most profitable franchises

BIRMINGHAM, AL – PRNewswire

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, a “fresh-casual,” Mediterranean inspired restaurant that prepares more than 100 items from scratch daily and has 82 locations in 16 states, hosted a celebration for its 20^th anniversary on Wednesday in Birmingham, AL.

As part of the celebration festivities, the first 200 guests in line received a free signature pasta. Other giveaways included chances to win free signature pasta for a year.

Keith Richards, Founder of Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, found his passion for Taziki’s and its Greek food inspired menu on a 1997 trip to Greece with his wife, Amy. In 1998, they opened their first restaurant at the Colonnade in Birmingham.

“It was an extraordinary day as we celebrated Taziki’s 20^th anniversary in the location where it all began,” said Taziki’s Mediterranean Café Founder, Keith Richards. “I enjoyed celebrating with hundreds of customers and providing them with one of our most popular dishes as a way to say, ‘thank you’ for all their support.”

From perfectly grilled meats served with signature sauces to mouth-watering salads filled with fresh fruits and veggies, Richards has mastered the art of creating imaginative, Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The Birmingham-based fast-casual chain’s growing franchise was ranked by Restaurant Business as 17^th on their Future 50 List.

Richards makes hiring special needs students a priority within his company-owned restaurants and encourages his franchisees to do the same.  He has also taken the company’s involvement a step further by working with schools and special needs students across the country to grow herbs including basil, rosemary, oregano and parsley, which are then sold to Taziki’s restaurants. Richard’s program, HOPE (Herbs Offering Personal Enrichment) is in the process of receiving its 501c(3) status.

Several students from the HOPE Program in Shelby County, AL attended Taziki’s 20^th anniversary celebration.

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe’ was the first national franchise to achieve REAL Certification from the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC), the emerging national standard for foodservice nutrition and sustainability. Taziki’s is also now the largest chain restaurant to complete the certification process.

“We are planning for the next 20 years,” said Richards. “That includes adding more menu items and opening more restaurants across the U.S.”

The restaurant will open new locations in Ohio, Oklahoma, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida this spring.

For those looking to learn more about franchise opportunities with Taziki’s, visit http://tazikiscafe.com/franchise/.

AUSTIN, TX – BUSINESS WIRE

Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count and the U.S. leader in units and sales volume, is partnering with Nextdoor, the trusted communications platform for neighborhoods.

Through KW Labs, the innovation hub of Keller Williams, the franchise will be leveraging data insights from Nextdoor to build new experiences for homeowners, home buyers and sellers exclusively.

“We’re excited to be working with Nextdoor, one of the first companies to raise their hand and say they want to plug into the Keller Cloud and give value to Keller Williams’ agents and their clients, while contractually agreeing to respect the agent, their data and their listings,” said Josh Team, chief innovation officer (CIO), Keller Williams.

With Nextdoor’s insights and Keller Williams’ artificial intelligence platform Kelle, agents will be further empowered to be the local expert, staying abreast of local neighborhood happenings and trends.

“From the very beginning, some of the most popular neighborhood conversations on Nextdoor have been about homes for sale and the local real estate market,” said Ali Jafari, vice president of business development, Nextdoor.

“This partnership with Keller Williams gives Nextdoor members easier access to local real estate experts and millions of listings, and provides a natural way for agents to join real estate conversations in the neighborhood where they can provide true value,” said Jafari.

“Imagine a KW agent being able to simply ask Kelle: ‘What do I need to know around here?’ and then being able to easily tell a client everything about that area, including trends and themes at the neighborhood level, by connecting the 170,000 Keller Williams agents with Nextdoor members,” said Team.

Regarding listing treatments, Nextdoor will respect Keller Williams’ “My Listings, My Leads” philosophy. And, Nextdoor will not allow another agent to advertise on a Keller Williams’ listing. Keller Williams’ agents can also opt out of syndicating their listings to Nextdoor.

“This partnership with Nextdoor is not a decision that we’re making on behalf of our agents; it’s with them, through KW Labs, which has more than 5,000 agents representing over $5 billion in volume to determine if there is a win-win relationship,” said Team. “We innovate with our agents, not to our agents.”

GLENDALE, CA – PRNewswire

Today, IHOP® Restaurants announced the debut of PancakeWear by IHOP^TM, a limited-edition clothing collection inspired by a love of all things breakfast. The colorful, one-of-a-kind lineup features adult- and child-sized one pieces and lounge pants as well as socks. Part of the IHOP “60 Days of Giving” campaign, a portion of the proceeds from every purchase will benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The ultra-comfy PancakeWear by IHOP collection is the perfect accessory for eating pancakes, dreaming about pancakes, talking about pancakes and general pancake revelry – and helps a child in need at the same time. Limited inventory of the Spring collection is available now for purchase on eBay for Charity.

“Breakfast and laid-back loungewear just go together at IHOP so we thought it would be fun to design a limited-edition merchandise collection that reflects the spirit of the brand and what we see in our restaurants all the time – people in pajamas enjoying pancakes,” said Stephanie Peterson, Executive Director, Communications at IHOP. “PancakeWear by IHOP was launched to celebrate our 60^th anniversary as a brand, but also to do a lot of good for our largest charity partner Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. A portion of proceeds from every sale of our breakfast-inspired one pieces, lounge pants and socks directly supports CMN Hospitals and the more than 10 million kids that are treated every year at their 170 affiliated facilities.”

This year, IHOP aims to raise $5 million for children’s charities dedicated to treating and eradicating life-threating illnesses during its annual giving effort. The centerpiece of the campaign, IHOP National Pancake Day, took place last week and served as the largest one-day donation event for the campaign. Guests can contribute by purchasing PancakeWear by IHOP (price varies by product), available until sold out, or by making an on-check donation at any IHOP restaurant until March 31, 2018. Since 2006, IHOP, its franchisees and guests have raised more than $30 million for charity partners.

Guests are encouraged to wear their new pancake loungewear into their local IHOP and post a photo tagging @IHOP on Instagram and Facebook and using the hashtag #PancakeWear.

For additional information on the PancakeWear by IHOP collection, hi-res photos, and the IHOP 60 Days of Giving Campaign, contact AShapiro@devriesglobal.com.

KNOXVILLE, TN – PRNewswire

AtWork Group, an award-winning national staffing franchise, posted strong year over year growth from 2016 to 2017 and shows potential to keep the momentum going.

Revenue rose to nearly $332 million through the end of 2017, an increase of 12.75 percent compared to 2016. Throughout the year, AtWork opened 17 new territories, including Las Vegas, San Antonio, Miami, Anaheim, and Raleigh, bringing the total to nearly 100 locations nationwide.

“AtWork had tremendous growth in 2017,” said Jason Leverant, president and COO of AtWork Group. “By empowering our franchisees to make decisions at the local level, we’re able to offer industry-leading service to our clients and employees, allowing us to realize strong, consistent growth year after year.”

AtWork Group is currently operating in 26 U.S. states and is looking to see steady growth in the Southeast, Central and Midwestern U.S. regions. Various local franchisees are expanding their own territories by opening additional locations—a trend within the franchise system that’s growing quickly. Franchise owners see high value and profitability by increasing their number of locations, while investing in the well-being of their local communities. AtWork plans to expand its footprint to almost 200 locations within the next five years.

Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) recognized AtWork as being one of the largest staffing companies based on revenues, as well as one of the fastest-growing staffing firms in the U.S. AtWork has been listed on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 annual list four times, coming in at No. 2,790 in 2017. In addition, Atwork was ranked No. 88 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2018 “Franchise 500” list and secured a spot on Inavero’s 2018 Best of Staffing® Client and Talent Award winners list.

MADISON, NJ – PRNewswire

ERA Real Estate, a global franchising leader, is proud to announce the induction of two individuals and one ERA^® company into the brand’s Hall of Fame, class of 2017. Established in 2013, the ERA Hall of Fame honors affiliated individuals and companies who have consistently earned high levels of recognition and have made contributions and lasting impact on the culture and history of the franchise system.

The ceremony took place this evening at the 2018 ERA International Business Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2017 ERA Hall of Fame class includes:

Individuals:

• Ervin Robertson, ERA Real Estate Professionals, Ridgeland, Mississippi
• Kathy Wilhelm, ERA American Real Estate, Crestview, Florida

Company:

• ERA Dawson-Bradford Co., Brokers/Owners Jon and Nancy Dawson, Bangor, Maine

“This year’s group of inductees is an exceptional group,” said Sue Yannaccone, president and CEO of ERA Real Estate. “As champions for ERA, they have tirelessly worked toward the continued success of the brand, not just in the ways they are leveraging the products, services and technology tools the franchise offers, but in the ways they are deeply focused on preparing the next generation of ERA professionals for success in the industry.”

Ervin Robertson, ERA Real Estate Professionals, Ridgeland, Mississippi

In 1985, Ervin Robertson came to Mississippi to try his hand at real estate. As a beginner, his brokerage didn’t have any training programs to help him–until he met someone who would shape his career for more than three decades: a bank mortgage professional who decided to train Robertson. He joined ERA Lorden – now ERA Real Estate Professionals in Ridgeland, Mississippi – in the late 1980s as a trainer and hasn’t looked back since. In his first two years, Robertson helped grow the agency from eight agents to 55, offering weekly training classes. In 1994, ERA Real Estate made sure those weekly training sessions turned into trainings all over the country, and in 2016, Ervin began training nationally for ERA Real Estate. Now decades later, brokers and agents often cite his classes as the best they’ve ever attended.

Kathy Wilhelm, ERA American Real Estate, Crestview, Florida

A 29-year veteran of the industry, Kathy Wilhelm came very close to spending her life after college studying the behavior of hermit crabs. Luckily, Kathy’s father convinced her to follow him into real estate. Her parents decided to franchise with ERA Real Estate in 1986, and just three years later merged with ERA American Real Estate. Thanks in part to her success as an agent, Wilhelm’s office in Crestview is the top performing office at ERA American Real Estate, closing $19.5M in business through 119 transactions last year.

ERA Dawson-Bradford Co., Brokers/Owners Jon and Nancy Dawson, Bangor, Maine

Forty-four years ago, under the leadership of Jon and Nancy Dawson, ERA Dawson-Bradford Co. opened its doors in Bangor, Maine. In the time between 1974 and now, the pair have franchised with ERA Real Estate, grown their agency into the top performing brokerage in Bangor, and had two daughters, Julie and Katie. It’s no coincidence the Dawson’s success in their modest market of Bangor – 36,000 people in the city and 100,000 in the surrounding area – coincided with their joining the ERA system.  Within three years of joining, ERA Dawson Bradford Co. Realtors was top of its market, a position they have held for more than three decades, winning a Jim Jackson Memorial Award for 1^st in Service along the way. Today, Jon and Nancy’s daughter, Julie, and her husband, Brian, own and operate the company carrying on the family tradition of excellent customer service and results in their local market.

WALLINGFORD, CT – PRNewswire

Edible International Founder and CEO Tariq Farid today announced plans to open a second headquarters in Atlanta and has named Christian Nahas as President of Edible Brands.

In this newly-created position, Nahas will oversee all commercial operations of the world’s largest franchisor of shops offering creatively designed fresh cut fruit arrangements and all-natural, fresh fruit snacks and treats.

Farid said that the brand’s Connecticut headquarters will continue to serve as its home base, while the Atlanta office will provide Edible with expanded franchise and retail resources. In addition, Atlanta’s more central location and access to major transportation hubs makes it an attractive location to base much of the team needed to support the company’s next phase of growth into new markets and product categories.

Edible is currently reviewing real estate options in Atlanta with plans to add 50 jobs in the coming year and another 150 positions over time. In addition, the selection of Nahas to oversee Edible operations brings the brand an immediate and important presence in the Atlanta franchise and business communities.

Nahas has nearly two decades of experience leading teams at several companies in the greater Atlanta area. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Paris-based Capgemini in their Atlanta office.

“This is a historic moment for the Edible brand,” said Nahas. “Having spent most of my career in Atlanta, I see it as the perfect location for Edible to expand the team needed to support its worldwide system of almost 1,300 locations.”

Farid, who was recently inducted into the International Franchise Association’s Hall of Fame, already has a business presence in Atlanta with his technology company Naranga, a leading provider of franchise sales and software solutions, which is based in the city. He said the expansion in Atlanta and the selection of Nahas as president is just the first step in the next phase of dramatic growth for the brand.

“Christian has been a major figure in the Atlanta business community and his experience and expertise will be critical as we ramp up our operations in the market,” Farid said. “He joins Edible at a pinnacle moment for our global business as we prepare our next phase of growth and development that will include the addition of exciting new revenue streams for our brand and our franchisees.”

COLUMBUS, OH – PRNewswire

Capitalizing on continued evolution in the consumer-facing technology space, Red Roof is paving the way for hoteliers to connect directly with consumers at home through Amazon’s Alexa Skills platform. Setting the industry standard, a dynamic Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa now gives travelers the power to ask Alexa Red Roof-specific questions to assist in making travel plans, all from the comfort of home. This new innovation allows Red Roof to provide key information to the more than 20 million Alexa users, answering questions to help drive decisions including, “Can I bring my dog?” and “How many locations do you have?” to “Tell me about Red Roof PLUS+®” and “Do you have any deals?”

“As consumers continue to rely more heavily on technology in their daily routines at home, we created the Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa in the spirit of added convenience and ability to deliver important, decision-driving information directly to current and future guests,” says Kevin Scholl, Director of Digital Marketing and Partnerships, Red Roof. “Our technology is living and we’ll continue to add information to best support users based on consumer demand and aim to provide booking capabilities in the future.”

According to recent research, 72 percent of users engage with Alexa as part of their daily routine and nearly half of them speak with their Alexa-enabled device, noting it feels like speaking with a friend. In line with how people love to hear recommendations from friends or third-party advocates, a majority of Alexa users reported that they are open to learning about brands from their devices¹.

“Directly giving consumers information about Red Roof at home is the natural next step in our technological future as an innovative hotel brand,” Marina MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer, Red Roof. “Travel truly meets technology through the new Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa, allowing us to provide key information to a captivated audience that is already integrating the benefits of Alexa into their everyday lives.”

Users can enable the Red Roof skill for Amazon Alexa at no cost on all of their Alexa-enabled devices in the Skills hub of the Amazon Alexa app on their smartphones. Utilizing the power of Alexa Skills is just the latest in Red Roof’s recent technological advancements. In 2017, the brand completely redesigned its website to create a sleek, accessible, mobile-first platform to allow travelers to seamlessly book on-the-go from their smartphones. Later this year, Red Roof will roll out an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot and Quickbook feature for the site to make it even easier for guests to quickly lock in a comfortable stay at a great price.

DALLAS, TX – PRNewswire

A year ago the largest Applebee’s franchisee in the Lone Star state, Apple Texas, was called bold and innovative for their out-of-the-box thinking when they announced their 65 restaurants would accept all coupons, gift cards and gift certificates from any business – expired or not.

Beginning today, that too-good-to-be-true promotion is back!  All 65 Applebee’s owned by Apple Texas in the DFW area as well as Austin, Houston, Central and East Texas and surrounding locations, will once again accept any – expired or not – paper, plastic or printed coupon, gift card or gift certificate from any business for up to 50 percent off food purchases at any of its 65 Texas restaurants.

“When we offered this promotion last year our guests were thrilled when we accepted their expired or just unwanted gift cards or coupons and they received up to 50 percent off their meal,” said Chris Dharod, president of SSCP Management, parent of Apple Texas.  “It’s a fun promotion, it’s a great way to give back to the neighborhoods where we operate and it’s an easy way to visit us and get 50 percent off your food bill.”

All 65 Applebee’s that are owned by Apple Texas in the DFW area as well as Austin, Houston, Central and East Texas and surrounding locations are participating in the promotion.  The offer may not be combined with any other Applebee’s discounted offer and may not be applied to alcohol. Guests with additional questions are encouraged to call their neighborhood Applebee’s restaurant.

The way it works is simple.  If you have a gift card with a remaining dollar value, that’s how much you’ll receive off your food check, up to a 50% discount.

This promotion is only valid at the 65 participating Texas Applebee’s restaurants owned by Apple Texas.

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville, Florida-based classic Southern barbecue chain – Woody’s Bar-B-Q – is pleased to announce its new partnership with No Kid Hungry – a national campaign dedicated to ending child hunger in the United States. As a result of this new relationship, Woody’s Bar-B-Q will play host to a number of fundraisers at participating locations throughout 2018.

“For a number of years, we have partnered with an incredible nonprofit here in Jacksonville called Healing Hands – First Coast Child Protection Team,” said Yolanda Mills-Mawman, President and COO for Woody’s Bar-B-Q. “We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve raised thousands of dollars to support their very worthy cause of providing services to children who have been victims of abuse or neglect in Florida’s Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties. But since so many of our restaurants lie outside of those counties and beyond Florida’s borders, we’ve been on the lookout for a national nonprofit for which all of our locations could show their support. As a family-friendly concept designed to bring people together around the dinner table, we believe No Kid Hungry is the ideal fit and look forward to seeing what our franchisees and customers can do to help this worthy cause over the course of the coming year. We have dubbed 2018 ‘The Year of the Kids’ and a lot of our events and promotions are geared towards our pint-sized patrons for whom we are truly grateful.”

No Kid Hungry is a national campaign run by Share Our Strength, a nonprofit working to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. After 25 years of successfully investing in local nonprofits and helping find the best approaches to eradicating poverty and hunger, Share Our Strength launched No Kid Hungry in 2010. Today, No Kid Hungry regularly partners with such well-known brands as Walmart Foundation®, Amazon®, Fresh Market®, Food Network® and Citi®, among others.

Woody’s customers will want to mark their calendars for the following upcoming events at their favorite local Woody’s Bar-B-Q franchise, designed to raise funds for No Kid Hungry:

· March 2018 – Spend a Dollar, Fill a Tummy: Guests will have an opportunity to fill the walls of their favorite local Woody’s Bar-B-Q with cute little kids faces, emblazoned with the name of the purchaser. Each face is just $1, and all proceeds from this event will benefit No Kid Hungry.

· June 2018 – Have a Meal, Feed a Child: A portion of the proceeds* from entrées purchased at Woody’s Bar-B-Q will benefit No Kid Hungry. The more entrees purchased during this month, the more money raised – so barbecue fans are encouraged to bring a crowd and visit often in June.

· September 2018 – Spare Rib Eating Contest: Participating Woody’s Bar-B-Q locations will play host to a Spare Rib Eating Contest on a Saturday during the month of September. 100% of the proceeds from this event will benefit No Kid Hungry.

To learn more about these and other upcoming events at Woody’s Bar-B-Q, interested parties are encouraged to visit the classic Southern barbecue chain’s website at www.woodys.com and follow the corporate Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/WoodysFranchiseSystems/.

About Woody’s Bar-B-Q®: After opening their first Woody’s Bar-B-Q in 1980, partners Woody Mills and Yolanda Mills-Mawman have spent nearly four decades setting the “bar” higher for classic Southern barbecue. From the humble beginnings of just one location in Jacksonville, Florida, a shared passion for barbecue, and a dog-eared collection of recipes, Mills and Mawman have grown the Woody’s Bar-B-Q brand to locations reaching from the Deep South where barbecue is king to the Northeast and Midwestern fronts. Perhaps best known for their legendary melt-in-your-mouth slow-smoked Signature Baby Back Ribs, Woody’s has also built quite a following among patrons with their secret recipe barbecue sauces and meats, as well as their freshly prepared comfort food-inspired side dishes. Individuals who wish to learn more about becoming a Woody’s Bar-B-Q franchisee are encouraged to visit http://www.woodys.com/franchise/.

About No Kid Hungry®: No child should go hungry in America, but 1 in 6 kids will face hunger this year. Using proven, practical solutions, No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger today by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast, eat healthy summer meals, and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. When we all work together, we can make sure kids get the healthy food they need. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

* $250/location or 10% of net sales at participating locations.

TAMPA, FL – PRNewswire

The only thing better than 50 percent off your fourth visit is dining free for a year! Today Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.® (NASDAQ: BLMN) launched the Dine Rewards™ 5 Million Members Sweepstakes to celebrate a special milestone for the multi-concept loyalty program. More than five million guests are registered to receive rewards through Dine Rewards™.

The sweepstakes, which starts today, gives current and new members a chance to win a variety of prizes including free appetizers or desserts, $50 or $500 e-gift cards and a grand prize of free* Outback, Carrabba’s or Bonefish for a year.  For every qualified* visit during the month of March, current and new members will be automatically entered for a chance to win. New members can sign up for Dine Rewards™ at www.dine-rewards.com.

Dine Rewards™ is the first nationwide loyalty program in casual dining to offer rewards across multiple restaurant concepts. Earning rewards is easy – when visiting a participating restaurant for dine in or take out, members only need to provide their server with the phone number associated with the account to receive credit and an entry into the sweepstakes. After just three qualified visits to Outback Steakhouse®, Carrabba’s Italian Grill®, Bonefish Grill® or Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar®, guests can earn 50 percent off* on their fourth visit.

The Dine Rewards™ 5 Million Members Sweepstakes begins at 9 a.m. EST on March 1 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on March 31. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Maximum of two entries daily. For official rules and more information visit www.dine-rewards.com/sweeps.

*For full program terms and conditions, please visit www.dine-rewards.com/terms-and-conditions and for sweepstakes official rules and more information visit www.dine-rewards.com/sweeps.