http://www.franchiselawblog.com/ The Web's first blog devoted to franchise matters. Provided by Wiggin and Dana LLP. en-us 2008-04-22T15:29:45-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001157.html When the Langley family opened a breakfast-anytime restaurant in a former IHOP building, A-framed blue roof and all, they thought it would be cute to name the restaurant “It’s Hop’n.” IHOP wasn’t laughing, and lawyers quickly hopped to a... franchiselawblog 2008-04-22T15:29:45-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001156.html Effective April 21, New York City restaurants that have more than 15 outlets across the county must post calorie content on their menus. The New York State Restaurant Association challenged the City’s rule in court, but a federal judge last... franchiselawblog 2008-04-22T15:16:30-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001155.html Midas, Inc. has acquired the assets of G.C. & K.B. Investments, Inc. and its affiliates, the franchisor of 181 SpeeDee quick-lube and automotive maintenance shops in the United States and Mexico. SpeeDee’s U.S. retail sales are comprised mostly of... franchiselawblog 2008-04-07T14:54:13-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001154.html After pulling a prank that led customers to believe the Whopper was dead (see earlier blog posting), Burger King has announced plans to open smaller restaurants called the Whooper Bar that will be focused on its top-selling sandwich. According... franchiselawblog 2008-04-07T14:35:05-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001153.html According to this article, Wendy's International recently signed franchise agreements to open 60 new Wendy's restaurants in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico. The restaurants will open over the next seven years, with the first restaurant expected to open by... franchiselawblog 2008-04-07T14:21:24-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001152.html As reported in earlier postings, Dairy Queen franchisees continue to protest International Dairy Queen’s plans to convert existing locations to its new DQ Grill & Chill or DQ/Orange Julius concepts. Texas has more Dairy Queens than any other state,... franchiselawblog 2008-04-07T14:12:26-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001151.html Chalk one up for Quiznos in the flurry of franchisee lawsuits it has recently faced (see earlier blog postings). A district court judge in Illinois has dismissed antitrust claims from six Illinois franchisees. The complaint alleged that the franchisees... franchiselawblog 2008-04-07T14:01:56-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001150.html According to these articles [link to 2 articles], franchisor Burger King Corporation has joined its franchisee in settling a claim brought by the family of a franchisee’s employee who was slain at a Burger King restaurant. The employee was... franchiselawblog 2008-03-28T10:56:21-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001149.html As discussed in earlier postings, Quiznos has had its share of franchisee legal disputes. According to these articles, one of the most recent is a newly-filed class action complaint in Wisconsin’s Milwaukee County Circuit Court alleging violations of the... franchiselawblog 2008-03-28T10:22:55-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001148.html Coffee system giant Starbucks Corp. is laying off 220 workers, not refilling 380 jobs, slowing development and stirring up its organization management in order to try to improve performance, according to this article. Providing some insight into troubles at... franchiselawblog 2008-02-22T15:01:47-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001147.html International Dairy Queen's plan to convert existing outlets to its new DQ Grill & Chill or DQ/Orange Julius concepts has had a frosty reception, according to this article. Snowballing opposition has four Dairy Queen franchisee associations spanning across ten... franchiselawblog 2008-02-21T11:17:56-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001146.html Commerce Bancorp founder and former CEO Vernon W. Hill II has made a major investment in Saladworks Incorporated, the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania based salad chain according to this article. Commerce Bank was just sold to Toronto-Dominion Bank for $8.5 billion,... franchiselawblog 2008-02-14T10:25:59-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001145.html Pacific Equity Partners, an Australian based firm, announced plans to sell the Sizzler family steakhouse system, fanning the flames of speculation that it may return to American ownership according to this article. Pacific Equity Partners acquired the restaurant system... franchiselawblog 2008-02-11T17:27:57-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001144.html Franchise visionary Tony Martino, the founder and chairman of Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting, died on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at the age of 75. His extensive career in franchising began in 1959, when he opened a repair... franchiselawblog 2008-02-01T14:07:09-05:00 http://www.franchiselawblog.com/archives/001143.html Private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co. has invested $45 million in El Pollo Loco Inc., owned by New York private equity firm Trimaran Partners according to this article. The article reports the funding will be used for growth,... franchiselawblog 2007-12-27T17:42:45-05:00