Good, Bad, and Other News! – April 2022

It’s an up-and-down, back-and-forth Covid world after all… Mask mandates off, mask mandates back on… It’s a delicate balancing act to keep moving ahead when the ground beneath your feet keeps shifting – for both franchises and their customers. Then there’s Russia’s nearly 2-month invasion of Ukraine upsetting the world’s apple cart. In the midst of all this, the world keeps spinning… at least for now.

So take a deep breath and catch up on the past month’s franchise-related news, sent your way every third Tuesday of the month. And, if you’re not doing it already, send us your good (and other) news here! POST-COVID – REOPENING & RECOVERY How First Watch Got Away Without Price Increases in 2021, Despite Inflation Technomic Expects Consumers To “Trade Down” Foodservice Because of High Gas Prices Burger King Lowers Price of Whoppers in France To Offset Fuel Increases Expansion Roundup: These 4 Brands Are Off to a Strong Start in 2022 Starbucks CEO Gets $60 Million ‘Golden Goodbye,’ Even as Company Tries To Keep Out Unions (Opinion) Nekter Juice Bar Signs 18 Agreements for 37 Locations in Q1 2022 Newk’s Eatery Sees Comp Sales Increase of 21.

7% in Q4 2021 HIRING & EMPLOYMENT “Shift Shock”: 72% of Job Quitters Regret Their Exit (Survey) How To Cope with “The Great Return” Labor Shortages Are Causing Companies To Go on Hiring Sprees – Here’s Why FINANCE & M&A Dave & Buster’s To Acquire Dallas-Based Main Event Family Entertainment Chain for $835M Office Pride Partners with Trivest Partners & Three20 Capital Group Premium Service Brands Buys 17-Unit Andy On-Call, Its 11th Brand Five Star Franchising Acquires Mosquito Shield, Its 8th Acquisition Since June 2021 Launch Entertainment, at 30 Units, Targets Mom-and-Pops Following PE Investment Why a Middle East Sovereign Wealth Fund Invested in a U.S. Franchisee LEADERSHIP Red Lobster CEO Kelli Valade Resigns, Effective April 15 Virtual Dining Concepts Taps Former DoorDash Exec Stephanie Sollers as First CEO LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE Sen.

Cortez Masto Calls on SBA To Take Action Against Harmful Practices in Franchise Sector Fat Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn Addresses Federal Investigation in Earnings Call Starbucks Ad Sought In-House Lawyer with Experience in “Strike Contingency Planning” Owners of 3 Fusion Japanese Steakhouse Units Ordered To Pay $1.45M in Wage-Theft Case Grubhub Sued by Washington, D.C.

, for Excessive Fees and False Advertising Restaurants Are Suing Google for Creating Digital Storefronts Without Their Permission Lawsuit: Burger King Whoppers Are 35% Smaller Than in Ads MARKETING/CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Most Retailers Still Struggle To Meet Customer Expectations for Hybrid Shopping Baskin-Robbins Rebrands with New Logo and Tagline 3 Keys to Successful Lead Generation in a Post-Cookie World Opinion: American Shoppers Are a Nightmare CKE Restaurants Launches Loyalty Program for Carl’s Jr.