The Daily Edition of Franchise Business News

The iFranchise Group (www.ifranchisegroup.com), a leading franchise consulting firm based in the Chicago area, recently held a seminar for the franchise community that included information and guidance on how to use technology to help ensure quality...

Two vacations are better than one! This summer, travelers can earn a free night at more than 1,500 hotels after just two separate stays with Choice Hotels.*

"Working in Card Connection's head office has allowed me to understand the advantages of running a franchise business and when the Basingstoke and Windsor territory became available, the opportunity was too good to miss!" confirms John. "I felt...

Realogy Corporation reported that based on closed and open home sale contract information from its franchisees and company-owned brokerage operations, it expects that the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of existing home sales on a national...

WHAT: CMIT Solutions, America's leading small business IT solutions company, is hosting a free educational webinar titled "The Hype Around the Cloud – Three Things Every Small Business Owner Needs to Know." Intended for entrepreneurs and their...

When native Texan Diana Jenkins told her New Hampshire-based daughter about the health benefits of a professional massage, she had no idea that ownership of a Massage Heights franchise was in their collective future. Today, Jenkins and her daughter...

GNC Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GNC), a leading global specialty retailer of nutritional products, today announced that Joe Fortunato, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Mike Nuzzo, the Company's Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the...

As the number of homeless and working poor in Phoenix continues to rise, Foot Solutions seven area stores are stepping in to provide a necessity that many are sorely lacking, a properly fitted pair of shoes.

WSI, the world's #1 Internet franchise, announced today that there will be a new representative operating the company's Master Franchise office located in Portugal. WSI's presence in the country through its Master Franchise program will result in...

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into an agreement with Jabal Omar Development Company to manage three Hyatt-branded hotels in Mecca (Makkah), the holy city of Islam, in The Kingdom of Saudi...

ZIPS, an aggressively expanding Mid-Atlantic dry cleaning franchise, recently announced its alignment with the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative (PAFI) as one of the organization's most recent charter members.

Four-year-olds start by building caterpillars with LEGO kits and inventing stories about them. Children's toys turn into sophisticated learning tools as older students build and automate machines and robots, using programming to boost engineering,...

Yammer, Inc., the leading enterprise social network, today announced that 7-Eleven, Inc. is rolling out Yammer to 3,000 non-store employees to enhance communication and knowledge sharing across the organization.

In just over three years, no+vello (Spanish for

Custom homebuilder Scott Moberg of G.J. Gardner Homes has been chosen to be a part of what will become one of the largest energy conscious communities in the country. The community of Wild Pointe Ranch in Elizabeth is making use of pioneering...

Accelerating its global portfolio growth, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced the opening of its first Westin hotel in South America - The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center in Peru. Ideally located in...

Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company based on number of hotels and one of three business units of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), today announced that two of its Qatari hotels, the Ramada® Encore Doha and the Wyndham Grand®...

DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), the parent company of Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar and IHOP Restaurants, today announced that management will present to investors at the 2011 Wells Fargo Securities Consumer, Gaming and Lodging Conference in...

MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery announces its "Maggie at the Moovies" celebration, which treats our customers with 16 exciting new ice cream products each week throughout the summer. Maggie will also introduce four new ice cream flavors including...

Today Hilton Worldwide announces a fresh and modern amenities partnership with renowned bath and body care leaders Crabtree & Evelyn®. As a result, two of the company's new bath and body care product lines are now available to travelers at...

This week is officially known as National Small Business Week, a week dedicated to recognizing the contributions that small businesses make in America. In fact, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports that there are 27.2 million small...

Cold Stone Creamery's Tastemaster™ is unveiling four new innovative ice cream flavors as part of the Gold Cone™ Collection. Throughout the prime ice cream season, Cold Stone Creamery locations will add these unique flavors and new ice...

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), announced today a new multi-year marketing partnership that will make its upscale boutique brand, Hotel Indigo® the Official Hotel Partner of the WNBA....

ColorTyme, a widely known and trusted brand for more than 30 years, has opened a store in Houston thanks to two local residents. Owners Mike Do and David Rogers recently introduced their first of what they hope to be many locally owned-and-operated...

In 2010, TCBY, the Country's Best Yogurt and frozen yogurt innovator, introduced a new self-serve store model and new brand identity to rave reviews in the restaurant industry. They took do-it-yourself to a whole new level. In keeping with that...

Massage Envy, the pioneer and national leader of affordable and convenient massage and spa services, is the ultimate getaway for dads this Father's Day. Instead of buying another tie or pair of socks, spoil dad this year with a massage treatment and...

Edible Arrangements, the pioneer and leader in hand-sculpted, fresh-fruit arrangements, announced today aggressive expansion plans with the goal of opening 150 new locations in 2011, and 200 additional locations in 2012.

Shane's Rib Shack Founder and President, Shane Thompson, is scheduled to appear on QVC® during its new gluten-free culinary broadcast Eating Gluten Free – Food & Cookbooks on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 4 PM (EST). Gluten-free...

Baby Boot Camp moms across America lost more than 570 pounds and 460 inches as part of the three-month Mother Love Fitness Challenge. By signing up for the third annual Mother Love Fitness Challenge, moms committed to three months of regular...

Mister Sparky, known as America's On-Time Electrician and for its drug-tested and background-checked employees, will be showcased on 'Designing Spaces' on Lifetime Television, June 3rd at 7:30 am (ET/PT). Jamie Wilkie, Brand President of Mister...

Continuing to deliver on its global growth plans, Gap Inc. (NYSE:GPS) today announced that it will introduce Gap brand to Serbia and Ukraine through new agreements with existing franchise partners. The stores are scheduled to open in 2011 in the...

Taco Bell® is calling out to those ready to celebrate, who want to be the "life of the party," that the secret is B.Y.O.T. (Bring Your Own Tacos). The Taco 12 Pack, 12 Crunchy Tacos for $10 at participating locations, is the new must-have party...

Alert your taste buds! Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (Red Robin) is just weeks away from bringing even more craveable gourmet burgers to Maryland, with the opening of their newest Red Robin located at 5582 Spectrum Drive, at the Francis Scott Key...

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), an on-going innovator and leader in the digital space, today launched a new digital extension to their award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest(R) (SPG(R)) loyalty program by tapping into...

Ink-O-Dem, the leader in integrated inkjet cartridge refilling and testing solutions for retail and university environments, announced today that its Founder and CEO, Harry Nicodem, has augmented Cartridge World's successful recapitalization effort...

Friendly Ice Cream Corporation announced today that Georgetowne Ventures, LLC of Freehold, New Jersey has become a franchisee of Friendly's restaurants. The company plans to build and operate two Friendly's Ice Cream Shops and two full-service...

Gold's Gym International, the world's leading authority on health and fitness, today announced it has partnered with AAA, North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, to offer members a special discount to Gold's Gym through...

Del Taco recognized the achievements of several franchise owners and the brand's founder at its recent franchisee conference. Awards were presented to the Developer of the Year, Franchise Operator of less than three units and a multi-unit...

UFood Restaurant Group Inc. (OTCBB: UFFC) announced today that the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) has awarded the company a contract to build and operate a third UFood Grill unit at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in Maryland.

Jon and Katie Cook have launched the first Fresh Coat Painters franchise in Washington to serve residential and business clients in Vancouver and its surrounding Clark area communities.

PROSHRED is pleased to announce that it has awarded a new franchise to operate a PROSHRED shredding business in the Indianapolis, IN area.

In the midst of an economic crisis that has hit Florida harder than nearly any other state, some Florida businesses are booming. Businesswoman Rajh Cromie, owner of Snelling Staffing Services Tampa and Sarasota franchises, knows what works when it...

With more and more people recognizing that franchising and entrepreneurship offer freedom and control in a turbulent economic climate, FranNet is presenting a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with executives from the top franchise...

Local Mississippi resident announces his initial plans to open a Dickey's Barbecue Pit, the largest quick-serve barbecue chain in the country, in Flowood.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries has just signed a development agreement with Koti Aluri for North Carolina. Mr. Aluri, of Boardwalk Fairfax, LLC, is currently on board with Boardwalk as a multi-unit franchisee for Fairfax County, Virginia, with...

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: DTG) today announced that it has agreed to cooperate with Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) with respect to Hertz's efforts to pursue antitrust regulatory clearance of its proposed acquisition of...

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 they have raised...

Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ: SONC), the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants, today announced that certain of its subsidiaries have priced $500 million of Series 2011-1, Class A-2 Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes ("Senior Notes"). The Senior Notes,...

May is a significant month for indoor air quality. During this month, some people around the country are beginning to transition over and start using their air conditioning units for the summer. But May is also the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of...

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced today the opening of the new Holiday Inn Birmingham-Hoover to meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers. The...

Tin Drum asiacafe, a leader in fast-casual Asian-fusion fare based in Atlanta, Georgia, announced today that it has signed its first franchise agreement. The agreement, signed with local restaurant operator Yogi Patel, is for the development of a...

Century 21 Real Estate LLC, the franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, today released the results of a mortgage market survey it conducted with its franchisees and sales professionals in order to better gauge...

Fuddruckers (NYSE: LUB), the Texas-born home of the World's Greatest Hamburgers, announced its location in Temple Mall will host a "Free Burger Day" on Sunday, May 15, 2011, in honor of Scott & White Children's Hospital in Temple, Texas.

Jenny Craig, Inc., one of the nation's leading authorities on weight management, announced celebrity spokesperson Carrie Fisher achieved the "miracle" of accomplishing her initial weight loss goal of losing 30 pounds in 18 weeks* on the Jenny Craig...

Recent studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics find that the jobless rate of veterans is 15.6 percent - far exceeding the national average of nine percent. Batteries Plus, the nation's largest and fastest growing battery franchise, was shocked...

The sudden need to relocate from one home to another can happen to anyone at anytime because of changes in life circumstances ... such as a new job, serious injury or illness, divorce or death. Even when people choose to move, simply because their...

Liberty Tax Service is the #1 tax franchise according to Entrepreneur magazine's "Best of the Best" This elite group is comprised of the bestfranchises in each category of the 2011 "Franchise 500." The Company is one of the "A+ students of the...

Emergency workers are partnering with 911 driving schools to teach new drivers about the Emergency Zone Law.

Wingstop, one of the nation's fastest-growing chicken wing chains, has announced a development agreement to open 15 restaurants in Seattle-Tacoma. The company, which has 480 locations and has experienced more than seven years of same store sales...

TCBY (www.tcby.com), the leading frozen yogurt concept, recently launched its first self-serve store as part of its strategic 200-store expansion in Texas.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses create 60-80 percent of all new jobs in the country and more than half of Americans now either own or work for a small business. During National Small Business Week (May 16...

After a smashingly successful pilot, Aloft Hotels will roll out its pioneering automatic check-in at five more hotels worldwide, it was announced today.