1851 Franchising Weekly Rewind

Check out the hottest franchising headlines from the past week.

SPONSOREDUpdated 9:09AM • 03/13/15

Seattle’s Minimum Wage Law Heads to Court
This past Tuesday, the International Franchise Association (IFA) told a federal judge that Seattle’s minimum-wage law discriminates against franchises. The law, which is set to take effect on April 1, requires businesses with more than 500 workers to pay employees $15 an hour by 2017 (smaller businesses have until 2021 to comply). The law classifies local franchises as a large business, although franchises are locally owned and operated.

(From The Seattle Times)

Macaroni Grill Sells for Second Time in Two Years
Ignite Restaurant Group announced this week that it is selling Romano’s Macaroni Grill for $8 million to Redrock Partners. This comes just two years after Ignite purchased the chain for $55 million. With this sale, the value of Macaroni Grill has decreased by $47 million. Ignite will be using the money from the deal to focus on their other chains.

(From Entrepreneur)

Celebrate Pi Day with Your Pie
This year, Your Pie will be commemorating the brand’s 7^th annual celebration of Pi(e) Day on March 14, 2015, celebrating the mathematical equation of Pi. The down-the-line pizza company will offer a $3.14 discount on all orders. The celebration will be continued on their social channels. Customers can pick up a Pi(e) Day sticker and post photos of it using #YourPieDay on Instagram to win prizes.

(From PizzaMarketplace.com)

Bruegger’s Bagels is Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
It’s the season for green bagels at Bruegger’s Bagels. The bakery will be offering green bagels to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day from Saturday, March 14,through Tuesday, March 17. The green bagels are made in the same New York style as the restaurant’s regular menu bagels.

(From FastCasual.com)

Hot Sauce is on Fire in the US
According to the NPD Group, a leading global information company, 56 percent of households have hot sauce in their kitchens. Sriracha, an Asian hot sauce, is stocked in 9 percent of homes headed by those under 35 years old. This hot trend is not only in the home - it also extends to dining experiences. In the past two years, the number of cases of hot sauce shipped from foodservice distributors to restaurants has increased by double digits.

(From QSR Magazine)