For years, retailers and merchants have been waging a quiet war with the financial industry over “interchange fees” — the hidden costs of processing credit and debit card transactions that can wipe out a store’s profits while earning banks a pretty penny. Last year Congress stepped into the fracas with legislation that would enable merchants…
Read More »Both sides of the Card Check (Employee Free Choice Act) debate have taken to the airwaves to make their point: Watch a couple of the commercials here! Those in support of the act: For those opposed: The Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) and the International Franchise Association (IFA) have both come out against Card Check! Visit…
Read More »There has much written and said about the Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check) both sides do agree on one thing, if this legislation passes it will be a game changer for your business. Currently the preferred method for determining whether or not employees want a union to represent them is through a private-ballot election…
Read More »As the dismal economy slurps up profits and the tug of war for coffee drinkers gets hotter, Starbucks hopes to find some sales salvation with its own value meal variety, the Associated Press reprted. Starbucks has yet to offer many details about what CEO Howard Schultz described to investors last week as “several breakfast pairings”…
Read More »Tim Hortons Inc. and the parent of Cold Stone Creamery said Friday they will team up to create up to 100 co-branded stores that will offer customers both ice cream and coffee shop fare. Tim Hortons and privately-owned Kahala Corp. said they will co-brand up to 50 stores in each chain in the U.S. by…
Read More »The chief business correspondent for US News, Rick Newman, creates a list of companies that look unlikely to make it past 2009. Here are the four franchisors on that list heading to the brink. Krispy Kreme: about 4,000 employees; stock down 50%. The donuts might be good, but Krispy Kreme overestimated Americans’ appetite – and that’s saying something.…
Read More »So are the stimulus bills circulating on Capitol Hill good for small business? Well, yeah. Hundreds of billions of dollars in new government spending will reach small firms, either directly in federal contracts or indirectly as this money makes its way through the economy. Moreover, there are specific tax credits and treatments for investment in…
Read More »Not surprisingly, the metrics are confirming that Denny’s got a lot of attention with its Super Bowl commercial promoting a free Grand Slam Breakfast last Tuesday. Denny’s reported that its $3 million commercial drew two million people into its 1,600 outlets in North America and Puerto Rico. The total expense of $5 million for the…
Read More »Seattle’s Best Coffee, a division of coffee chain Starbucks Corp., said Tuesday that it will expand its franchise program. Seattle’s Best Coffee has grown to more than 550 cafes in nearly four years through a national licensing program. Seattle’s Best Coffee chain said on Tuesday it is recruiting U.S. franchisees in a move aimed at…
Read More »The Inaugural Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) Day Forum will be held February 10-11, 2009 just steps away from the halls of Congress at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
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