The Daily Edition of Franchise Business News

Midas International Corporation, one of the world's largest automotive service providers, and its Chicago-land Midas dealers are supporting the welfare of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan with the sponsorship of Operation Support Our Troops -...

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, today announced the opening of its third...

Famous Dave's of America, Inc. (Nasdaq:DAVE) announces it has opened its newest award-winning Bar-B-Que restaurant in Erie, Pennsylvania at 7165 Peach Street. Today's opening marks the fifth Famous Dave's location in Pennsylvania. The ribbon cutting...

Dickey's Barbecue Pit, the largest quick-serve barbecue chain in the country, will add twenty-three new locations to the California market over the next year.

Panchero's Mexican Grill has announced the hiring of Barry Nelson as the company's new vice president of operations. Nelson brings more than 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry. He spent 10 years with Papa John's working with both...

Homewood Suites by Hilton, the international brand of all-suite, residential-style hotels, today announced the opening of its newest property in Lafayette, La. The four-story, 129-suite hotel is owned by KS Hotel Associates, LLC and managed by...

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms today announces the opening of the Holiday Inn Express Fort Lauderdale Airport-West after extensive remodeling to transition the...

Alert your taste buds! Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (Red Robin) is just weeks away from bringing even more craveable gourmet burgers to the Los Angeles-area in Lakewood, with the opening of their newest Red Robin located at 112 Lakewood Center...

UFood Restaurant Group Inc. (OTCBB: UFFC) announced today that the company has selected Snowball Express, a nonprofit organization that supports the families of fallen military heroes who have passed away on active duty since Sept. 11, 2001, as its...

Summer vacation is a sweet but fleeting time for kids. Fazoli's wants to help capture the moment, so they have designated the week of July 11 as Kids Week. As part of the festivities, up to two kids meals can be purchased for just 99 cents each with...

Snap-on Incorporated (NYSE:SNA) will release 2011 second quarter results prior to the market open on Thursday, July 21, 2011. A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 11:00am ET on that day. The conference call, with accompanying...

One of the most annoying problems we all face at one time or another is the toilet tank trickle, that insidious noise that probably keeps waking you up at night. Handyman Matters Harrisburg has identified some simple fixes for this problem keeping...

As one of the world's fastest growing travel markets, with 100 million outbound travelers expected by 2015, China will play an outsized role in global travel within the next decade. To prepare for this growing force of new travelers, Starwood Hotels...

Edible Arrangements®, the pioneer and leader in artistically designed fresh-fruit displays and chocolate dipped fruit, is celebrating its third National Dipped Fruit Week beginning today. Customers are invited to visit their nearest Edible...

Summertime is here, folks! As July sneaks up on us it brings along an annual occasion that gives many an excuse to treat themselves: National Ice Cream Month. Hmmm…a month long, all-encompassing ice cream celebration during one of the hottest...

Social media has changed the way consumers interact with one another and how companies conduct business. WSI, the world's #1 Internet franchise, conducted a webinar this week highlighting the latest social media trends and how companies can use...

From Gummi Bears and cookie dough to roasted almonds and strawberries, what will Canadians choose when they create their own ice cream masterpiece for Cold Stone Creamery?

Dennis Rieder, President and CEO of IN2IT Franchising, Inc., announced one of the most unique business opportunities in the nutrition and fitness franchise industry.

FranchisESource Brands International (FSBI) announced today that it has acquired DIGIKIDS, the onsite child ID company offering the most advanced and affordable child safety ID available today.

7-Eleven, Inc. and Cinemark USA, Inc. are partnering to bring Slurpee® drinks to the movies, offering the convenience retailer's iconic beverage at 32 select Cinemark theatres in Dallas, Houston and Portland. 7-Eleven has stores in Dallas and...

Texas-based Dickey's Barbecue Pit, the largest quick serve barbecue restaurant in the country, opens its doors next week to their newest location at 6219 Oakmont Blvd in Fort Worth.

Downtown Los Angeles will become a little more attractive and a lot more fun when the Hooters of Downtown Los Angeles hosts its grand opening celebration on July 11th, starting at 11am. Hooters, the well-known restaurant chain which features a...

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) today announced that Cindy Bay has been promoted to SVP of US Franchises and Company Stores, reporting to Jim Morgan, President and Chief Executive Officer.

They have become summer traditions -- fireworks on the Fourth, baseball games, hot dog-eating contests and free Slurpee® drinks at 7-Eleven® stores on July 11, 7-Eleven Day.

CKE Restaurants, Inc., today announced the opening of two Hardee's® restaurants in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This marks the first of at least 12 Hardee's restaurants to be opened in Kazakhstan over the next five years. Hardee's is the first major...

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPKI) (the "Company" or "CPK") and Golden Gate Capital today announced the successful completion of the previously announced acquisition of the Company by an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital for $18.50 per...

As a business owner, have you ever felt as if you were speaking a foreign language? Many of us frequently feel that way when we are communicating with our team and wonder why we're not getting through. "All of us have a unique behavioral or...

CruiseOne, the nation's largest home-based franchise travel agent network as part of World Travel Holdings (WTH) today announced the launch of a new online recruitment platform. Prospective franchisees visiting www.CruiseOneTV.com can take part in a...

Steamatic, the industry leader in cleaning and restoration services in more than 500 franchise territories in the United States and in 25 countries around the world, announced it has made a sizeable investment in technology with a new operating...

IFM Investments Limited ("Century 21 China Real Estate", the "Company" or "CTC") (NYSE: CTC), a leading comprehensive real estate services provider and the exclusive franchisor for the CENTURY 21® brand in China, today announced that it has...

Sessions on boosting the bottom line, ramping up revenue, increasing customer leads and learning best practices all kept Honest-1 Auto Care franchisees captivated during the company's recent convention at the widely acclaimed Carefree Resort and...

Held at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas June 23-25, the annual Sir Speedy, PIP Printing and Marketing Services and Signal Graphics International Convention and Vendor Show stimulated and motivated more than 350 attendees. Franchise owners...

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) (NASDAQ: CPKI), home of the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, announced today that Southern...

Growing a business …. Adding jobs …. In a down economy .... In a hard-hit area …. Texans Paul and Linda Timmons are demonstrating how it's done. The couple just marked their one-year anniversary as Fresh Coat Painters franchise...

An icon of innovation and symbol of success in the franchise industry is applying its unrivaled expertise to a rapidly expanding information technology (IT) services concept.

Children of America Educational Childcare recently added Ivyland to its Pennsylvania locations, at 880 Jacksonville Road. The new school welcomes parents to tour its facility to experience the specially designed classrooms and learn about the...

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and American Resort Management today announced the opening of Hyatt Place Long Island/East End situated along the Peconic River and offering a refreshing new choice for business and leisure travelers alike.

Cookies by Design, known as "the original cookie bouquet™ company," today announced the promotion of Jack Long, franchise owner and operator, from executive vice president to chief executive officer and president of the national organization,...

Wingstop announced today that same store sales for the second quarter are up 6 percent over the same quarter last year, and up 4.2 percent for the first half of 2011.

Chester's, the leading fried chicken foodservice offering in the convenience store category, announces the reopening of its Irvington, AL location. The restaurant can be found at 6831 Hwy 90 West and is owned and operated by Pulin Patel.

Success for many small businesses and entrepreneurs often hangs on their ability to sell products and services to their customer base. However, many business owners have no previous sales experience and, for them, the process of engaging a customer...

Cousins Subs® today announced that its Appleton store located at 706 W. Northland Ave. will hold a school supply drive from July 15 - Aug. 15 to collect new and packaged school supplies for the Houdini & Edna Ferber Elementary Schools....

One in five U.S. homeowners have either moved from their home or would like to move because their neighborhood or community wasn't ideal for their lifestyle, according to a recent survey by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC in collaboration...

While it may not fight off aliens, 7-Eleven® stores' new Wrist Blaster cup filled with an Alienade Slurpee® beverage is the perfect weapon to fight summer thirst. 7-Eleven, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with the blazingly...

It's summer, it's hot and SONIC®, America's Drive-In®, is celebrating with flavorful new menu items in July and August. Just in time for National Hot Dog and Ice Cream Month, SONIC is offering for a limited time the Baja Dog and a line of...

Above-normal temperatures, combined with record lack of rainfall across the southern United States, is creating extreme stress on lawns, trees and shrubs. Soil moisture and city reservoirs could take months to recover, prompting many communities to...

Red Lion Hotel Anaheim, located walking distance from Disneyland® Resort, was disappointed to learn that Britain's newlyweds Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton will not be visiting Disneyland on their official visit to the U.S. in July....

Pretzelmaker is offering customers a new way to cool off this summer with the introduction of the company's 24 Karat Cookie blended drink. The creamy new beverage, available for a limited time, features a smooth blend of real Golden Oreos® and...

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Newberry South Carolina Hotel offers a special Senior Discount for guests age 62 and older. The Senior Discount is available to qualifying guests with a valid ID or membership card to a retired person's...

Charley's Grilled Subs, the 430–unit franchise best known for its Philly Steak Sandwiches, is giving customers another reason to celebrate this Independence Day season – an exclusive deal for free fries and a drink.

Hyatt Gold Passport and Hawaiian Airlines announced today a new offer, providing Hyatt Gold Passport members and HawaiianMiles members an easy way to earn and redeem airline miles. Starting now, members of HawaiianMiles -- Hawaiian Airlines' loyalty...

Pushing the 'bold' envelope even further, Chili's® Grill & Bar is introducing several new flavors to the popular $20 Dinner for Two menu that are sure to ignite the senses. Available now for a limited time at participating locations...

Chester's, the leading fried chicken foodservice offering in the convenience store category, announces the grand opening of its newest location in Rhome, TX. Operated by Love's Travel Stops, this new Chester's is located at the intersection of...

Local families, caregivers and business owners will protest at the state capitol in Sacramento tomorrow morning to fight a highly controversial bill they say will severely hurt California senior citizens. State lawmakers will vote on the California...

Flip Flop Shops has teamed up with O'NEILL, one of the most prominent players in the surf industry, to kick start the summer with its very own version of the "Phluff Daddy" flip flop and a killer promotion.

U-Swirl, Inc. (OTCQB: SWRL), parent to U-SWIRL International, Inc., the owner and franchisor of U-SWIRL Frozen Yogurt® cafes, today announced that franchisees have opened a total of four new cafes in the month of June. This brings the total...

To celebrate Miss Maggie Moo's birthday on Wednesday, July 20, MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery will be giving away a free mini Coke® float to customers from 3-6pm at participating locations.* MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery is managed by...

U-Swirl, Inc. (OTCQB: SWRL), parent to U-SWIRL International, Inc., the owner and franchisor of U-SWIRL Frozen Yogurt® cafes, today announced that it has awarded area development rights for Montana to Kenneth W. Allen, to develop at least four...

Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has today announced that Simon Linscheid has taken over the company's Dublin territory. Simon Linscheid was previously a Card Connection retail customer for eight years while he ran...

Pizza Inn, Inc. (Nasdaq:PZZI), an international pizza chain recognized for serving a variety of fresh, popular traditional and specialty pizzas, is now available in Springdale, Ark.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. (NASDAQ: RMCF) today announced that it will host an investor conference call at 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 7, 2011 to discuss its operating results for the first quarter of FY2012, along with...

Ruby Tuesday, Inc. (NYSE: RT), Becker Drapkin Management, L.P. ("Becker Drapkin"), and Carlson Capital, L.P. today announced that Steven R. Becker and Matthew A. Drapkin have been appointed as independent members of the Board of Directors of Ruby...

Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHNA; BNHN),the nation's leading operator of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, has announced the July Chef's Special, Hibachi Shrimp & Chicken for Two, a five-course feast for only $36.

Geraldine Zwerling of Roswell, Georgia, won Mr. Rooter Plumbing's Bathroom Makeover Sweepstakes worth $5,000. And it's a gift that keeps on giving!

After two intensive years of development, Pizza Patrón is rolling out a new chorizo topping, and it will be in all stores by July 1.

A four day-old baby, appropriately dubbed "Our Four Day Old Burrito," was chosen as the winner of Chipotle Mexican Grill's (NYSE: CMG) "Wrap What You Love" contest. The contest challenged the creativity of Chipotle's customers who submitted photos...

Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. is adding sizzle to summer by introducing its second offering in the successful Ultimate Angus menu line, the Angus Cool Deli Sandwich. The new Angus Cool Deli Sandwich features oven-roasted, thinly sliced USDA Choice...

Sports Image®, a leader in the high school and youth sports marketing industry, has just awarded their 13th Sports Marketing Franchise to Michael & Sheri Anspach of Wantagh, NY. This is the first franchise awarded in the state of New York....

Michael Vogel has been named vice president of franchise sales for Del Taco (www.deltaco.com), effective immediately. In his new role, Vogel oversees franchise sales and market planning for the nation's No. 2 Mexican quick-serve chain.