Good News! – October 2020

Back in August 2009, deep in the trough of the Great Recession and weary of the daily barrage of “Everything’s gone wrong! The world is about to end!!”, we began this monthly roundup of what was still going right. We called it The Winner’s Column. Today, Covid-19 has created a new kind of uncertainty – but with a critical difference: everyone is susceptible this time around. No “best practices” or management jiujitsu will stop the virus, only slow its spread (or so we hope). And here comes winter. So, in addition to our regular roundup of business growth and change, we’ve added a special section on how businesses are coping with the coronavirus.

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!

COPING WITH COVID – REOPENING & RECOVERY

Del Taco CEO John Cappasola: “Our Business Has Recovered and Is Now Stable”

SBA Releases Simplified Loan Forgiveness Application for PPP Borrowers of Less than $50,000

Restaurants with Forgiven PPP Loans Could Face a Tax Wallop

Restaurant Leaders Say Inflated Pricing and Direct Delivery Are Winning 3rd-Party Delivery Strategies

YogaWorks Files for Chapter 11, Permanently Closes All Studios

Survey: Health Club Owners Project 2020 Revenue at 63 Percent of 2019

MOD Pizza CEO Scott Svenson on Why Prioritizing Company Culture Is a Secret to Success

Touchless Tech Gets Prioritized at Restaurant Chains

Guest Safety: 9 Tips for Safe Indoor Dining

New York City Issues Rules for Heating Outdoor Dining Spaces

Could Fast-Food Dining Rooms Be a Thing of the Past?

Why Franchise Regulations Are Due for a Makeover (Podcast)

NEW UNITS/GROWTH/EXPANSION/NEW & EMERGING BRANDS

Guillermo Perales’ Sun Holdings Buys 41 IHOP Restaurants from Bankrupt CFRA Holdings

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Adds 28 New Locations in Q3

MARKETING

7 Benefits of Social Media You Can't Afford to Ignore (Infographic)

The CMO’s Guide to Customer Experience (Medallia)

4 Simple Tactics To Increase the Frequency of Online Orders

FRANCHISING CARES

Sport Clips Launches 7th Year of the Help A Hero Scholarship Program for Veterans Through Dec. 5

ODDS, ENDS & TRENDS

Starbucks Ties Executive Pay to 2025 Diversity Targets

CEO Confidence in a Recovery Declined Slightly Since June

SPACs: “Wall Street’s Hottest Financing Tool Makes Me Worry”

PEOPLE, AWARDS, MILESTONES

BurgerFi Names Former RBI Executive Julio Ramirez as CEO

Wendy’s Names Retired Dominos CIO Kevin Vasconi as Its New CIO

Woody’s Bar-B-Q Names Roger Flynn, a 30-Year Franchise Sales Vet, as Director of Development

Qdoba Names Jeannie Cho, Former PepsiCo Exec, as CMO