International franchise expansion requires hefty work upfront

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Domestic franchisors, whether running one location or 100 in the U.S., face a challenging journey in the quest to go international.

Snapchat campaigns capture a lot of dough for Virginia pizza chain

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Ever thought of using that perpetual teenage social media favorite, Snapchat, in your social media marketing? Virginia-based Firenza certainly did, and the…

Watch out American fast food operators: Sushi is on a roll for Kula USA

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Revolving sushi bars are very big in Japan, and could soon be a growing player in the U.S. quick-service market if the success Kula Sushi USA is having is any…

How to get 'free' money out of your landlord

When it comes to opening a location in a shopping center, obtaining a lease with a prime location and reasonable lease terms can be difficult for many small…

Commodity prices make this a great summer for LTOs and menu variety

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Favorable commodity prices gives restaurants a chance to exercise their menu creativity with new offerings and LTOs.

Are your restaurants in compliance? Major changes take effect Friday for business first aid kits

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The regulations change this Friday on the bare minimum number and type of medical supplies that all U.S. workplaces must have under the law.

McDonald's moves HQ to Chicago's trendy former meatpacking district

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

McDonald's is is moving its HQ to downtown Chicago's former meatpacking district.

Subway, Dunkin' and Pizza Hut are big winners in Harris Poll study

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The annual Harris Poll EquiTrends Restaurant Brands of the Year have been named as the result of the massive survey of Americans and restaurant preferences.

You CAN take it with you: Super-portable pizza cones set to conquer the world

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Easy entry for franchisees and portability for customers are helping Kono Pizza expand around the world.

Franchising Focus: Del Taco grows on quality, value

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The Del Taco restaurant chain has become a huge success since its beginnings in 1964. That's when Ed Hackbarth opened the first Del Taco location in Barstow…

Part One: A new restaurant sector pokes its way out of the shell in California

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In this first of a three-part series, we take a closer look at the chain that claims it's inventing a new restaurant sector that combines speed and quality…

Pressure building: McDonald's and joint employment

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

As the issue of joint responsibility for employee wages and other workplace issues winds its way through the docket with the NLRB, the battles lines appear to…

NRA 2016: 5 tips for retaining employees of all ages

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Employers who successfully retain employees are careful to address generational differences among the varied ages of workers they employ. A panel of experts at…

Domino's wage theft suit could have big implications for chains

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The suit claims that because of the under-calculated hours, employees at the franchises named were not compensated for more than $500,000.

Dippin' Dots makes big moves to continue upward growth trend

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

New products, new markets and new partnerships are in the works for Dippin' Dots as part of a plan to continue the company's explosive growth worldwide.

Differentiate or die: Dunkin' innovation chief warns retailers about new digital age

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

John Costello, Dunkin’ Brands president, global marketing and innovation, doesn’t mince words when it comes to the state of retail and what retailers must do…

NRA2016: 5 hot spots for global growth (Part 1)

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Global growth potential is off the charts for food service, especially for concepts that revolve around limited service. These five areas show the greatest…

Why 'locally sourced,' 'organic' aren't just buzzwords

QSRs need to pay heed to the increasing movement of consumers toward all things healthy and natural, and they need to be authentic about it.

Consumers rank Panera, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, DQ as favorite brands

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Results are in from a study created via a mobile insights platform that captures customer impressions of some of the nation's premier QSR brands.

Site selection secrets for restaurant tenants

The commercial space chosen by a restaurant tenant can be a deciding factor in the success or failure of the business.