franchise development

Louisville, Ky. — Yum! Brands plans to designate two brand headquarters in the U.S., located in Plano, Texas, and Irvine, Calif. This decision will involve relocating KFC U.S. corporate office employees currently in Louisville, Ky., to the KFC and Pizza Hut Global headquarters in Plano, Texas. Yum! Brands and the KFC Foundation will maintain corporate offices in Louisville. KFC will continue its brand presence in Louisville, Ky., with the ambition of building a first-of-its-kind flagship restaurant. Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill will remain headquartered in Irvine, Calif. “These …

Pasadena, Calif. — Dine Brands Global, Inc., the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP® and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop® restaurants, has opened its first dual-brand Applebee’s | IHOP restaurant in the U.S. in partnership with franchisee Ramzi Hakim Group. The new restaurant opened on Feb. 18, 2025, in Seguin, Texas, just outside of San Antonio. “For decades, Applebee’s and IHOP have been places where friends gather, families celebrate and careers begin. Now, with our dual-branded restaurant, we are combining the strengths of both brands to create a unique …

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Cold Stone Creamery®, one of the nation’s premier ice cream creameries, plans to expand the brand’s presence in Nashville, Tenn. The brand plans to open 10 locations in Nashville over the next 5 years. “Cold Stone Creamery is a staple in communities across the nation,” says Jay Goldstein, vice president of development at Cold Stone Creamery. “Our brand has a positive track record for growth in Tennessee with communities who love what we provide and want to experience more of our brand. Nashville is the perfect market …

Lake Forest, Calif. — Del Taco has signed a 10-unit development agreement with a new franchise group in the Indianapolis DMA. Target markets include Bloomington, Bedford, Columbus, Greenwood, Plainfield and Avon. This marks the brand’s entry into the Indiana market. Founded in 1964, Del Taco has nearly 600 restaurants across 17 states. For more information, visit www.deltacofranchise.com. SOURCE: Del Taco

Nashville, Tenn. — Captain D’s, a leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, is expanding on both sides of the Mississippi. It is adding the state of Maryland to its system and increasing its presence in Texas. The Maryland development group has signed on to develop five restaurants in Prince George County in the Baltimore metro over the next 7 years. Expanding Captain D’s footprint to its 24th state is part of the Tennessee-based seafood chain’s strategic plan to grow into the Northeast. In Texas, Captain D’s will open three locations in San …