most profitable franchises

DENVER, CO – PRNewswire

In celebration of its dedicated employees, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) announced enhancements to benefits that will reach all of its 71,000 employees. These enhancements, which include special cash and stock bonuses and enhanced paid parental leave, are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to advancing both the professional and personal lives of its employees. Resulting from savings due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the new benefits have already begun rolling out to Chipotle employees.

“We have always been proud of our ability to attract and retain top talent who share our passion for cooking delicious food by hand and creating an extraordinary guest experience,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and CEO at Chipotle. “We’re giving back to these committed, motivated, and hardworking team members who have made Chipotle what it is today.”

Chipotle will reinvest more than one-third of its anticipated savings from tax law changes into its employees. The remainder of the reinvestment will be dedicated to improvement of restaurant facilities and operations. New employee benefits include:

Accelerated Training Programs. More training programs for employees, including a formalized classroom program with a dedicated faculty that will focus on a range of topics related to operational excellence and leadership.
Cash & Stock Bonuses. Qualified hourly and salaried restaurant employees will receive a special one-time cash bonus of up to $1,000. Qualified staff employees will receive a one-time stock grant.
Maternity/Paternity Coverage. Additional paid parental leave coverage for everyone from hourly managers to salaried employees.
Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability. The company has added life insurance and short-term disability insurance coverage for hourly restaurant managers.
These new offerings are in addition to a unique set of benefits the company already offers to employees, including both hourly and salaried workers. Chipotle currently provides twice annual merit increases for hourly employees, paid vacation and sick time, and stock awards to the restaurant manager level. Additionally, the company has made a significant investment in educational benefits for employees. Chipotle offers up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement, and through a partnership with Guild Education, the company offers reduced-cost courses and degree programs at a number of colleges and universities. The educational program includes more than 10,000 class and program options and since the inception of the program, nearly 6,000 Chipotle employees have taken advantage of the program.

“We have always been committed to making Chipotle a great place to work with excellent compensation and benefits,” said Ells. “With these expanded offerings, we’re thanking our employees for their hard work and dedication to our company.”

DALLAS — (February 7, 2018) — According to U.S. News, about 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. But that’s not the case for Gold’s Gym Franchising LLC, where business is stronger than ever. The world’s most iconic fitness chain will flex its muscle even more in 2018, with plans to expand beyond its 700+ locations in 28 countries around the world.

“The demand for Gold’s Gym is dominating new domestic and international markets and the results speak volumes not only for our franchise owners and master developers but also for our 3 million members living stronger and healthier lives,” said Craig Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Franchise and Licensing for Gold’s Gym.

Capping off a strong year of franchise development in 2017, Gold’s Gym celebrated 49 new gym openings, including the two largest Gold’s Gym locations ever built. Amman, Jordan, and Alexandria, Egypt, each opened new facilities with more than 150,000 square feet. Among other highlights:
International growth included 15 new gyms in India, seven new gyms in Japan, and rapid expansion in Saudi Arabia where Gold’s Gym will more than double in size to 21 gyms this year.
Gold’s Gym Egypt celebrated its 20th anniversary.
A new agreement was awarded for Iraq.

“Our global footprint is in the best shape financially and physically to make 2018 our strongest year to-date,” said Ken Phipps, Director of Global Franchising Development for Gold’s Gym.

Gold’s Gym plans to expand in Europe, China and Qatar as domestic franchise development also targets another 25 gyms in the U.S. across hot markets including Tampa; Orlando; Minneapolis; San Jose, Calif.; Atlanta and the New York metro area.

Meanwhile, consumer demand continues to escalate. According to a recent survey, Americans now spend more on fitness in their lifetime than they do on college tuition. In a search to fit physical and mental well-being into busy lifestyles, men and women invest an average of $155 per month on gym memberships, personal trainers, meal supplements and workout gear.

“Today’s Gold’s Gym prototype addresses all of those wants and needs,” said Phipps. “We are the brand that invented the fitness craze more than 50 years ago, and now we are redefining it with the new Gold’s Gym experience. Our members choose from personal training, group exercise classes, GOLD’S STUDIO®, and our GOLD’S AMP™ app that also puts a digital personal trainer in their pocket. Combine that with the latest cardio equipment, free weights, spin studios and more, and there is something for everyone, whether they like to work out alone or tackle fitness goals with a group.”

Those features have helped Gold’s Gym achieve a 20.73% EBITDA for the domestic investor, attracting a crowd of franchisees seeking a healthy business and healthy profits with a dominant global brand.

“We are living that reality alongside our franchise partners,” Sherwood added. “With more than 145 corporate-owned Gold’s Gym locations, we prove the business every day and support the business model that our franchisees also follow. That builds a level of experience and trust that will continue to move our business forward in a leadership position.”

For more details about the franchise opportunity, visit https://franchising.goldsgym.com/.

DETROIT, MI – PRNewswire

ComForCare Health Care Holdings LLC, the premier in-home care provider, and CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior placement franchise, have entered an agreement for ComForCare to acquire CarePatrol.

Recently backed by The Riverside Company, a private equity firm that handpicked new CEO Steve Greenbaum, ComForCare has more than 200 franchise locations in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. ComForCare’s acquisition of CarePatrol is a first step in realizing the company’s vision to rapidly expand its footprint in the older adult care space through strategic partnerships, organic growth and investments.

“In addition to expanding our service offering and portfolio, our acquisition of CarePatrol illustrates our objective of finding new avenues to carry out our mission to help people live their best life possible,” said Greenbaum. “As the largest senior placement franchise in America, CarePatrol excels at its unprecedented and objective approach to helping families find the right care solutions for their loved ones.”

CarePatrol has more than 150 offices in 40 states, with local senior care advisors who work with families free of charge to find quality, top-rated assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes and in-home care. The senior advisors meet with families in person to assess a client’s care level needs, financial needs and general preferred locations before recommending the best and safest care options.

“Our acquisition by ComForCare creates a partnership that is rooted in our shared mission to be a trusted resource for families and older adults as they age,” said CarePatrol founder and CEO Chuck Bongiovanni. “Together, we will reach new heights in customer service and quality care.”

“When we invested in ComForCare last year, we saw huge potential to become a disrupter in the home care space, especially given the accelerated growth of the industry with aging baby boomers,” said Stephen Rice, a Riverside principal. “ComForCare has been strategic about its organic growth since its inception more than 20 years ago, and we look forward to amplifying this growth through investments in similar-minded companies like CarePatrol.”

BURLINGTON, VT – PRNewswire

For ice cream lovers who only indulge on special occasions or limit themselves to a weekly treat, Ben & Jerry’s has created Moo-phoria™, a new line of light ice cream with satisfyingly euphoric flavors. Suddenly, Wednesday is the new weekend!

Moo-phoria pints are full of all the wonderful chunks and swirls that fans adore, along with rich and creamy vanilla, chocolate, caramel and peanut butter flavors. What’s missing? Sixty to seventy percent fat and at least 35% of the calories found in traditional ice cream. Each ½ cup serving of Moo-phoria has 140-160 calories. And like all Ben & Jerry’s flavors, Moo-phoria doesn’t have artificial sugar substitutes or sugar alcohols.

“Ben & Jerry’s tries to offer a little bit of something for everyone,” said Dena Wimette, Senior Innovation Manager. “We’re excited to have an incredible new option for our fans who say they can’t be trusted with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in their freezers.”

Moo-phoria pints are available in three hard-to-resist flavors:

• Chocolate Milk & Cookies—Chocolate and vanilla light ice cream swirled with chocolate chip cookies. 140 calories per ½ cup serving.
  Caramel Cookie Fix—Vanilla light ice cream with shortbread cookies and salted caramel swirl. 150 calories per ½ cup serving.
  PB Dough—Chocolate light ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough. 160 calories per ½ cup serving.

In addition to the famous chunks and swirls, Ben & Jerry’s sources organic milk and cream for the base mix of each Moo-phoria flavor.
Moo-phoria is coming soon to grocery stores nationwide for a suggested MSRP of $4.89. Fans can use the Ben & Jerry’s flavor locator to find a store or Scoop Shop near them. Moo-phoria will also be available at Ben & Jerry’s online store at www.store.benjerry.com.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8266451-ben-and-jerrys-launches-moo-phoria-light-ice-cream-flav

United Country Real Estate has launched an online equipment auction website—www.UCEquipmentAuctions.com—hosted by AuctionTime.com, the leader in online only auctions for agriculture and construction equipment, commercial trucks and trailers. The website pulls auction listings (primarily farm and ag equipment) from hundreds of UCRE branch locations across the U.S. into a centralized platform for buyers interested in placing bids in weekly online auctions.

The new website (designed and hosted by Sandhills Publishing, the Nebraska-based tech company behind AuctionTime.com, HiBid.com, Auction Flex, TractorHouse, and a number of other brands) is powered by a cloud-based inventory management system that enables individual branches to upload equipment, register it for upcoming weekly auctions, and generate online listings with a few simple clicks. Listings are displayed on  UCEquipmentAuctions.com, where users can browse upcoming auctions, search for specific equipment, and place bids on auction day. Listings are also cross-posted to AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse.com and appear in the weekly AuctionTime print magazine in the weeks ahead of the sale to maximize exposure across multiple channels. Bidding on equipment through AuctionTime.com is free and easy, with free registration, no buyer fees, and no hidden reserves. Online auctions are held every Wednesday, with bidding opening on Tuesdays. Interested bidders can access listings online from any device, add them to a customizable watch list, and place proxy bids in the days leading up to the sale.

For UCRE, the platform works alongside its hosted HiBid.com auctions—www.UCAuctionSale.com—which include everything from land parcels to real estate and from other vehicles to estate items like jewelry, furniture, and electronics. When it comes to farm and ag equipment, AuctionTime.com and TractorHouse work together to provide an easy access point for buyers all over the world who are specifically in the market for these types of assets.

“Our network of over 4,000 brokers, agents, and auctioneers will gain a tremendous advantage for their clients through this new online equipment auction program with AuctionTime,” said Shawn Terrel, president of UCRE | Auction Services. “The platform will allow our hundreds of offices both nationally and internationally to efficiently list and market heavy equipment by leveraging one of the industry’s largest online equipment auction platforms.”

For United Country Real Estate | Rocking X Land Company—a Colorado-based office primarily serving Colorado and Kansas—AuctionTime.com has already provided substantial opportunities for consignment revenue. “The exposure we get through AuctionTime just can’t be beat,” said UCRE | Rocking X Land Company’s Virgil George, who expects the centralized United Country auctions website will only lead to more opportunities. “I expect the site will give us better SEO and market exposure overall and am looking forward to seeing the results.”

For AuctionTime, the website is part of a larger initiative: to provide platforms that effectively connect and deliver value to both equipment buyers and sellers. “We’ve worked directly with manufacturers and dealerships large and small to establish auction platforms that provide a clean, easy, and consistent outlet for equipment,” explains AuctionTime’s Nathan Stack. “UCEquipmentAuctions.com ensures UCRE direct access to successful weekly auctions, and the built-in exposure and flexibility each independently operated location needs to leverage it for growth.”

IRVING, TX – PRNewswire

Approximately 43.4 million 7-Eleven® chicken wings could line the path from the New England Patriots home field to the biggest football game of the year, whereas nearly 8.3 million pizza slices cover the distance from the Philadelphia Eagles stadium.

With the year’s biggest football event kicking off in a few days, 7-Eleven is helping customers prepare for watch parties around the country with offers on hot food items and additional essentials to prepare for The Big Game, as well as the morning after.

This Sunday is on par with Thanksgiving Day in American culture for gathering with family and friends, watching football and eating mass amounts of food. For hosts with the most or guests with the best contribution to the party, 7-Eleven offers deals on meals and snacks: large pizzas for $5.55, 10 chicken wings for $7.49 and five value menu grill items for $4. 7-Eleven has everything needed for a great game day feast, and at the right price.

“We enjoy the spirit and traditions that the end of football season brings just like our customers do,” said Jack Stout, 7-Eleven senior vice president of merchandising.  “We know what snacks, drinks and gear they want for this weekend, and we have it all without the crowds, long lines and picked-over food at grocery stores. We have everything our customers need in one stop to make cheering on their team hassle-free and enjoyable.”

When visiting a neighborhood 7-Eleven store this weekend, customers can be sure to find everything they need, including 2-liter sodas, cases of beer, chips, pizza, fresh produce and even sports gear for the game. Additionally, customers can stop by again the next morning for products such as Advil®, Gatorade®, coffee and hot breakfast items to refuel after a long night of cheering on their team.

The convenience retailer also encourages customers to take advantage of its 7Rewards® mobile loyalty program when shopping for game day treats. Shoppers can earn and redeem rewards points toward hundreds of 7-Eleven products including coffee, Slurpee® drinks, chips and fresh food items. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play.

DALLAS, TX – PRNewswire

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is doubling up their slow-smoked greatness by offering a Texas-style dinner special for two.

The dinner for two includes two, two-meat plates for $22 and will be available for purchase the whole month of February on weekdays after 4 p.m.

Dickey’s two-meat plates include the guest’s choice of two authentic, slow-smoked meats, two savory sides and a delicious buttery roll. This February, guests can enjoy dinner in-store at Dickey’s with their barbecue loving best friend or better half for only $22.

“At Dickey’s, we believe that authentic barbecue is meant to be shared with friends and family,” says Renee Roozen, President of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “We are proud to offer this special to our guests and bring folks in our doors to enjoy Texas-style barbecue with their loved ones and our Dickey’s Barbecue Pit family.”

Find the nearest Dickey’s location here.

CARLE PLACE, NY – PRNewswire

1-800-Flowers.com is making it easier than ever to win hearts this Valentine’s Day. With new ways to shop on-the-go, opportunities to save big, concierge advice, a destination for enhanced order status tracking and more, the gift-giving experience has never been more convenient or stress-free.

Innovative Ways to Shop and Transact
Delivering big smiles is easy and convenient with these new ways to shop for gifts:

• Mobile shoppers can order from 1-800-Flowers.com via chat or voice across a variety of platforms. For example, customers can easily order popular floral arrangements on Google Assistant-enabled Android devices and iPhones (“Hey Google, talk to 1-800-Flowers”) for delivery nationwide. They can also use Google Assistant to shop selections from the brand’s “Fresh from the Farm^™” collection on Google Express (“Buy roses”)
• Just in time for Valentine’s Day, 1-800-Flowers.com is launching an enhanced voice-enabled Alexa skill with “one-shot intent” for more streamlined dialog (“Alexa, ask 1-800-Flowers to send my wife roses”). Together with the integration of Amazon Pay, flower buying and transacting is a breeze
• Gift-givers can make purchases via the Facebook Messenger chat bot, plus connect with the 1-800-Flowers.com customer care team for quick assistance regarding order inquiries

Early Order Discounts and More Ways to Save
Big heartfelt gestures don’t have to break the budget with these opportunities to shop and save:

• Customers who order their Valentine’s Day flowers before February 4 can save big by taking advantage of exclusive discounts
• Mobile and app customers can get special offers from Apple Pay and the iOS App Store
• Eligible PayPal customers can access exclusive 1-800-Flowers.com savings across desktop, mobile, web and apps
• Consumers shopping on Google Assistant and Facebook Messenger can check the chat bots for exclusive deals on select floral arrangements
• Shoppers are encouraged to visit 1-800-Flowers.com and sign up for email alerts to receive updates in real-time about special rose offers and other savings
• Downloading the mobile app and signing up for text alerts provides additional notifications about exclusive, limited-time offers

Dedicated Customer Self-Service Portal Saves Time, Helps Alleviate Stress
1-800-Flowers.com has introduced an easy-to-use online Customer Service Hub that enables shoppers to view real-time updates on order status, provides options for order modification, and offers live chat support. Gift-givers can also sign-up for SMS notifications to receive order confirmation and delivery updates.

Gywn^® – The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift Concierge
The 1-800-Flowers.com online gift concierge, Gwyn^®, powered by IBM Watson, has been honing her skills to help provide thoughtful gift suggestions to customers this Valentine’s Day. She creates an intuitive shopping experience for customers, by asking contextually relevant questions, then builds up a detailed understanding of what the gift-giver is looking for and provides the best options in real time. Shoppers can then quickly add the perfect gift to their shopping cart.

Free Shipping/No Service Charge Nationwide for Celebrations Passport^® Members
1-800-Flowers.com shoppers who become members of the Celebrations Passport^® loyalty program enjoy unlimited free standard shipping and no service charge on all orders year-round across the company’s family of gifting brands, including Simply Chocolate^SM, Harry & David^®, Cheryl’s Cookies^® and more.

Expedited Checkout Makes the Transaction Experience Seamless
Whether shopping via mobile or desktop, customers can enjoy the convenience of expedited checkout with PayPal, Apple Pay, VISA Checkout, American Express Checkout and Masterpass.

Delivery Options for Planners and Procrastinators Alike
1-800-Flowers.com offers an array of nationwide delivery options, from overnight shipping to same-day doorstep delivery by local florists. While shoppers are strongly encouraged to place floral orders early, 1-800-Flowers.com does offer same-day delivery, even on February 14. Last-minute orders can be placed by 12 noon local time to ensure Valentine’s Day arrival. But, word to the wise: Individuals who plan to send floral arrangements to teachers or other professionals with varied schedules should send for delivery earlier in the week, as deliveries on Valentine’s Day usually continue into the early evening hours.

Shoppers are encouraged to follow 1-800-Flowers.com on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, plus share their stories of Valentine’s Day smiles using the hashtag #WOWthatslove.

LANCASTER, PA – PRNewswire

This Valentine’s Day, sweet, salty and buttery love is in the air as Auntie Anne’s^®, the world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise, is bringing back their beloved Heart-Shaped Pretzels. On February 14, pretzel fans can share the love with a special twist on Original and Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels, available at Auntie Anne’s stores nationwide for that one special day only.

“At Auntie Anne’s, we are thrilled to offer a fun, delicious twist to the traditional red rose with Heart-Shaped Pretzels,” said Carol Pasquariello, Vice President of Marketing at Auntie Anne’s. “We find joy in knowing your loved ones can delight in a salty or sweet Valentine’s Day pretzel treat.”

To help further spread the love, Auntie Anne’s is offering a Heart-Shaped Pretzel Buy One, Get One (BOGO) promotion on February 14 for all My Pretzel Perks members. To receive the offer, guests need to download the app, which is available for free in Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play Store, before 12:00 p.m. EST on February 13.

For pretzel lovers looking to take things to the next level, Auntie Anne’s recommends pairing the Heart-Shaped Pretzels with one of their delicious dips:

• Original Heart-Shaped Pretzel with Hot Salsa Cheese Dip for flames that keep sizzling
• Original Heart-Shaped Pretzel with Marinara Dip for the hopeless romantic who wants red on Valentine’s Day
• Cinnamon Sugar Heart-Shaped Pretzel with Sweet Glaze Dip for a sweet treat for your sweetheart

For the latest information about Auntie Anne’s products and company news, please visit AuntieAnnes.com and follow the brand on Twitter @AuntieAnnes, on Instagram @AuntieAnnesPretzels, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuntieAnnesPretzels. To get exclusive offers and information before anyone else, download the Auntie Anne’s My Pretzel Perks app.

CINCINNATI, OH – PRWEB

Buffalo Wings & Rings, the sports restaurant franchise with more than 75 locations across the globe, capped off a successful 2017 by achieving another milestone in the brand’s history. The company hit the $100-million mark in system-wide sales for the first time while also growing restaurant count by more than 10 percent. In 2018, the company plans to build on that momentum with a goal to increase restaurant count by another 10 percent, adding 300 new jobs across the system and fueling future expansion by signing 10 new franchise deals.

In order to continue its growth trajectory, Buffalo Wings & Rings is focused on identifying qualified franchisees in states near the brand’s home of Cincinnati where they have an established presence. This includes Tennessee where the company has one restaurant in operation, Illinois with three, Kentucky with four and more in construction, Indiana with six, and Ohio with 14. Buffalo Wings & Rings is also focused on signing the first restaurants in Michigan and Pennsylvania. At the same time, Buffalo Wings & Rings is set to open new restaurants in growing states such as Florida and Texas, while opening its first locations in both Minnesota and Kansas – states that serve a strategic purpose to link between established markets – before the close of 2018.

“We are enjoying steady growth in restaurant count every year and continued to grow in 2017 while many of our competitors were scaling backwards. We outperformed much of our category in the casual dining and sports bar segments and we see opportunity to continue growing behind the strategic plan we’ve put in place,” said Nader Masadeh, CEO of Buffalo Wings & Rings.

While Buffalo Wings & Rings opened new restaurants across Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, Nebraska, and North Dakota in 2017, the brand’s accomplishments extend beyond increased growth. Multiple new openings broke the company’s opening sales record and average unit volume continued to increase across the system. Buffalo Wings & Rings continued to invest in the right people, bringing three new corporate team members on in the second half of the year to further enhance their support for franchisees in the system. The brand was named one of the Top 40 Food and Beverage Franchises for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review, based on surveys of more than 4,300 franchisees from almost 100 foodservice brands over 18 months.

“We are committed to the continued growth of the Buffalo Wings & Rings brand behind incredible franchise operators who believe in our mission and vision,” said Philip Schram, chief development officer of Buffalo Wings & Rings. “We are focused on serving our franchisees the best we can in order to help them elevate every aspect of their business and anticipate the needs of their specific markets. We’re also looking towards the future to make sure we are moving things in the right direction for increased success across the system.”

In 2018, the team at Buffalo Wings & Rings has plans to continue investing in the restaurant experience. The team is in the process of evolving the store design to fit the needs of today’s consumer with an eye toward the evolution of consumer preferences and behavior. The brand’s signature chef-inspired menu will continue to evolve, with exciting new limited time offers planned throughout 2018 at the same time as the company works to improve permanent menu items. After a tough year for the restaurant industry, the leadership team at Buffalo Wings & Rings understands the challenges they face and remain committed to a proactive approach.

“We continue to open new restaurants during a time when many restaurant chains are down. My partners and I are focused on the business. It’s our life, it’s our baby. We have complete focus on Buffalo Wings & Rings and we continue to reinvest in the franchisees that make up our system and in making sure our business model, menu and experience are the very best in the industry,” said Schram.

Total investment to open a Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise ranges between $1.2-million and $3-million. Open territories are available in a variety of states. Franchise candidates should have liquid capital of $300,000 or higher and a net worth of at least $1-million. More information on the Buffalo Wings & Rings franchise opportunity can be found at http://ownabuffalo.com/.