raises More than $15 Million in Its 11th Annual Month of Giving

Penn Station Donates Over $200,000 to Down Syndrome Organizations

Whataburger Gives Staff $90 Million in Thank-You Bonuses, Raises Managers’ Pay

Chick-fil-A To Invest $19 Million in Employees’ Education in 2021

PEOPLE & MILESTONES

Burger King Names Paloma Azulay New Global Chief Brand Officer

Madison Jobe, Wingstop’s “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Retires

Red Robin Appoints Darla Morse as EVP & CIO

Church’s Chicken Names Leaders for Growing International Business

Dunkin’ Opens Doors on 1,000th Next-Gen Store

Teriyaki Madness Celebrates 100th Shop Opening