The 8 | May 12, 2017

1. Frantastic: Target is stepping up its delivery game to compete with the Amazons of the world. The brand announced that it’s testing a next-day delivery service called Target Restock, which will allow REDcard holders to easily order household items, beauty and personal care products and dry goods. While this is exciting for consumers, we’re curious to see what this will do to Target’s bottom line. We know we’re not the only ones who can’t leave Target without buying a few things we don’t necessarily need—check out this week’s edition of “The 8” to see why.

2. Franlebrity: Our latest 1851 cover star is a great example of how franchising helps people rise through the ranks. Franlebrity Georgia Chasen first broke into the industry as a franchise development associate for Sylvan Learning* before working her way to the role she holds now with the brand as its senior director of franchise development. She says it’s her passion for helping others launch their own businesses that inspires her to keep moving forward. Chasen notes, “It’s incredibly rewarding to celebrate our franchisees’ successes alongside them—we’re proud that we’re able to play a part in affecting positive change for people across the country.”

3. Frash Money: There’s no doubt that the fitness segment of the franchising industry is raking in Frash Money. Health is top of mind for consumers across the board right now, which is why WORKOUT ANYTIME* is experiencing rapid growth. The brand is seeing tons of success with multi-unit owners—in fact, more than 63 percent of its franchisees own more than one location. WORKOUT ANYTIME plans to continue targeting multi-unit owners as it capitalizes on growing demand in its segment.

4. Frant of the Week: Our “1851 on the Road” series is back for this week’s Frant. As a part of our mission to tell the stories of people behind successful brands, No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills sat down with Toppers Pizza* founder Scott Gittrich to learn more about what makes the brand successful in the crowded industry. You can watch the full video on 1851 to learn more about Toppers’ unique culture and strong foundation. And be sure to check back for the next installment of “1851 on the Road”—we’re planning to post more video content soon.

5. Franch Forward: Famous Toastery is helping people Franch Forward. According to founder and CEO Robert Maynard, the brand creates more than 35 jobs every time it opens up a new restaurant, ultimately serving as an important supporter of local economies. Better breakfast and better jobs? That’s a concept we can get behind.

6. Fran Funny: Remember a decade ago when people believed that the internet would revolutionize the way we think and communicate? As it turns out, we may not have made that much progress. Applebee’s recently received a comment on Facebook from a fan asking if they knew where his nephew Jason was. The brand replied that they wanted to know which location the user was visiting, considering that they have more than 1,900 restaurants. But eventually, the mystery was solved—Jason was actually at Chili’s.

7. Franspiration: “The biggest lesson I learned as I dived into the world of franchising—and what I try to tell people now—is that we’re still the mom-and-pop business owners that live down the street. Running our Mosquito Joe* business helps put our kids through college. It helps to put food on our table. It doesn’t help a CEO buy a new house or a new car.” – Mosquito Joe franchisee Kurt Godwin

8. Frands vs. Franemies: For the first time in what feels like forever, Twitter has proven its usefulness. That’s why we’re calling the digital platform our Frand. It all started when 16-year-old Carter Wilkerson tweeted at Wendy’s asking how many retweets he needed in order to get free chicken nuggets for a year. Wendy’s answer? 18 million. Using the hashtag #NuggsforCarter, the kid was able to get over 3.5 million retweets, breaking Twitter’s previous record. And even though it’s a far cry from 18 million, Wendy’s is still giving Wilkerson free nuggets.