franchise development

Philadelphia — Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is entering 2026 with strong momentum following a record-setting year; the brand closed 2025 having surpassed 600 locations worldwide, reinforcing its position as the largest Italian Ice concept in the world and setting the stage for continued expansion in the year ahead. In 2025, Rita’s opened 35 new shops systemwide. U.S. openings increased 10% year-over-year, and new unit signings grew by nearly 10% year-over-year. This year, Rita’s expects to open approximately 45 additional shops. “Our focus in 2025 was building smarter, not …

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger and 17 other restaurant concepts, has opened its newest Fatburger location in Okinawa in partnership with Green Micro Factory Inc., marking the brand’s highly anticipated return to Japan. The new location is the first of four Fatburger restaurants slated to open across Okinawa. “Fatburger’s strong legacy of serving quality, made-to-order burgers and other signature menu offerings has made the brand an international favorite,” says Jake Berchtold, COO of FAT Brands’ fast casual division. “We look forward to …

San Antonio — On Dec. 19, 2025, Teriyaki Madness (TMAD) celebrated a major milestone with the grand opening of its 200th shop, located at 18410 Highway 281 N. in San Antonio. Franchisees Daniel Gifford and Gilbert Vergara are behind the new restaurant, marking their second TMAD shop in the Alamo City. This milestone is part of TMAD’s 2025 expansion, which saw 47 new shops open during 2025 alone, bringing the brand’s total to 200 locations nationwide. The San Antonio shop joins three additional openings on Dec. 19: Fresno, Calif.; Niles, …

Dallas — Twin Hospitality Group Inc., parent company of Twin Peaks Restaurant, has signed a new area development agreement to bring its signature Twin Peaks sports lodge experience to Connecticut. The agreement marks Twin Peaks’ debut in the state and includes development rights for three future lodges across key markets, including New Haven, Hartford, Danbury, Stamford/Bridgeport and Waterbury. The new lodges will be developed by New London Hospitality, led by business partners Deepak Verma and Kam Singh, both seasoned entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the hospitality space and multi-unit operations. …

New York City — Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, has officially made its debut in the Northeast with a Dec. 8 grand opening at 763 E. Gunhill Rd. in the Bronx. Founded over five decades ago in Tennessee, the Nashville-based brand is expanding up the eastern seaboard with a first location in New York. This highly anticipated arrival features a new walk-up design tailored to dense metropolitan areas with limited space and heavy foot traffic. Three additional Captain D’s are currently in development for the New York …

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened its 4,000th restaurant, located in Manhattan, Kan. Since current CEO Scott Boatwright joined Chipotle in 2017 as chief restaurant officer, the company has grown from over 2,300 restaurants to 4,000 locations, a 70% increase in 8 years. Chipotle will open between 315 to 345 restaurants for the full year 2025. For 2026, management is anticipating 350 to 370 new restaurant openings, including 10 to 15 international partner-operated locations. The new Manhattan, Kan., restaurant includes the brand’s signature Chipotlane, a drive-thru pickup …