The 8 | July 27, 2018

1. Frantastic: We have some Frantastic news to share with all of our franchise friends this week — there’s a new article on 1851 highlighting how to retain franchisees once they’re in your system. Executives from Shoney’s, RockBox Fitness and Kix Mobile all shared their top tips for keeping franchisees around for the long haul, including the need for strong training, comprehensive support and inclusion programs.

2. Franlebrity: Did you know that No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills isn’t the only Franlebrity who regularly writes a column for 1851? Carrie Luxem, CEO of Restaurant HR Group and this week’s Franlebrity, also creates a weekly video column for the publication. Head to 1851 every Tuesday for more insight into how businesses can realize success. This week, Luxem dives into how employee issues are better solved by coaching and caring rather than discipline.

3. Frash Money: Chick-fil-A is tapping into a new way to make Frash Money. The brand will become the first quick-service restaurant in the U.S. to offer meal prep kits next month when it begins testing the product at 150 locations in the greater Atlanta area. The move is designed to be a way for Chick-fil-A to compete with services like Blue Apron, HelloFresh and Home Chef. Customers will be able to buy the brand’s meal kits at the counter, in the drive-thru or through its app.

4. Frant of the Week: In his latest Frant for 1851, Powills is asking companies one question: what are you famous for? The answer can’t be generic — saying “we have awesome food” isn’t going to be enough. But if you don’t have an answer yet, it’s probably not too late. All brands — whether they’re a restaurant or a service-based concept — need to be able to point to something specific that sets them apart.

5. Franch Forward: It’s no secret that Orangetheory has been a recent darling of the fitness industry. That’s why it’s no surprise that the brand is continuing to Franch Forward. Orangetheory is celebrating the grand opening of its 1,000th studio. The studio, which is located in Portland, is owned by franchisee Jamie Weeks. Weeks is also CEO of Honors Holdings, which owns 52 open Orangetheory locations and has another 13 gyms in development.

6. Fran Funny: Do you want to hear a joke about a piece of paper? Nevermind, it’s tearable.

7. Franspiration: “Strong operations entail a maniacal focus on people, systems and processes.” - Geovannie Concepcion, COO of Famous Dave’s

8. Franemies vs. Frands: Restaurant brands have a new Franemy to fight — consumer preferences. A new study from NPD Group shows that U.S. consumers are eating at home more than they were a decade ago. In fact, their research found that 80 percent of our meals are being prepared and eaten at home. However, food-service spending has increased by two percent over the last year even though restaurant visits were stagnant. That suggests that the costs of meals are rising faster than the cost of meals that are prepared at home.