Multi-unit franchisees from chains including Atomic Wings, Rock N Roll Sushi and TCBY told Franchising.com how they approach limited-time offers (LTOs). Atomic Wings' Moe Moustafa used micro-influencers to build month-long buzz around a dirty soda launch, Rock N Roll Sushi's Amy Boesen holds staff tasting days before new items launch, and TCBY's Sam Batt evaluates LTOs like a Dubai Chocolate flavor for whether they could become permanent menu items.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-21
A franchising expert writing for Entrepreneur argues that AI should support, not replace, human judgment in franchise operations. The piece recommends brands adopt a company-wide AI policy with approved private platforms and data-privacy training to protect proprietary information and prevent leaks.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-19
A group of Quad Cities investors has acquired Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream's franchising company along with three company-owned restaurants in Iowa, financial terms undisclosed. The 54-year-old chain, founded in Davenport in 1972, once had about 100 locations but now operates 34 in the U.S. and six in Egypt after a 2022 bankruptcy filing. New president Carlos Araujo plans to focus first on food consistency, then menu updates and expanded birthday party offerings, along with better franchisee training and reporting.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-06
Five Star Franchising CEO Scott Abbott says nearly half of owners in the company's Card My Yard brand are Gen Z or millennials, drawn to low-cost, home-based franchise models. He links the trend to broader survey data showing 43% of Gen Z plan to start a business this year rather than pursue traditional entry-level corporate jobs.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-28
A franchise owner describes losing a corporate job in 2017 while their franchise business was struggling after a slow launch. They outline six lessons learned during that period, split into emotional lessons about mindset and identity, and tactical lessons about business strategy learned through trial and error.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-23
A franchising expert writes that many service businesses stall once they outgrow the founder's personal oversight, because critical decisions and client know-how remain undocumented and dependent on the owner's presence. The piece argues that scaling requires converting that informal judgment into explicit decision rights and repeatable processes that employees can follow without the founder's direct involvement.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-11
Terry Eagle began working part-time at a McDonald's in South London in 1976 and was promoted to manager by age 19. He later became a franchisee, eventually growing his business to six McDonald's restaurants across South London, and celebrated his 50th anniversary with the company this July.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-10
Hotel developer Ian McClure has become the first outside operator in more than ten years to sign a fresh development agreement with Planet Fitness, rather than buying into the chain by acquiring an existing franchisee's gyms. McClure's firm, Gulf Coast Hotel Management, which runs extended-stay hotels and Wyndham properties across several states, secured three area deals to open over a dozen locations on Florida's Gulf Coast. Each gym costs between $1.3 million and $5.4 million to launch depending on financing.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-09
Elliott Disner, who began working for Beyond Juicery + Eatery as a 16-year-old barista, has opened his own franchise location in West Delray Beach, Florida, nearly two decades after joining the company. The new store also serves as a showcase for Beyond's refreshed store design, which Disner helped develop while working on the corporate side of the business.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-08
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