We’ve been interviewing high-performing CEOs this month for the upcoming Franchise Times Top 400 issue, publishing October 1, and asking executives of the largest U.S.-based franchises how they grew sales and units in a pandemic. Turns out many didn’t do it alone; they had help from a key adviser or mentor along the way. Here are six standouts, from the simple to the sublime.
This Monday, September 13, was the first day New York City officials were enforcing the vaccine mandate for customers—or to be precise, enforcing whether restaurant, gym and theater owners were enforcing the mandate that customers needed to show proof of vaccination to come indoors. Art Depole, co-owner of a Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes shop in Times Square, was flummoxed when reached just after the lunch rush.
With the announcement September 9 of the Path Out of the Pandemic, President Biden’s COVID-19 action plan, and its accompanying vaccine requirement, those in franchising hurriedly started discussing and dissecting what such a requirement could mean for franchisors and franchisees. Just four …
Perkins created a virtual restaurant brand for the bakery side of its business that is driving incremental volumes and increasing pastry and pie sales anywhere from 10 to 20 percent in its brick-and-mortar restaurants. It’s a move that essentially builds a new brand from its existing menu, w…
El Pollo Loco is set to be the first quick-service restaurant to test drone delivery in the U.S. The "LA Mex" brand will test the capabilities in 10 Southern California locations. It partnered with drone operator Flytrex, which also helped 7-Eleven with its own drone test, to do the flying.
When Ivan and Allison Chavez opened their first Sweet Paris Crêperie in 2012 in Houston, the couple went for a high-end café vibe and thought customers would sit down, relax and linger. Instead, what they got was flood of millennials and food bloggers, who posted about the brand on social me…
Bringing franchise operators together to share knowledge and best practices helps spread institutional wisdom and new ideas across the system, and ultimately boost performance. That was the goal for FranNet CEO Jania Bailey.
Los Angeles-based ice cream and gourmet waffle franchise The Dolly Llama is expanding. The brand began franchising in early 2020, and co-founder Eric Shomof said three franchisees are signed, in Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Border Foods has broken ground on the 3,000-square-foot, two-story new restaurant design which will feature four drive-thru lanes, dubbed “Taco Bell Defy.”
As other restaurants shuttered or “were afraid to take the risk,” franchisee JJ Ramsey decided to remodel 10 of his Schlotzsky’s restaurants last year, a move indicative of his belief in the brand and its future. That perseverance continued this year as Ramsey, who with wife Hortencia operat…
Pollo Campero is navigating the incredible shift to digital ordering, off-premises consumption and some new ways…
McDonald's is in the news with reports that the QSR giant is suggesting franchisees close their dining rooms. Th…
Peggy and Don Anderson opened their MassageLuxe franchise in Naperville, Illinois in June 2017 and dream of trav…
The internet of things, or IOT, continues to bring unique benefits to restaurant operations. The method of conne…
The case is closed in Kazi v. KFC, with the court approving the security for the $792,239 jury award against KFC…
Like every day, Neil Hershman zoomed down to his Dippin’ Dots/Doc Popcorn store in New York City on his electric…
Madison Shoffner and Mallory Shoffner Quintero are ready to grow what they think is the next notable brand to co…
Minneapolis-based Pet Evolution has been turning down franchise inquiries for nine years, said Rian Thiele, who …
In her monthly "Grab Bag" column, Editor-in-Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power w…
The Franchise Times Restaurant 200 list of the top 200 restaurant franchisees.
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