1851 Franchising Weekly Rewind

Check out the hottest franchising headlines from the past week.

SPONSOREDUpdated 11:11AM • 12/23/15

McDonald’s Testing Mac and Cheese

McDonald’s is getting cheesy with the latest addition to their menu. The fast-food giant is testing mac and cheese at a location in Cleveland. For $1.75 more, fans of the Golden Arches can order the mac and cheese a la cart or as a substitute to fries in a Happy Meal.

(From Fox Business)

White Castle Names Next CEO

Lisa Ingram has been named the next CEO of White Castle Systems Inc. Lisa will be the fourth generation family member of the 94-year-old company to take over after her father Bill Ingram retires at the end of the year. Bill has been with the quick-service company for 35 years.

(From Nation’s Restaurant News)

Yum! Brands Raise $640M for UN Food Program

Since 2007, Yum! Brands announced the company has raised $640 million in cash and food donations for the World Hunger Relief. The World Hunger Relief if the world’s largest private sector hunger relief initiative. This year, Yum! enlisted the help of Grammy award winner Christina Aguilera to continue raising awareness.

(From Pizza Marketplace)

Tropical Smoothie Debuts New Offerings for the New Year

To help guests achieve healthy eating resolutions, Tropical Smoothie Café offering their live-better smoothie lineup and new flatbread offerings. The brand is adding two new Latin-inspired flatbreads to the menu including the smoked Queso Chicken, featuring grilled chicken, smoked jalapeno cheese, roasted kale, red onion and red pepper, and Mojo Pork & Swiss, which includes slow-roasted pulled pork, roasted pineapple salsa, cabbage, mustard, Swiss cheese and mojo sauce.

(From QSR Magazine)

Smoke’s Poutinerie Expanding on the East Coast

Canada’s Smoke’s Poutinerie will be adding eight locations across the Eastern Seaboard to its portfolio thanks to a multi-unit franchisee agreement. The eight new locations will be opening near the regions largest colleges and universities in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The Imperial Restaurant Group will open the new locations.

(From Fast Casual)