Record multi-unit franchise deals cluster territories coast to coast as brands chase scale amid inflation and QSR operators control 58% of units.

Savory Fund CEO Clay Dover details how AI speeds openings, training, and prep—powered by voice and tempered with human checkpoints across operations.

Cash incentives: $150K for the first Grill & Chill on schedule, then $200K per unit within 18 months, as Dairy Queen targets U.S. and Canada expansion.

Esperto Hospitality Group acquires Daddy’s Chicken Shack and plans a 2026 relaunch, starting with company-owned stores in New Jersey and expanding along the East Coast.

Plant-based chain Clover Food Lab will close all 11 restaurants on May 28, 2026, citing 30–50% ingredient inflation and mounting operating costs.

Crunch, Bodybar Pilates, and UFC Gym share disciplined playbooks: strong presales, premium upsells, and capital-backed operators fueling rapid, profitable growth.

Australian chain Guzman y Gomez closed all eight Chicago-area restaurants on May 22, 2026, citing stagnant sales and high capital needs in an ASX filing.

WOWorks, the parent company behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, and three other health-focused restaurant brands, has brought on industry veteran James Walker as Chief Growth Officer and promoted Nolan Woods to Chief Operations Officer as the company accelerates franchise expansion across its nearly 240-unit portfolio.

Noodles & Company has promoted Frank Rodriguez to Senior Vice President of Operations, expanding his leadership scope across restaurant operations, training, and organizational development as the chain posts its strongest comparable sales growth in years.

Dairy Queen is offering a $150,000 lump sum incentive to franchisees who open new Grill & Chill locations, with an additional $200,000 bonus per store for multi-unit developers a move designed to accelerate growth of its full-menu QSR concept after nearly flat unit count gains over the past three years.