franchise development

San Diego — The board of directors of Jack in the Box Inc. has appointed Mark King as executive chairman and interim chief executive officer, effective immediately. King, a member of the board since November 2025 and its chair since March 2026, succeeds Lance Tucker. Alan Smolinisky, a member of the board since November 2025, has been appointed lead independent director. King previously served as CEO of Taco Bell Corp., where he led franchise operations and enhanced consumer engagement during a period of significant growth. He also served as CEO …

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Scottsdale, Ariz. — Black Rock Coffee Bar, Inc. has appointed Jon Vingo as chief development officer. In this role, Vingo will oversee Black Rock Coffee Bar’s restaurant development strategy, including real estate and site selection, prototype design and construction. “I’m very pleased to welcome Jon to the Black Rock team. Jon brings extensive experience leading disciplined, multi-market store expansion across a range of brands, and we’re confident his leadership will play an important role as we continue to execute our development strategy and scale the brand,” says Mark Davis, chief …

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— Interview with Courtney Claghorn — Building on its founding principle of affordable luxury, SUGARED + BRONZED is smartly growing through store expansions, pop-up locations and 11 new stores in 2026. Retail takes all forms, and service-oriented retailers occupy a crucial, high-demand piece of a shopping center’s tenant mix. California-based SUGARED + BRONZED is one such brand. The growing salon was founded in 2010 and offers luxury at an affordable price, with services including hair removal and sunless tanning. With 48 units now open, as well as a pop-up store …

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Montreal — Foodtastic, one of Canada’s leading restaurant operators, has signed a master franchising agreement with Inspire Brands to open hundreds of Dunkin’ locations across Canada. The first Dunkin’ location in Canada is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027. Foodtastic will manage market development, franchisee recruitment and operations in Canada. Foodtastic will have exclusive rights to develop the Dunkin’ brand nationally through both corporate and franchise-operated locations. This expansion strengthens Foodtastic’s relationship with Inspire Brands and adds a globally recognized coffee and donut concept to its Canadian …

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Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and Dagsboro, Del. — Hounds Town USA is celebrating a defining moment in its growth with the opening of its 100th location. The milestone location opened on April 11 in Dagsboro, Del., introducing Hounds Town’s signature pack play model to the state for the first time. Founded in 2000 by former NYPD canine handler and Nassau County Police Department commanding officer Michael S. Gould, Hounds Town has grown from a single Long Island, N.Y., location into a national system built on a simple, consistent operating model. The brand’s …

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New York City — 16 Handles, the upscale frozen yogurt and dessert franchise, is bringing its concept to the West Coast, announcing its first-ever expansion into California with eight units planned across some of the state’s most high-demand markets. Initial locations are already in development across the Los Angeles metro area, the San Fernando Valley, the San Francisco Bay area and North San Diego. “We’ve always seen California as a natural second home for 16 Handles, but we wanted to enter the market the right way, with strong operators and …

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Los Angeles — Sweetgreen, Inc. has appointed Ryan Slemons as its new chief development officer, effective May 4, 2026. He now leads all aspects of real estate, design, construction, facilities and portfolio management, and he reports directly to Jonathan Neman, co-founder and CEO. Slemons brings nearly two decades of experience in real estate, franchising and store development across various industries. Most recently, he served as chief development officer of Unleashed Brands, a portfolio of franchise brands including Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Sylvan Learning Centers and more. “Ryan …

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Orlando, Fla. — Huey Magoo’s, a fast-casual chicken tenders chain, is introducing a freestanding drive-thru prototype designed to lower build costs and increase site flexibility for franchisees. The design allows development on sites that were previously not viable, supporting growth in more markets while reducing upfront investment. The prototype extends the brand’s cost-conscious design approach into a stand-alone drive-thru format, building on momentum from 2025, when Huey Magoo’s introduced a condensed 1,500-square-foot inline model to reduce buildout costs and expand access to high-traffic retail centers. That format created a more …

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Boston — RNR Tire Express (RNR), the nation’s leading franchise retailer for tires and custom wheels and part of the multi-brand franchisor company DX3 Brands, has signed a franchise agreement that will bring the brand to Massachusetts for the first time. The new location is expected to open in summer 2026 at 995 N Montello St., in Brockton, Mass. “This marks a significant step forward in our New England development strategy,” says Adam Sutton, CEO of DX3 Brands and RNR Tire Express. “Matt’s leadership, operational expertise and commitment to community …

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Wichita, Kan. — Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is strengthening its development team. Rafik Farouk has joined as vice president of business development, and Jackie Lobdell has been named vice president of franchise sales. As Freddy’s approaches 600 restaurants, the addition of these experienced leaders reinforces the team driving the brand’s expansion. Together, Farouk and Lobdell bring more than four decades of restaurant industry experience, adding significant depth to Freddy’s development bench. “Freddy’s is entering an exciting phase of growth, and Rafik and Jackie are two important additions to our …

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