1851

<p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">With the rise of social media, brands have begun to use their platforms to engage consumers more directly. Many brands have TikTok accounts showcasing behind-the-scenes aspects of daily activities. But before TikTok was popular, Twitter was the place to interact with your consumers. Including well-known franchises such as Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, here are the top five times franchise brands have popped off on Twitter.</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">IHOP vs Denny’s</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">In July 2017,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.ihop.com/en/about-ihop/franchise-opportunities?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>IHOP’s</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> Twitter account tweeted “WE ARE THE PANCAKE OG AND WILL BE RESPECTED AS SUCH.”&nbsp;</span><a href="https://dennysfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Denny’s</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, the other famous pancake-and-breakfast franchise, quickly fired back with&nbsp;</span><a href="https://mashable.com/article/11-times-brands-greatest-trolls-twitter-2017?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>“wait what’s OG mean”</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> and included a screenshot of their founding date in comparison to IHOP’s. Denny’s was founded in 1953 while IHOP was founded in 1958. IHOP did respond with&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/IHOP/status/885270114366607360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E885270114366607360%7Ctwgr%5E559e38baef5b452762c77ad170381238aed64e0a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp%3Bref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Farticle%2F11-times-brands-greatest-trolls-twitter-2017&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>“spoken like second place.”</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> This may have been a publicity stunt or all in good fun. Either way, both places are great options for breakfast.&nbsp;</span></p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://twitter.com/IHOP/status/885270114366607360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E885270114366607360%7Ctwgr%5E559e38baef5b452762c77ad170381238aed64e0a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2Farticle%2F11-times-brands-greatest-trolls-twitter-2017"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FIHOP%2Fstatus%2F885270114366607360%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E885270114366607360%257Ctwgr%255E559e38baef5b452762c77ad170381238aed64e0a%257Ctwcon%255Es1_%26ref_url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fmashable.com%252Farticle%252F11-times-brands-greatest-trolls-twitter-2017" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><h2><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Wendy’s vs Everyone</span></h2><p><a href="https://www.wendys.com/franchising?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Wendy’s</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> is quite possibly the most famous franchise brand known for roasting and trolling other brands, as well as everyday users, on Twitter. The quick-service brand started popping off on Twitter in 2017 when a Twitter user claimed that their beef was frozen. Wendy’s politely responded that its beef has never been frozen since its founding in 1969. The Twitter user continued on with the tirade, bringing McDonald’s into the conversation. Wendy’s&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/wendys/status/815973811115925504?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>then responded,&nbsp;</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">“You don't have to bring them into this just because you forgot refrigerators existed for a second there.”&nbsp;</span></p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://twitter.com/wendys/status/815973811115925504"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fwendys%2Fstatus%2F815973811115925504" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">This is just the first in many instances that Wendy’s has roasted someone on Twitter. Now the brand has even taken to roasting people and brands on National Roast Day, which is January 12. On National Roast Day, A&amp;W Restaurants told Wendy’s to “do your worst,” and&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/Wendys/status/1481329750408937481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1481329750408937481%7Ctwgr%5Ee656dc9b5e61c3a9c479baab2c25f808db5c652b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp%3Bref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thrillist.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2Fwendys-national-roast-day-twitter&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Wendy’s responded with</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> “But then our food would taste like yours! #NationalRoastDay.” You can view a list of Wendy’s 2022 roasts&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/wendys-national-roast-day-twitter?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>here.&nbsp;</u></span></a></p><h2><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">DiGiorno vs Papa John’s</span></h2><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">2017 was the year for feuds, and this one comes with a backstory. Former CEO of&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.papajohns.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Papa John’s</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, John Schnatter, alluded to the fact that sales were down because NFL players were kneeling during the National Anthem. Papa John’s became the official pizza of the NFL in 2010, but that&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/papa-johns-will-no-longer-be-the-official-pizza-of-the-nfl.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833#:~:text=Papa%20John's%20has%20been%20the,protest%20during%20the%20National%20Anthem." target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>ended in 2018.</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> Schnatter claimed that the NFL’s failure to resolve the matter of players kneeling caused a massive third-quarter sales slump.&nbsp;</span></p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://twitter.com/DiGiorno/status/925753782020997120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E925753782020997120%7Ctwgr%5E01ab26921953f592da24d5bcf3658e2ee69133fe%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ranker.com%2Flist%2Fbest-tweets-from-digiorno%2Fashley-reign"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FDiGiorno%2Fstatus%2F925753782020997120%3Fref_src%3Dtwsrc%255Etfw%257Ctwcamp%255Etweetembed%257Ctwterm%255E925753782020997120%257Ctwgr%255E01ab26921953f592da24d5bcf3658e2ee69133fe%257Ctwcon%255Es1_%26ref_url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ranker.com%252Flist%252Fbest-tweets-from-digiorno%252Fashley-reign" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">DiGiorno weighed in on the drama by tweeting&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/DiGiorno/status/925753782020997120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E925753782020997120%7Ctwgr%5E01ab26921953f592da24d5bcf3658e2ee69133fe%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp%3Bref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ranker.com%2Flist%2Fbest-tweets-from-digiorno%2Fashley-reign&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>“us” with a pizza emoji&nbsp;</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">and a trending upward emoji followed by “them” with a pizza emoji and a trending downward emoji. Then, just in case you didn’t know who they were talking about, they tweeted “Better Pizzas. Better Sales” very obviously playing off of Papa John’s Slogan “Better Pizza, Papa Johns.” Papa John’s did try to fire back by&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/digiorno-and-papa-johns-got-into-a-twitter-feud-and-its-the?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>tweeting “#NewTwitterBio.”</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> The new bio read “Frozen Pizza=the equivalent of a participation trophy.” This wasn’t met with much enthusiasm from consumers, with some responding to Papa John’s with “you tried.” DiGiorno was informally declared the winner of this pizza war.&nbsp;</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Burger King vs McDonald's</span></h2><p><a href="https://franchising.bk.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Burger King</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> and&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/us-franchising.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>McDonald’s</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> are probably the two most famous quick-service restaurants that serve very similar food menus. Naturally, the similarities between the two menus have caused a bit of strife between the burger brands. Famous rapper Kanye West&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/1059088750062428160?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>randomly tweeted</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> “McDonald’s is my favorite brand.” The tweet can no longer be viewed due to West’s suspended Twitter account. Burger King U.K. Twitter used this opportunity to add fuel to the feud and simply said,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.eater.com/2018/11/6/18067980/burger-king-kanye-tweet-mcdonalds?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>“Explains a lot.”&nbsp;</u></span></a></p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://twitter.com/BurgerKing/status/436569787502579713"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FBurgerKing%2Fstatus%2F436569787502579713" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">This is not the first time Burger King has shaded McDonald’s. In 2014,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/BurgerKing/status/436569787502579713?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>the brand tweeted</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">, “Why eat with a clown when you can eat with a king? #Likeaking.” This was obviously shading McDonald’s, whose brand is centered around Ronald McDonald the clown.&nbsp;</span></p><h2><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Popeyes, Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s Battle for the Best Chicken Sandwich</span></h2><p><a href="https://franchising.popeyes.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Popeyes</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> workshopped its now-famous chicken sandwich in 2016 and launched it to the public on&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/popeyes-fried-chicken-sandwich-brief-timeline?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>August 12, 2019</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">. There was an almost immediate frenzy for it, with lines stretching into the street and physical altercations breaking out in stores. One week later,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.chick-fil-a.com/franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>Chick-fil-A&nbsp;</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">tossed its hat in the ring and tweeted “Bun + Chicken + Pickles = all the [heart] for the original.”</span></p><figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://twitter.com/Popeyes/status/1163510538959069184?lang=en"><div class="iframely-embed"><div class="iframely-responsive"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?app=1&amp;api_key=fd3b6b3731f34f55ba1fe3&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FPopeyes%2Fstatus%2F1163510538959069184%3Flang%3Den" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></figure><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;">Popeyes clapped back with a response that was simple and reflective of its southern origins, “...y’all good?” This sparked a debate amongst consumers about who had the best chicken sandwich and drove sales through the roof. Fun-loving Wendy’s of course had to&nbsp;</span><a href="https://twitter.com/wendys/status/1163555101040140288?lang=en&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter-2721833" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#1155cc;"><u>throw in their two cents</u></span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;"> and responded by saying, “Y’all out here fighting about which of these fools has the second best chicken sandwich” and included an image of a Wendy’s chicken sandwich.&nbsp;</span></p>

Top 5 Times Franchise Brands Have Popped Off on Twitter

1851 Franchise

It's a battle of quick-service restaurants. Many brands have quippy remarks for their competitors on Twitter. 

top-5-times-franchise-brands-have-popped-off-on-twitter

Layne's Chicken Fingers

image of laynes chicken finger restaurant with 4 hands holding cups in the air to celebrate 

 Layne’s Chicken Fingers Crosses Mid-Year Mark With 11 New Restaurants Opened, Including the First Time the Brand has Seen Two Openings on the Same Day on July 14

laynes-chicken-franchise-growth-2025

HomeTeam Inspection Service

image of an employee from home team checking an outlet with an ipad

HomeTeam Inspection Service Franchise Owners Diversify Income With Multi-Service Model

hometeam-inspection-service-revenue-streams

Right at Home

image of jennifer selden right at home franchisee for a webinar with nick powills

Right at Home Franchise Owner Jennifer Selden To Share Franchise Journey, Sparked by Personal Care Experiences

jennifer-selden-right-at-home-franchise-journey-webinar

Paris Baguette Canada

image of a paris baguette bakery cafe latte with delicious food, croissants, and pastries

What Paris Baguette Franchisees Have To Say About Their Experiences

paris-baguette-franchise-canada-eric-chang

image of right at home franchisee gregory brewer for a webinar with nick powills

Gregory Brewer To Share 20-Year Franchise Journey With Right at Home in Upcoming Webinar

gregory-brewer-right-at-home-franchise-winston-salem-webinar

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

AI Is Reshaping Franchising: $100 Billion Valuations and Hyper-Localized Advertising

ai-is-reshaping-franchising-100-billion-valuations-and-hyper-localized-advertising

Mega Franchisee Sizzling Platter Acquired by Bain Capital

mega-franchisee-sizzling-platter-acquired-by-bain-capital

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Blending Tech, Hospitality and Health Care: How Three Women From Different Worlds Came Together to Build a Paris Baguette Franchise

paris-baguette-franchise-flower-mound-texas

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Sola Salons Franchisee Grows Salon Freedom Into a Multi-State Powerhouse 

sola-salons-franchisee-grows-salon-freedom-into-a-multi-state-powerhouse

Top 5 Times Franchise Brands Have Popped Off on Twitter

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS