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Log In / Register | May 30, 2017

Today's Franchise News

Interview with Griswold's CEO Matt Murphy: ‘Collaboration with Franchisees Is the Key’

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | May 26 | Franchisee rights
Griswold CEO Matt Murphy speaks to franchisors and franchisees at the 25th Anniversary of AAFD
Matt Murphy speaks at AAFD Conference

Early this month Griswold Home Care, a 35-year-old chain of some 200 senior care locations, was recognized by the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) as having the best franchise contract, one that protects its franchise owners to a degree that stands out among all other American franchisors.

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Charged with Cheating Government Out of $600,000, Soupman CFO Arrested

Reporter | Janet Sparks | May 25 | Legal claim & allegation

An indictment was unsealed on Tuesday at the Brooklyn federal courthouse charging Robert N. Bertrand, chief financial officer of Soupman Inc., with 20 counts of failure to pay Medicare, Social Security, and federal income taxes for the period 2010 to 2014.

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Jobs Abound but Applicants Can’t Pass Drug Tests

Reporter | Janet Sparks | May 23 | Foodservice

Burger King now recruitingThe White Castle processing plant in Kentucky makes 50,000 hamburgers per hour to run its operation. Trying to keep jobs staffed has become a real challenge for the company. The problem is methamphetamine use is so high in Louisville that the number of people testing positive for meth is now over 47 percent higher than the national average.

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Hit with $11M Malpractice Suit, Dady & Gardner Refutes Claim

Reporter | Janet Sparks | May 18 | Legal claim & allegation

A management firm representing franchised coffee and tea shops filed an $11 million malpractice lawsuit against J. Michael Dady and his Dady & Gardner firm, alleging the attorneys' negligence and incompetent legal advice caused their businesses irreparable harm.

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Fast-Casual Cosi Emerges from Bankruptcy

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | May 12 | Legal judgment & dispute resolution

Fast-casual franchisor Cosi, Inc., which once traded on the NASDAQ public exchange, announced yesterday that it has emerged from bankruptcy proceedings as a private company.

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Blaze Pizza Adds CEO to President’s Duties

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | May 12 | Leadership change

Fast-casual franchisor Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza announced Thursday that Jim Mizes has been promoted to be its new president and CEO. He has served as the company's president and chief operating officer since 2013.

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Pieology Hires Ex-CEO of Smashburger

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | May 12 | Leadership change

California-based Pieology announced on Wednesday that it has hired the ex-CEO and president of Smashburger, Michael J. Nolan, to be its president. Nolan has already begun his new duties at Pieology earlier this month.

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News Clips from the Trades

Marcato Says Buffalo Wild Wings Refranchise Plan 'Not Risky'

Member | Marilee Hayes | 3:43 am | Mergers & Acquisitions

Mick McGuire, founder of Marcato Capital Management, which is Buffalo Wild Wings' largest shareholder with approximately a 9.9 percent stake, says his plans to refranchise more of the chain's restaurants is "not risky." But Institutional Shareholder Services, a proxy advisory firm, disagreed, calling the plan to take franchised units from 50 percent up to a whopping 90 percent "unwise."

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Vehicles Coming Off Lease Could Cause New Sales Tumble, Analyst Says

Member | Marilee Hayes | May 29 | Trends

Climbing vehicle and light truck lease returns, which are projected to reach record numbers, could send American new-vehicle sales in a downward spiral, says an auto industry analyst.

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Two Years after Twin Peaks Shoot-Out, Site Still Vacant

Member | Marilee Hayes | May 28 | Managing

Two years ago there was a deadly shoot-out at a Waco, Texas, Twin Peaks restaurant, which resulted in nine killed, over twenty wounded and almost two hundred jailed. The Waco site has remained empty ever since, for outwardly murky reasons that leave local real estate agents guessing.

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Posting Calorie Counts on Menus NOT Easy; Laws Should Be Scrapped

Member | BMM Staff | May 27 | Legal

Baylen Linnekin, food lawyer, scholar, and adjunct law professor, writes that contrary to what may be presented as fact, posting calorie counts on menus is not easy and moreover is often expensive. Further, research shows that calorie displays are not effective in stemming obesity, he maintains.

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Supermarkets and C-Store Owners Learn to Boost Grocerant Appeal

Member | Marilee Hayes | May 26 | Foodservice

Restaurants have been losing customers to supermarkets and convenience stores in recent years. Here's some insight into their increasing appeal.

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A&W Finds Major Unit Growth in Convenience Stores

Member | BMM Staff | May 25 | Franchising

A&W is revving up a major part of its growth through more convenience store locations. For the first time in more than 10 years, the chain, which was bought from Yum! Brands by a group of its franchisees back in 2011, is reporting positive unit growth.

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Voices—Insights & Opinions

Paying the Intermediaries: An Analysis of Hotel Commissions

Expert | Robert Mandelbaum | May 26 | Lodging & Travel
Robert Mandelbaum's picture

The increasing incidence of intermediaries selling hotel rooms and other services is a major topic of discussion among U.S. hotel owners and operators.

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Standing in the Landlord's Shoes: What Landlords Want from New Franchise Tenants

Expert | Dale Willerton ... | May 26 | Advice

Securing a commercial tenancy isn’t always an easy process. For one reason, landlords and tenants have different motivations.

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Pinehurst Resort and Spa of North Carolina

Expert | Stanley Turkel | May 17 | Hotel history
Stanley Turkel's picture

The history of Pinehurst began in 1895, when Bostonian James Walker Tufts, wealthy owner of the American Soda Fountain Company, purchased 5,800 acres of ravaged timberland in the sand- hills of central North Carolina.

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New Legal Gestalt Needed for Franchise Relationships in USA

Expert | Jeffrey M. Goldstein | May 15 | Franchisee rights
Jeffrey M. Goldstein's picture

A recent franchise termination case involving a French franchisee of a French franchisor has many similarities to the prototypical wrongful franchise termination in the United States; the only real difference is that when the case was tried in France the franchisor was found guilty of an unfair franchise termination while if the case had been tried in the United States the franchisor would have walked scot-free.

Jeffrey M. Goldstein's Blog | Add Comment | Read More

Papa Murphy's, Evolve or Else

Expert | Steven Johnson | May 13 | Foodservice
Steven Johnson's picture

Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food has been driving top line growth and bottom line profits in every sector of foodservice retail for 11 years. Papa Murphy’s has excelled within the niche and is setting the stage to drive incremental sales and profits.

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