Potbelly sells 8 NYC units in ongoing refranchising plan

Multi-brand operator United One Group has bought eight New York City Potbelly restaurants and plans to open an additional 13 units in the coming years. It’s the latest move inspired by the sandwich chain’s focus on refranchising and growing to 2,000 restaurants over the next 10 years. Restaurant Business
DoorDash to deliver Starbucks in all 50 states

Starbucks is expanding its delivery partnership with DoorDash, and the coffee giant expects the service to be available in every US state by March. Starbucks built its business on being a “third place,” but its off-premises sales have been growing significantly—drive-thru, delivery and mobile orders now generate 75% of total orders. Restaurant Business
Checkers and Rally’s rev up drive-thru plans

Sibling burger chains Checkers and Rally’s pioneered the double drive-thru that many other quickservice restaurants have adopted to feed soaring drive-thru demand, and the chains plan to continue driving efficiencies to stay ahead of new competition. New prototypes include double drive-thrus on both sides of the building, one of which can be dedicated to digital […]
LAX terminal project nears completion
With eight of nine gates now complete, Los Angeles International Airport opened the new concourse for its Terminal 3. The overall terminal project is now 18 months ahead of schedule with completion of the third phase of construction, officials say, and the final gate is expected to be finished early in 2023. Los Angeles Daily […]
Eggs Up Grill signs franchise deal for 30 Texas units
Eggs Up Grill is opening units quickly. It finished 2021 with 53 restaurants. It has 57 now and expects “just under 70” by the end of the year. Which makes its newest development deal even more notable. The company has signed an agreement with Alliance Food Group to open 30 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth […]
Applebee’s to return to 100% franchise model
Applebee’s will sell its 69 company owned restaurants in North and South Carolina in the coming weeks, a move that will make the company 100% franchised for the first time since it bought the units in 2018. Restaurant Business