Good News! – January 2020

It's a new year, so here's some news! We know it's hard keeping up with all of today's franchise news, even for us. That's why we provide this monthly digest of selected items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, legislation and regulation, people, and milestones. This month we're continuing with our newest section, "Odds, Ends & Trends." Check it out!

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 news here!

New Units/Growth/Expansion

Bojangles' Partners with Love's Truck Stops for 40 New Restaurants

Atticus Franchise Group Buys 18 Massage Envy Locations from Novarus Capital Group

Fazoli's Inks 5-Unit Florida Deal for Tampa Area

Miami Grill Signs NFL Player Kamar Aiken to Multi-Unit Deal for Orlando

Dickey's Offers 6-Month Royalty Discount for New Zees Who Sign in January

Financial, M&A, Private Equity

Yum Brands To Acquire Habit Burger for About $375 Million

Pieology Pizzeria Refranchises 21 Company Stores to Akash Management

Regis Franchisee Transfers About 200 Salons Back, Expects To Shut 300 More

Regulation, Legislation, Labor

Joint Employer Rule Returned to Sanity with DOL's Latest Ruling

Uber and Postmates File Lawsuit Contesting California's AB 5 "Gig Worker" Law

CNBC: How Seattle's $15 Minimum Wage Law Has Worked Out Since 2014

New & Emerging Brands

Jabz Boxing Inks First Multi-Unit Deal for 5 Studios on the East Coast

Magic Cup Cafe To Franchise 5 New Locations in Houston and Dallas

Curry Up Now Lands Funding from Liquid 2 Ventures To Speed Growth

Sid's Pizza & Grill Starts Franchising, Sees Continued Growth in Atlanta

Wolfnights Partners with Fransmart To Franchise Its Gourmet Wraps Concept

Gofer Ice Cream, Connecticut-Based Brand, Now Offering Franchises

Sweetberry Bowls Ends 2019 with 19 Units and Looks to Further Growth

The Toasted Yolk Announces Expansion Plans for 2020

2019 Results & 2020 Plans

Gold's Gym Reports Strongest Global Growth Year Ever

Jack in the Box Posts Strong Q4, 9th Straight Year of Positive Same Store Sales

Teriyaki Madness Closes 2019 with Nearly 100 New Franchises Awarded

Epcon Communities Reviews 2019 Growth, Looks Ahead to 2020

Odds, Ends & Trends

Q&A: Cousins Subs CEO Christine Specht on $8 Million Rebrand and More

FastCasual: Top 10 Most Popular Fast Casual Stories of 2019

NRN: A Look Back at 2019's Biggest F&B Trends

WaPo: Why Fast-Casual Became Last Decade's Most Important Food Trend

Yum Brands CEO Greg Creed Retires, Reflects on His 25-Year Tenure

Marketing Predictions & Trends for 2020-25 from 14 Top Marketers

Guidant Survey of 3,100 Small Businesses Says Hiring Challenges Will Persist

The Economist: A Manager's Manifesto for 2020 (8 Resolutions To Adopt)

QSR Magazine: How to Scale Your Restaurant Brand in 2020

People, Awards, Milestones

Paris Baguette Promotes COO Darren Tipton to CEO Role

First Watch Hires Greg Barber as Its First Transformation Officer

Jack in the Box Promotes 3 Executives to Senior Vice President

Black Bear Promotes President and Former COO Anita Adams to CEO

Slim Chickens Celebrates 100th Store Opening

Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders Sells 100th Franchise