Golden, Colo. — Salad Collective, a Golden, Colo.-based operating company of better-for-you brands MAD Greens and Snappy Salads, has acquired Tokyo Joe’s, adding to its portfolio another Colorado-grown fast casual concept with strong regional consumer appeal. The acquisition of the
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Denver — Modern Market Eatery, a made-from-scratch fast-casual concept, has signed a 41-unit development deal with its first franchise partner, Thrive Restaurant Group. The agreement will expand the brand to 11 new markets, including Wichita and Kansas City, Kan.; Austin, San Antonio and
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Seattle — MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC, a fast-casual pizza pioneer, has promoted Becky Mulligan to the newly-created position of chief restaurant officer and Stephen Blum as its first chief development officer. The company also has made three executive-level
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Dallas — TGI Fridays plans the development of 75 new restaurants throughout South and Southeast Asia over the next 10 years in partnership with Master Franchisor Universal Success Enterprises. The deal, which is expected to drive over $500 million in
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Seattle — At Starbucks’ recent biennial Investor Day in Seattle, interim CEO Howard Schultz, CFO Rachel Ruggeri and other Starbucks leaders showcased the company’s Reinvention plan, which aims to invest in partners, customers and stores. The plan is expected to
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Anaheim Hills, Calif. — WaBa Grill is growing its footprint throughout Northern California with a new development deal that will bring 20 more restaurants from Fresno to Sacramento. The 20-store development deal was signed by longtime WaBa Grill franchisees Gurpreet
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Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Great American Cookies and 16 other restaurant concepts, has opened the first converted Great American Cookies from Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® in Las Vegas. The opening
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Sioux Falls, S.D. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise in the better-chicken segment, is expanding its presence throughout eastern South Dakota and northwest Iowa. Existing franchisee Todd Porter of TNT Chicken is spearheading this expansion. Porter is well-versed in
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Atlanta — Church’s Texas Chicken® has hired QSR industry leader Tim Waddell to take on the role of executive vice president of international business, effective September 6. Waddell brings extensive experience in the areas of global development, sales, marketing, operations
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Dallas — Au Bon Pain, the bakery-cafe brand known for its gourmet convenience, has revealed a bold new store design. Planned to roll out companywide in 2023, the new design continues Au Bon Pain’s forward momentum started in July 2021,
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Denver — As part of its brands’ continued transformations, REGO Restaurant Group — parent company of fast-casual sandwich chain Quiznos and regional Mexican chain Taco Del Mar, among other brands — has inked a strategic partnership and development deal with
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Burleson, Texas — Pokemoto, Muscle Maker, Inc.’s expanding Hawaiian poke bowl restaurant concept, has opende its first Mississippi franchise location in Oxford, Miss. The opening marks the first of three previously inked franchise deals in the Mississippi market. Being near
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Anaheim Hills, Calif. — WaBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl chains, has signed a 20-unit Northern California development deal during its second quarter. Following an impressive first quarter, second quarter same store sales (SSS) rose to
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Newport Beach, Calif. — Juice It Up! has reinvigorated franchise growth in 2022, ending the first half of the year with 84 locations in various markets, having opened five new locations since the beginning of 2022. The brand remains committed
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San Diego — As part of its aggressive franchise growth strategy, Jack in the Box Inc. is sharing an incentive program with multi-unit franchisees that offers significant financial benefits to those who enter into a minimum 3-unit development agreement. “We
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Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. — The Dolly Llama, the L.A.-based waffle and artisanal ice cream sensation, plans to open in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., as part of the concept’s current 40-store national expansion plan. Projected to open within the next
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Los Angeles — On August 9, sweetgreen, the mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, opened its first Michigan location in the metropolitan Detroit suburb of Birmingham. The new restaurant, which is the 170th for the brand, is located
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Woodstock, Ga. — Take 5 Car Wash® held the grand opening of its 100th store on Aug. 5, 2022, in Woodstock, Ga. The new site joins 10 other Take 5 Car Wash locations in Georgia and 29 additional express car washes
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Moonachie, N.J. — Paris Baguette, the bakery café concept with 4,000 units across the globe, has signed 72 franchise deals since the start of 2022 and is marking more than 40% year-over-year growth. In fact, Paris Baguette is poised to
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— Interview with Eric Shomof — After a slowdown in franchising due to the pandemic, Los Angeles-based The Dolly Llama views 2022 as the “year of growth.” The Dolly Llama is synonymous with L.A. It’s funky and
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Raleigh, N.C. — Golden Corral, the nation’s largest all-you-can-eat buffet chain, has introduced a new franchise incentive program for candidates and existing franchisees who open a Golden Corral restaurant within 24 months of signing a franchise area development agreement. The
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Scottsdale, Ariz. — Ohm Fitness, the nation’s first fitness franchise to use EMS (electro muscle stimulation) technology wirelessly and in a small group setting, plans to open up to 35 locations in Arizona over the next 3 years. Two seasoned
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Oroville, Calif. — On July 15, Arby’s opened a new location with the company’s latest double drive-thru design in Oroville, Calif. The opening marks the second Arby’s in Butte County and sixth location owned and operated by Fremont, Calif.-based franchise
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Las Vegas — Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone signed 18 new franchise agreements during the second quarter which will add 62 stores — 37 Capriotti’s and 25 Wing Zones — across the country. The brands have more than 430
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Dallas — Smoothie King has appointed Chris Bremer as its new chief development officer. He will be responsible for implementing strategies to meet Smoothie King’s ongoing expansion plans and overseeing the franchise development, real estate, design and construction departments. He
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Hartland, Wis. — In the past 3 months, Batteries Plus has signed franchise deals for 19 new locations throughout the country. This places the brand at 37 signed agreements and 18 total openings for 2022 thus far. The company projects
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Naples, Fla. — Beyond Juicery + Eatery is expanding beyond its Midwest roots, inking a multi-unit agreement to develop two locations in Southeast Florida. Wall Street veteran and business leader Steve LaFontaine will open the brand’s first Florida location in
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