franchise

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Burger King on Staying Open in Russia: It's Complicated

Parent firm RBI says its hands are tied, because franchise partner has 'refused' to shutter eateries

(Newser) - McDonald's is shuttering operations in Russia due to the country's invasion of neighboring Ukraine, so it's not surprising that Burger King would try to follow suit. But there's now a wrench in those plans, as the latter fast-food giant is seeing its efforts stymied by a...

Suit: McDonald's 'Intentionally' Hurt Black Franchisees

Plaintiffs say they were steered into difficult situations, while white franchisees weren't

(Newser) - More than 50 former franchisees accuse McDonald's of racial discrimination in a lawsuit that follows a similar complaint by Black executives. Also filed in federal court in Illinois, the latest suit claims Black franchisees were set up to fail with misleading financial information that steered them into undesirable locations...

Ikea's Main Franchisee Prepares for Baby Boom

Ingka aims to reopen European stores in May

(Newser) - Ikea's main franchisee has reopened all but one of its stores in China, and next month it plans to welcome crowds back to its European stores, too. Ingka Group—the world's largest furniture retailer, operating 420 Ikea stores around the world—aims to reopen stores in Europe in...

Inside the Battle Between a Japanese Man and 7-Eleven

Franchisee doesn't want to maintain the 24/7/365 schedule

(Newser) - He's Japan's best-known 7-Eleven franchisee, reports the New York Times . But Mitoshi Matsumoto says the company is trying to change that description to Japan's best-known former 7-Eleven franchisee. The convenience store owner and the company have been engaged in a battle over its round-the-clock demands: Last month,...

169 Restaurants Look, Taste Like McDonald's. They Aren't

McDonald's Indian partner refuses to close franchises

(Newser) - McDonald's has an unusual problem in India: It recently severed ties with a partner that helped bring the Golden Arches to the nation, but now that company refuses to stop selling McDonald's food under the McDonald's name. In all, about 170 restaurants have "gone rogue,"...

Papa John's Franchisee Gets Jail for Dodging Overtime

NYC owner also to cough up more than $500K in back pay, damages, penalties

(Newser) - A Papa John's owner tried to make a buck off his employees' backs, and now he's paying big time. Abdul Jamil Khokhar, who owns nine of the chain's restaurants in the NYC area along with BMY Foods, has pleaded guilty to not paying the correct minimum wage...

Opening a Subway Is Surprisingly Cheap

Compare $262K to $2.3M for a McDonald's

(Newser) - Want to open a fast-food restaurant of your own? For a McDonald's, startup costs will run you up to $2.3 million, Business Insider reports. But there's an easier route: Go with Subway, where the startup costs are less than an eighth of that figure, at a maximum...

Landmark Ruling Opens Door for Fast-Food Unions

Labor board says McD's, franchisees can be named as 'joint employers'

(Newser) - McDonald's can't completely reject responsibility for the pay and working conditions of people in McDonald's uniforms serving McDonald's food at McDonald's restaurants, the National Labor Relations Board decided in a landmark ruling yesterday. The board said that the company could be considered a joint employer...

Onetime Delivery Guy Now Owns 18 Domino's

And that's not a rare story

(Newser) - It sounds like a rare rags-to-riches story: A man joins Domino's at 19 as a delivery guy and goes on to own 18 franchises. In fact, 90% of Domino's 4,500 franchise spots are owned by former entry-level employees, says a rep. CNNMoney recounts the story of Rob...

Spider-Man 4 Off Because Director Saw Avatar

Director pushed for special effects studio wouldn't pay for

(Newser) - The problems with the Spider-Man 4 script were genuine, but the real reason the flick got the ax is that the director saw Avatar. Sam Raimi became infatuated with the advanced computer graphics in the James Cameron blockbuster and wanted to take advantage of them, insiders tell New York . Sony...

Recession Woes Penalize NFL Franchises

Overall revenues up, but some franchises lose value for the first time in a decade

(Newser) - Tight credit and the recession-driven scarcity of buyers and investors slashed the value of eight NFL teams this year, Forbes reports. It’s the first time in a decade that even one team has seen a decline. Though the average team value held steady at $1 billion, Oakland led the...

Madoff-Burned Owners Must Sell Mets: Author

Mets call remark 'completely irresponsible'

(Newser) - The Wilpon family will have to sell the New York Mets after losing $700 million to Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, according to an author who wrote about the money manager. “It's possible they would have to sell by next year,” says Erin Arvedlund, author of Too Good to ...

Canuck Doughnut Standby Supplants Dunkin' in Wary NYC

(Newser) - Many New Yorkers met their first Canadian doughnuts today as the Tim Hortons chain took over 12 locations previously occupied by Dunkin’ Donuts, BlackBook reports. “My frantic runs to Canada to buy tins of Tim Hortons ground coffee are over,” a delighted expatriate said. “Everything in New...

McD's Huge Angus Burger To Go National

(Newser) - McDonald’s will roll out its deluxe Angus burger nationwide later this year, the Chicago Tribune reports. Until now, the one-third-of-a-pound burger made with premium beef has been available only in a handful of test markets. Though the fast-food chain has said publicly it would delay the launch until next...

'Breastaurants' Booming as Economy Tanks

(Newser) - Many restaurateurs are struggling these days, but Hooters and a new crop of imitators are seeing their clientele increase, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Hooters revenues went up 2% from 2007 to 2008, and while the chain is secure—“We’re not looking over our shoulders,” said exec...

Twilight Director Booted From Sequel

Studio can't agree on helmer's timeline

(Newser) - Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, who smashed the record of biggest opening weekend for a female director, will not return for the sequel, Deadline Hollywood Daily reports. Sources inside and outside Summit Entertainment said the director was “difficult and irrational” and that Summit “didn’t like her.” The...

Cubs Brass Hope to Sell By February

(Newser) - Chicago Cubs brass expects the team to be sold by spring training, the Tribune reports. The chairman of the team, which is in the midst of a century-long title drought, says it is reviewing bids and could have a deal in place by February. Crane Kenney also shot down rumors...

Double Cheeseburger Gets Boot for One-Slice McDouble

McDonald's new burger, with less cheese, takes standby's place on dollar menu

(Newser) - Grumbling from franchisees has McDonald’s set to bump the price of its double cheeseburger up to $1.19, the Chicago Tribune reports. That, of course, would knock it off the popular dollar menu, so plans are to replace it there with the new McDouble—virtually the same burger but...

Bull Durham No More: Minor Leagues Have Major Money

Once known for cheap thrills, baseball's lower echelons generating tidy profits

(Newser) - If your impression of minor league baseball is still Bull Durham-era, Forbes has an update for you. Gone are dirt-poor players traveling to low-tech stadiums on creaky buses: The top 20 teams are worth an average $21.2 million each, and they pulled in $9.8 million per team last...

Movies That Don't Need Another Sequel
 Movies That Don't
 Need Another Sequel
OPINION

Movies That Don't Need Another Sequel

Stale mummies and old archaeologists past their primes

(Newser) - Movie sequels strive to be bigger and badder with each installment. Entertainment Weekly singles out 14 film franchises that should wrap up production—for good:
  1. The Mummy: Eight long years is enough.
  2. American Pie: Straight-to-DVD spinoffs drained the raunchy teen comedy of its fun.
  3. Bring It On: How many movies
...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser