Good News! - December 2018

Here comes 2019! Are you ready for a new year of growth, domestically &/or internationally? Changes in franchising this year seemed to be turbo-charged.

Mergers and acquisitions abounded in a wave of private equity-fueled investments and consolidation -- accelerating the merry-go-round of C-suite changes. It's hard keeping up with all the changes -- which is why we provide "Good News!", a monthly digest of selected news items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, international expansion, people, and milestones.

This year we added a section called "Regulation, Legislation, Politics, Etc." -- and while it's not always "good" news, it's good to know. We also added a section on technology, recognizing its key role in achieving sales goals and system growth.

Here's your chance to follow the leaders, every third Tuesday of the month! So if you're not doing it already, send us your good news here. New Units/Growth/Expansion The Habit Burger Signs 20-Unit Deal for Illinois and Indiana Fazoli's Inks 5-Unit Deal To Close Out Record Year Chicken Salad Chick Signs Deals To Expand Beyond the Southeast NTY's Device Pitstop Brand Announces 2 New Locations Brightway Insurance Opens 3 New Stores (La.

, Mich., Texas) Financial, M&A, Incentives Jollibee Foods Completes Smashburger Takeover, Seeks More U.S.

Brands JPMorgan Chase Launches Franchise and Restaurant Group PuroClean's PuroVet Progam Awards First Free Franchise to a Military Vet Regulation, Legislation, Politics, Etc. Minimum Wage Outlook for 2019 -- State by State Summary House Dems Set To Push for $15 Federal Minimum Wage How Philly's New Fair Workweek Law Will Affect Local Businesses NYC Revises Its Fair Workweek Regulations Ohio Bill Would Exempt Franchisors from Joint Employer Liability Big Plans, Big Ideas, Big Picture Yum's CEO Greg Creed Discusses Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and the Future Jimboy's Tacos CEO Outlines 10-Year Vision for 500 Stores, $750M in Sales Painting with a Twist on 2019 Outlook After Buying Bottle & Bottega Carstar Unveils Aggressive Growth Plans for 2019 International 2019's Best Countries for Overseas Franchise Development Tony Roma's Opens Its First Restaurant in Bolivia Dickey's Hires VP of International Sales To Boost Overseas Expansion New and Emerging Brands One Cannabis Begins Franchising, Eyes 50 Locations in Next 30 Months Dave & Buster's Debuts Its First T&T Tacos Fast-Casual Unit The Lost Cajun To Open 2 New Units in North Carolina Technology Digital Execs from Dine and Bloomin' Brands on Technology and Change Starbucks Announces Plans To Expand Delivery to 2,000 U.S.