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Starbird Signs Its First Midwest Deal: 5 Franchise Units Coming to Chicago
Starbird, the California-born premium chicken franchise brand, has signed a five-unit development agreement for the Chicago metropolitan area, marking the brand's first expansion into the Midwest. The deal follows an earlier 36-unit franchise agreement for Texas and signals a deliberate…
McDonald’s Hosts Its First-Ever Chef’s Table Experience in New York with Top Chef Winner Tristen Epps-Long
McDonald's is launching "Inside the Golden Arches," its first-ever reservation-only chef's table experience, on October 29 in New York City. The one-day event is hosted by Tristen Epps-Long, the Top Chef Season 22 winner who once worked as a McDonald's…
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Expands into New York and Connecticut with a 40-Unit Franchise Deal
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is pushing into New York and Connecticut with a 40-unit franchise agreement signed through Aurify Kingstar, a newly created holding company backed by Aurify Brands, one of the New York area's most experienced multi-concept franchise operators. The…
Indigo Cow, the Hokkaido Soft Serve Brand Built on Food Press Reviews, Files Its First US Franchise Registration
A Hokkaido-style soft serve concept that sourced its dairy directly from Japan and cleared FDA import approval before opening its first American location has filed its initial franchise registration in New York. Indigo Cow, founded by Sapporo native Keisuke Kobayashi…
Perkins Griddle & Go Opens Its First U.S. Location in New Jersey, With 46 Units Already Under Contract
A fast-casual breakfast concept spun off from a legacy family diner chain has secured 46 franchise commitments in New Jersey before opening its first American franchise restaurant. On October 19, 2026, Perkins Griddle & Go opened its first U.S. restaurant…
With Sales Down 50% and 65 Stores Closed, Crumbl Launches a $1.99 Value Bundle
As its franchise system records its weakest sales in memory and 65 net locations have closed since April, Crumbl is rolling out a $1.99 bundle pairing a zero-sugar Dirty Soda with a Chocolate Chip Thin cookie. The move is the…
True Food Kitchen Files Chapter 11 With $42 Million in Debt and 12 Locations Closed
True Food Kitchen, the health-focused casual dining chain founded in Phoenix in 2008 by integrative medicine pioneer Dr. Andrew Weil and restaurateur Sam Fox, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early October 2026. The filing came after 12 of…
Little Caesars Wins Overall Franchise Innovation Award for Sidewalk Robot Delivery Pilot
Little Caesars has received the Overall Award at the 8th Annual Franchise Innovation Awards from Franchise Update Media, recognized in the Franchise Operations and Technology Leadership category. The distinction centers on an active sidewalk robot delivery pilot developed with Coco…
Wendy’s Franchisee Meritage Closes 13 More Locations in 4th Consecutive Weekend
For the fourth consecutive weekend, Meritage Hospitality Group closed additional Wendy's restaurants as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. On October 18, 13 more locations across six states shut their doors, bringing the total past 33 since the September 17…
US Real Estate Franchise Sector Reaches $27.8 Billion in 2025 as Networks Consolidate
US real estate franchise networks generated $27.8 billion in combined sales revenue in 2025, a 6.6% increase from the prior year, according to the Franchise Times Top 400 ranking published October 15. The growth was driven by higher per-unit productivity…
