Homes for Our Troops and the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation will host a three-day
Build Brigade beginning today October 30 through November 1 to provide Army SPC David (Alex) Knapp with a brand new specially adapted barrier free home. The Build Brigade will take place at 15625 Downing Street in Macomb Township,
David Farkas reports in Chain Leader that to revitalize its brand, Quiznos is rolling out a new decor package and upgraded training. To get franchisees to buy in, the restaurant chain is loaning them the money. Quiznos is tempting franchisees with a low-interest rate on small loans to be used for remodeling the restaurants.
Read More »Todd Owen, Qdoba’s vice president of franchise development, tells QSR about how the more-than-500-unit Mexican chain uses multi-concept franchisees to grow its business and what the chain’s strategy is to attract the best franchisees.
Read More »THE BENEFITS of owning a franchise are made clear in “Buying into a franchise can take uncertainty out of getting started’’ (Business, Oct. 11). But, based on our experience at Mediation Works Inc. with franchises, potential hazards inherent in these businesses should also be addressed.
Read More »Boston City Councillor seeking attention for his re-election has proposed banning Styrofoam cups in Boston. Murphy said he proposed the ordinance at a hearing Oct. 15 because styrofoam containers cannot be easily recycled. The ordinance would apply to food service businesses that have over 5,000 square feet of retail or wholesale space or more than five locations in Boston.
Read More »Noreen O’Leary writes in Brandweek that Tim Hortons the donut and sandwich chain, huge in Canada, but largely unknown here, has been expanding its U.S. footprint of late and appears to be using the market as a testing ground. So far, Tim Hortons spend has been modest. Its outlay on measured media last year was $12 million in the U.S., which is a good $100 million shy of what Dunkin’ Donuts spent. But the chain, named after a star hockey player, has been throwing body checks at its rival lately.
Read More »John Vomhof Jr. reports in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal that Caribou Coffee Co. Inc. is testing ways to perk up its breakfast offerings and soon will launch an enhanced line of chocolate beverages. Brooklyn Center-based Caribou recently added oatmeal to the menu at 25 stores in the Twin Cities and Washington, D.C., and it’s offering fresh-baked pastries at about 25 locations in the Twin Cities. If the tests are successful, those items might be rolled out companywide.
Read More »Reed Abelson reports in the New York Times that as Congress nears votes on legislation that would overhaul the health care system, many small businesses say they are facing the steepest rise in insurance premiums they have seen in recent years. Insurance brokers and benefits consultants say their small business clients are seeing premiums go up an average of about 15 percent for the coming year — double the rate of last year’s increases. That would mean an annual premium that was $4,500 per employee in 2008 and $4,800 this year would rise to $5,500 in 2010.
Read More »Fast Casual reports that brothers Dhavel and Hetal Patel have signed a master franchise agreement to open 20-plus Freshii stores in parts of New York City. The Patels already own and operate seven Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in northern New Jersey.
Read More »Don Sniegowski reports at BlueMauMau that President Barack Obama announced plans Wednesday afternoon to shift some of Wall Street’s bailout funds over to community banks in order to spur lending to small businesses, which has slowed to a trickle. With SBA administrator Karen Mills and Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner flanking him, President Obama made several announcements to boost small business.
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