franchise development

Pasadena, Calif. — Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast-growing Nashville-style hot chicken sensation from Los Angeles, has named Joshua Liggins as vice president of franchise development. He joins the company from Inspire Brands. Liggins joins Dave’s Hot Chicken with extensive experience leading franchise development for some of the most recognized restaurant brands in the industry. Most recently, he served as director of franchising at Inspire Brands, where he oversaw franchise development efforts for Dunkin’, Baskin-Robbins and Sonic. He brings deep experience scaling high-growth franchise systems across multiple brands, markets and development …

Manasquan, N.J. — Jersey Mike’s Subs, a leading franchisor of over 3,200 fast-casual sandwich shops, has signed a franchise agreement with JM Submarines UK LTD, led by Jersey Mike’s founder and chairman of the board, Peter Cancro, to open 400 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Cancro founded Jersey Mike’s more than 50 years ago and remains a significant shareholder following the company’s sale to Blackstone last year. This agreement marks the first European expansion for the company, with plans to open the first location in 2026. “This marks …

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. …