Good News! - August 2018

As summer winds down, activity continues apace in franchising, both domestically and internationally. Consolidation continues, new brands are emerging, emerging brands are growing, and the regulations just keep on coming. So we've added a new section we're calling "Regulation, Legislation, Politics, Etc." It's not exactly "good news," but it's good to know about. It's hard keeping up with all the growth and changes, which is why we provide our "Good News!" monthly digest of selected news items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, international expansion, people, and milestones. Here's your chance to follow the leaders, every third Tuesday of the month.

So if you're not doing it already, send us your good news here.

New Units/Growth/Expansion

Primo Hoagies Goes To Georgia with 3-Unit Deal for Atlanta Area

Cousins Subs Inks 40-Unit Deal for Chicago Area with 3 Opening this Year

Twin Peaks Signs 7-Unit Deal in Ohio with JEB Food Group

Firehouse Subs Opens Its First Restaurant in Alaska, Its 45th State

Hampton by Hilton Opens Five New Hotels, One Including New Design Elements

Potbelly Sandwich Shop To Open 1st California Unit with 3 More Coming

ZIPS Dry Cleaners Inks 10-Store Deal for Metro Cincinnati

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Signs 3-Unit Deal for West LA

Financial, M&A, Incentives

Applebee’s Turnaround Plan: Q2 U.S. Sales Up 5.7%, 30 Stores Closed

Trilantic North America Buys Majority Stake in 52-Unit Planet Fitness Franchisee

PuroClean Is Offering a Free Franchise to One U.S. Military Veteran

Krispy Kreme To Buy Majority Stake in Insomnia Cookies

Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh Invests in 8-Unit La Boulangerie de San Francisco

Tilted Kilt To Be Acquired by ARC Group, Owner of Dick’s Wings & Grill

Regulation, Legislation, Politics, etc.

Opinion: Two Bills in Congress Seek To Ease Unionization Efforts

CA Supreme Court Rules Against Starbucks in “Off the Clock” Closing Duties Suit

Opinion: Congress Must Act Now To Nail Down Joint Employer Rules

U.S. Treasury Announces Proposed Tax Regs for Pass-Through Business Entities

Big Plans, Big Ideas, Big Picture

Jack in the Box To Spend Millions Upgrading Drive-Thrus at Company Stores

Buffalo Wild Wings May Introduce Sports Betting

After Rebrand, Just Salad Posts 3rd Quarter in a Row of Double-Digit Sales Growth

Subway Launches $80 Million Store Refresh Program “Fresh Now”

Tim Hortons’ New Initiatives To Boost Sales Include All-Day Breakfast

Bennigan’s Details Growth Plans for New Openings in U.S. and Abroad

Dunkin’ Donuts Plans $100 Million Spend To Boost Beverage-Led Strategy

Mountain Mike’s Pizza Plans 40 New Units in Southern California

Del Frisco’s Discusses Benefits of $325 Million Barteca Group Acquisition

Taco Bell President Liz Williams on the Brand’s Future After CEO’s Departure

TGI Fridays CEO Aslam Khan on Tech, Training, and Revamping the Brand

International

Pokéworks Partners with Japan’s $1.6 Billion Toridoll Holdings Corp.

Club Pilates Goes International with 3 Units Opening in Canada in October

Chick-fil-A’s Expansion to Canada Holds Lessons for Franchise Brands

Kinderdance Continues Its Growth in India with New Deal

UK’s Green Motion Expands Its Global Car Hiring Brand to Canada

Wingstop’s Growth Plans Include International Expansion

New and Emerging Brands

Canada’s Joey’s Franchise Group Debuts strEATS, a Taco and Poutine Concept

theCoderSchool To Open Second Location in Roslyn, NY

People, Awards, Milestones

Kona Grill Promotes Jim Kuhn to CEO; Berke Bakay Named Executive Chairman

Portillo’s Hot Dogs Names Former P.F. Chang CEO Michael Osanloo as New CEO

Sir Speedy Celebrates 50th Year in Business

First Watch Hires Former Popeyes CFO Mel Hope as New CFO

Domino’s Pizza Names Tom Curtis EVP of Team USA

16 Handles Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Back Yard Burgers Hires Scott Shotter, Moe’s Former Ops VP, as New CEO

Carstar Opens 600th North American Collision Repair Facility