---
title: "Consumer Experience News, Views, and Reviews: September 2022"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/6c7cd480-6ed4-4c79-829e-2d2f46b7870d
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/consumer_experience_news_views_and_reviews_september_2022.html
author: "Eddy Goldberg"
category: "Franchise Industry"
industry: "Franchise Industry"
published: 2022-09-20T08:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:09:27.094Z
image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/7063_plate.jpg
---

# Consumer Experience News, Views, and Reviews: September 2022

**TL;DR:** Freddy's predicts record openings in 2023 after a strong 2022, while Starbird launches a national franchise program following a $12M capital raise. Smalls Sliders begins growth with PE funding from 10 Point Capital.

*By Eddy Goldberg, originally published in Franchising.com on 2022-09-20. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/consumer_experience_news_views_and_reviews_september_2022.html).*

## Story

Welcome back to our monthly news roundup for franchise consumer experience pros. Except for inflation, labor shortages, supply chain issues, and a possible winter resurgence of Covid, it’s business as usual. If you have news items, trends, reports, or studies you think will be useful to CMOs and our other franchise consumer experience readers looking to navigate the new future, please forward them our way!

And now, the news… …IN THE MARKETPLACE Au Bon Pain’s Prototype Builds on Customer Experience and Convenience Freddy’s Turns 20, Predicts Record Openings in 2023 After Strong 2022 Home Care Workforce Projected To Grow 37% by 2030 Starbird (12 Units) Launches National Franchise Program Following $12M Capital Raise Smalls Sliders (5 Units) Begins Growth Move with PE Funding from 10 Point Capital Restaurants Are in a Perfect Storm, But Solutions Abound McDonald’s Asked Food Bloggers To Decide on the Taste of a Special Regional Burger Can We Finally Kill Off Cheap, Disposable Conference Swag?

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- unit expansion (topic)
- Franchise Industry (sector)
- McDonald's (company)
- private equity (topic)
- Eddy Goldberg (person)
- Smalls Sliders (company)
- Freddy's (company)
- 10 Point Capital (investor)
- market trends (topic)
- franchise program (topic)
- Starbird (company)

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Originally reported by Eddy Goldberg, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/consumer_experience_news_views_and_reviews_september_2022.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/6c7cd480-6ed4-4c79-829e-2d2f46b7870d).