Good News! – October 2017

The good news: Despite ongoing external threats to the business model, franchising is experiencing a remarkable growth phase – not only in unit count and system-wide revenue, but also in the number of new and emerging brands. The bad news: It’s harder to keep up with all the good news! That’s a nice problem to have – and why we’ve brought back our “Good News!”

roundup of selected news items on unit growth, investment and financial developments, international expansion news, refranchising, and milestones attained by franchisors large, medium, and emerging. 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 Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Franchisee Group To Open 13 More in Texas and Louisiana Dunkin’ Donuts Franchisee in Rochester, New York Plans 4 New Restaurants Big Whiskey’s Signs Two-Store Deal in Birmingham, Alabama Curio Collection by Hilton To Open in Seattle, Cincinnati, and New York Del Taco Inks 5-Unit Deal for the Athens, Georgia Area Over 6 Years Financial/M&A Wings Over, with 40 Units, Sold to New Group, Delectable Capital New PE Fund, Cove Hill, Founded by Former Bain Restaurant Buyout Veteran Big Plans, Big Dreams SpeedPro Imaging Announces “Explosive” Growth Plans BurgerFi CEO Corey Winograd Outlines Growth Strategy; Hits 100 Units Church’s Chicken CEO Joe Christina Details Plans for System-Wide Growth International 9Round Opens First Locations in Turkey; 18 More Planned in 5 Years Chutneys Indian Grill Looks To Follow Up Its Canadian Success in the U.S. Marriott To Open 6 New Luxury Hotels in the Middle East, 3 in Dubai Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip Opens Its 18th Kuwait Location Arby’s Opens Its 1st Restaurant in Kuwait with Kharafi Global Domino’s Opens Two-Story “Pizza Theater” Store in Bratislava, Slovakia Ontario-Based Hopscotch Fast Casual Brand Signs 4-Unit Deal for Edmonton New and Emerging Brands theCoderSchool Set To Open Its First New York School in Syosset, Long Island Bareburger Announces Plans for a New 100% Vegan Restaurant Brand Meatheads, a 17-Unit Chicagoland Chain, Begins Franchising Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar Continues Recent Expansion Mass.