The 8 | July 13, 2018

1. Frantastic: If you’re someone who prefers to order delivery over going out to eat, then we have some Frantastic news for you. Postmates will be expanding to over 100 new cities, bringing its presence to a total of 385 cities across the U.S. and Mexico. This growth will also put Postmates in a position to reach nearly 50 percent of all U.S. households.

2. Franlebrity: In continuation of 1851’s Veterans in Franchising issue, this week’s Franlebrity is an Air Force veteran turned Del Taco franchisee. After serving in the military, Chris Beavor decided to pursue business ownership with a brand he recognized and loved from his childhood. Beavor told 1851 that the brand’s veteran incentives also attracted him to its franchise opportunity, saying, “I wasn't expecting or needing the veteran incentives to make my decision to go with Del Taco, but it was important to them to give back, and that made me feel appreciated for my service.”

3. Frash Money: Branded clothing in foodservice is no longer is represented by old diner shirts or hats that highlight your local bar. To make more Frash Money — and get their name out there — brands are teaming up with luxury fashion brands to create high-quality, limited time apparel. KFC is one brand that’s hopped on this trend, with a whole line of merch that’s designed with humor in mind. KFC says creating clothing works because it’s non-interruptive advertising that creates walking billboards.

4. Frant of the Week: Last week, No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills explained why hiring giants — and baby giants — is essential for companies across the board. Now, this week, Powills is reminding leaders that it doesn’t stop there. Ultimately, it’s a combination of product, people and operational excellence that creates greatness. In order to achieve operational excellence across all departments to realize success, it’s important for brands — and their leadership teams — to have a clearly defined North Star, track KPIs, communicate, create a playbook and hire the right people.

5. Franch Forward: Papa John’s has been having trouble Franching Forward lately, and the challenges are continuing to come. Founder John Schnatter has resigned as the brand’s chairman of the board after he apologized for using a racial slur during a conference call in May. This controversy comes after Schnatter made waves by blaming the NFL for declining sales, citing its handling of football players who kneeled during the national anthem.

6. Fran Funny: What do religion and paid search advertisers have in common? They really want people to convert.

7. Franspiration: “Look for a franchise partner who you can trust no matter what the circumstance or situation is, and never write a check before meeting with the corporate team face-to-face.” - Robert Rummells, former U.S. Army Ranger turned Mosquito Joe* franchisee

8. Franemies vs. Frands: Brands are trying to be a better Frand to the environment. Major companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks are figuring out ways to eliminate plastic straws from their restaurants. The change is inspired by Seattle’s recent city-wide ban on plastic straws, but the impact is expected to be felt nationwide. Starbucks has announced that it’s planning to introduce strawless lids in all of its stores worldwide by 2020, and McDonald’s is testing alternative materials to create new straws