Format: PDF
Pages: 13
Audience: US
Excerpts:
“Famous Dave’s is a “specialty” casual dining restaurant franchise creating environments that transcend current restaurant offerings by serving the highest quality, flavor‐intense foods in surroundings that are stimulating, interesting and fun!

“We continue to grow! As of December 31, 2009, Famous Dave’s has 177 restaurants open including 45 corporate and 132 franchised locations in 37 states. We have been ranked #1 in our restaurant category by “Entrepreneur Magazine” in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Consumer Reports has listed Famous Dave’s as one of the hottest chain restaurants.

“We are committed to the growth of our franchise system and are seeking franchisees experienced in owning and/or managing casual dining, full‐serve restaurants, in or near the desired territories.

“A visit to Famous Dave’s is like going back home to a good old family backyard barbeque, complete with slow-smoked St. Louis-style ribs with a family secret sauce, large sumptuous portions of real Southern grilled chicken, honey-buttered cornbread, creamy cole slaw, homemade bread pudding, and that hard to find Southern hospitality that makes you feel like you’re one of the family.”

“What do I get when I purchase a Famous Dave’s Franchise?
♦ Famous Dave’s creates the best concept, prepares the best food, develops the best brand and
executes the best sensory experience for our guests!
♦ Training for Principal or Principal’s designee (minimum 3 days)
♦ Training for Director of Operations, GM, Kitchen Manager (minimum 25 days)
♦ Opening Assistance (up to 21 days)
♦ Operations Manual provided
♦ Training Manual provided
♦ Provide written schedule of all foods, food items, beverages, clothing, FFE
♦ Provide approved supplier list
♦ Provide designated supplier list
♦ Provide advertising and marketing recommendations
♦ Provide “Grand Opening Celebration” package
♦ Will make available basic business and accounting procedures”

“Happy Anniversary, Famous Dave’s!

“The year 2009 marks 15 years of the most mouthwaterin’ BBQ in all the land and we’ve been celebrating Famously…
Fame comes from humble beginnings. Famous Dave’s never forgets that its award-winning slow-smoked ribs came from one man’s quest for great ‘que with tasty fixin’s served by friendly folks in a down-home atmosphere. The very first Famous Dave’s, nestled among the northwoods of Hayward, WI was celebration central onAugust 1st when over a thousand BBQ fans gathered from across the nation to share in the fifteenth anniversary cheer.

“The celebration proved pigs can fly and dreams do come true when a flying Wilbur parachuted from a plane overhead to join the fun of live music and sauce-slathered BBQ.”

Download the Famous Dave’s franchise brochure here.

Format: PDF
Pages: 12
Audience: International
Excerpt: “Since Maximilian D. Berlitz founded the company in 1878 Berlitz International, Inc. has become the world’s premier language services company. At more than 500 Berlitz language centers in over 60 countries around the world – both
corporate and franchised locations – we serve clients with our expertise in language training and cultural consulting.

“Confidence is our goal for our clients: for them to build their confidence in using their language skills in a variety of settings and in functioning in a new cultural environment – and with these abilities to achieve their own professional and social goals.

“With worldwide headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, USA, Berlitz continues to expand both in countries where we have been for more than 100 years and in completely new markets.

“The launch of Berlitz Franchising Corporation activities in 1996 has brought our name and services to over 75 new locations on five continents. Functioning as integral members of the Berlitz global network, franchises share the same Berlitz standards and approaches. These elements have created millions of successful Berlitz students over nearly 130 years.

Berlitz has been a member of the Benesse Corporation of Japan since 1993. “Benesse” means living life to the fullest (from bene = good/well and esse = life/living). This philosophy harmonizes perfectly with our business and training goals for the student experience at Berlitz.”

“Owning a Berlitz franchise just may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. And, as a member of the Berlitz franchise community, you will be encouraged to participate actively in the exchange of ideas and best practices.
“So now that you know something about us, why not investigate the possibilities further?
“We urge you to read the accompanying inserts for more information and then fill out an application form.
“We’re confident you’ll like what you hear. At Berlitz, opportunity is knocking…
“Maybe it’s time to open the door.”

Download the Berlitz franchise brochure here.

The new site features an improved design and added navigation features to allow customers to quickly and easily find their way to different pages within the site. Featured on every page is the Oxi Fresh locator, which allows users to enter their zip code and instantly find the nearest Oxi Fresh carpet cleaning franchise, along with current local specials and contact information.

“A lot of time and research went into our site redesign in order to provide the best possible user experience for our customers,” said Jonathan Barnett MBA, President of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning ®. “Not only is finding local Oxi Fresh carpet cleaning services now faster and easier than ever before, but we think our customers will really love the new wow factor of our site.”

Improved navigation on the site includes new drop down menus to allow visitors to find any page in any category easier. In addition, an added navigation box on the left side of every page lets the user know where they are on the site at all times so users can quickly jump from page to page.

In the future, the Oxi Fresh website will offer online scheduling so customers can make carpet cleaning appointments online without ever using the phone. Currently visitors to the site can find the phone number for the nearest Oxi Fresh carpet cleaning franchise online or call 877-OXIFRESH to be connected to an Oxi Fresh in their area.

The new Oxi Fresh site not only helps customers, but helps Oxi Fresh franchisees as well with the power of online marketing. With a low cost of ownership, easy operation and low overhead, and tested and proven marketing programs, Oxi Fresh franchisees can experience outstanding growth very quickly.

Oxi Fresh currently has over 180 locations in the U.S. and offers protected territories of up to 110,000 households. For additional information or to view the new website, visit www.OxiFresh.com.

About Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning®

Oxi Fresh was established in 2006 and currently has over 100 units in the United States. Using innovative products and technology, Oxi Fresh franchisees are able to offer oxygen powered cleaning which cleans all the way down to the bottom of the carpet pile, transforming the carpet right before a customer’s eyes. Oxi Fresh is committed to being an environmentally friendly business by using efficient and low energy solutions. The non-toxic carpet cleaning agents are applied with a low moisture process and are safe for children and pets.

Product discounting is one of the most contentious topics in franchising.  Here’s why:  Franchisors make money off the gross sales of their franchisees, regardless of franchisee profitability. 

Some franchisors make additional money marking up ingredients and food products to their franchisees. 

Public franchisors benefit from higher sales – and stock prices – that are not tied to franchisee profitability.

SmartMoney.com surveyed franchisees from different franchise chains regarding the cost to them of some current and recent promotions. The franchisee profitability posts on UnhappyFranchisee.com point out that franchisees generally bear the brunt of a promotions’s cost, including the food, labor, rent and utilities, among other things.

Here’re are links to the data on six recent franchise marketing promotions, posted on UnhappyFranchisee.com: 

RELATED POSTS:

SUBWAY: What Do Franchisees Make on $5 Footlongs?

LITTLE CAESARS: What Franchisees Make on a $5 Pizza

McDONALD’S: What Franchisees Make on a $1 Burger

BASKIN ROBBINS: Franchisees Lose $1.45 per Scoop on Promo

QUIZNOS: Franchisees Lost $2.25 per Sub on Giveaway

BURGER KING Franchisees Sue Over $1 Cheeseburgers

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DISCOUNT PROMOTIONS?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

Both Toronto-based BEVINCO and St. Louis-based Inside Hospitality have a presence in nearly 30 countries and work with thousands of clients worldwide. This new partnership provides clients with the tools to make informed business decisions, achieve profit performance goals and best utilize their time, energy and investments to measure needs and expectations.

“BEVINCO is hands-down the benchmark brand in its segment and I have used it and recommended it numerous times over the years. We are very selective about who we partner with but felt BEVINCO’s services complemented Inside Hospitality’s offerings perfectly,” said Gary Tripp, Inside Hospitality’s CEO. “Everyone understands who BEVINCO is and what it does and we’re sure our clients will embrace the concept right away as well.”

Since 2001, Inside Hospitality has been helping leading hospitality organizations achieve improved standing in the marketplace through reputation management, marketing solutions, operational consulting and mystery shopping. These services, paired with BEVINCO’s beverage auditing system, data analysis, ordering assistance and promotional tools, will keep any bar or restaurant owner at the top of their game at all times.

“Inside Hospitality is the front-of-the-house expert and BEVINCO is the back-of-the-house expert and we feel this new relationship will better serve all clients,” said Lee Morris, BEVINCO’s Midwest regional partner. Vanessa De Caria, BEVINCO’s vice president of operations, concurs, stating, “BEVINCO Corporate is pleased to be affiliated with Inside Hospitality and we hope to roll this out to an even bigger audience in the very near future.”

About BEVINCO

BEVINCO is an independent profit control and revenue enhancement service for bars and restaurants with global headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The BEVINCO brand is recognized in over 30 countries as the world’s largest profit control solution for bars and eateries encompassing all segments of the hospitality industry including independently owned bars and nightclubs, major restaurant chains and hotel chains. With BEVINCO’s proprietary software along with the latest in computer and inventory control technology, bar and restaurant owners are provided with cutting-edge management solutions in order to more effectively run their businesses.

About Inside Hospitality

Inside Hospitality is the world leader in guest experience management programs for the restaurant and hospitality industries. The St. Louis-based company has become known as the “go-to” company for organizations looking to better understand their guests experience through our innovative measurement tools and over the past 12 months, Inside Hospitality has introduced three new solutions – the hospitality industry’s only online reputation management service GuestPulse™, marketing solution GuestPromoter™ and operational consulting department InsideConsultingTM – and has re-branded its flagship mystery shopping service GuestReady™.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

What they didn’t mention was that Burger King franchise owners had twice voted against the promotion, but BK corporate decided to run it anyway.

Now the franchisees are suing.  Read about the franchise lawsuit at Unhappy Franchisee:

BURGER KING Franchisees Sue Over $1 Cheeseburgers

BURGER KING Franchisees Sue Over Forced Discounting

What’s the franchisee’s beef with the promo?  They claim (among other things) that it costs $1.10 to make and sell the product they’re being forced to price at $1.00.

It’s Finally Here! $1 ¼ Pound Double Cheeseburger Hits The Menu In Participating Burger King®restaurants Nationwide

October 19, 2009

MIAMI – Oct. 19, 2009 – Burger King Corp. (NYSE:BKC) today announced that consumers craving the flame-fresh taste of a quality hamburger can head to their nearest BURGER KING®restaurant for an unbeatable deal – the ¼ pound Double Cheeseburger for only $1. Tested and adopted in multiple markets in the U.S. for the past 18 months, this much anticipated and worthy addition to the BK®Value Menu is now available in participating BURGER KING®restaurants nationwide, providing guests a superior sandwich at a great value.

"During a time when value is a priority for everyone, we’re offering a top-quality product that not only boasts an affordable price point but also tastes great," said John Schaufelberger, senior vice president, global product marketing and innovation, Burger King Corp.

The $1 ¼ pound Double Cheeseburger features two flame-broiled hamburger patties, crunchy pickles, ketchup, mustard and two slices of American cheese on a sesame seed bun. With more beef and cheese, the $1 ¼ pound Double Cheeseburger beats competitors’ sandwiches, such as McDonald’s®Double Cheeseburger and Wendy’s®Double Stack.

Burger lovers can expect to see a series of mouth-watering national TV ad spots and in-restaurant merchandising in support of the promotion. Via online banner ads, Web users will also have the opportunity to experience just how much a $1 bill can afford them from the BK®Value Menu using a simple Web cam and some novel "augmented reality" technology, which overlays the products from the menu onto the currency image.

The $1 ¼ pound Double Cheeseburger joins the national BK®Value Menu, which includes the WHOPPER JR.®sandwich and Spicy CHICK’N CRISP®sandwich as well as the Ham Omelet Sandwich and sausage biscuit on the BK®Breakfast Value Menu, all priced at just $1 each.

ABOUT BURGER KING CORPORATION

The BURGER KING®system operates more than 11,900 restaurants in all 50 states and in 73 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. Approximately 90 percent of BURGER KING®restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees, many of them family-owned operations that have been in business for decades. In 2008, Fortune magazine ranked Burger King Corp. among America’s 1,000 largest corporations and Ad Week named it one of the top three industry-changing advertisers within the last three decades. To learn more about Burger King Corp., please visit the company’s Web site at www.bk.com.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW

Second,  proceed with said promotion despite the formal objections of your franchisee association and the fact that your direct competitor tried – and abandoned – the same promotion last year.

According to a story on Unhappy Franchisee, that’s exactly what Burger King did with the $1 Double Cheeseburger promotion they forced their franchisees to implement beginning last month.  Unsurprisingly, Burger King’s National Franchisee Association filed a lawsuit this week against the franchisor.

*  *  *  *  *

Burger King Franchisees Want it Their Way… Profitable

Burger King’s National Franchisee Association represents more than 80 percent of U.S. Burger King franchisees.  They reportedly filed the lawsuit only after their attempts to negotiate with the franchisor were unsuccessful.

They are asking the court to acknowledge that the right to set prices rests with BK franchisees, not Burger King corporate.

Last summer, Burger King franchisees twice voted against the $1 double cheeseburger promotion.  Despite clear objections, Burger King forced all franchisees to sell its double cheeseburger for $1, starting in October.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Miami.  In it, the franchisees allege that the Burger King franchise agreement does not give BK the authority to “dictate maximum pricing.”

According to a story in the Miami Herald:

Franchisees argue that Burger King is using the promotion to boost sales to satisfy Wall Street investors at the expense of franchisees’ profits. The company’s most recent earnings report showed a 6 percent drop in profits, a 5 percent decline in revenue and a 4.6 percent fall in sales at stores open in North America more than a year.

Based on numbers Burger King provided to franchisees, the company projects that the double cheeseburger will lead to a 5 percent increase in restaurant sales. That will translate into an increased bottom line profit of $365 per restaurant based on $105,000 in sales, according to the analysis.

But financial models run by one Illinois franchisee… suggest that the bottom line impact for restaurants would be a loss of between $489 and $930 depending on the percentage of total sales generated by the value menu.

Are deep discounts like $1 Double Cheeseburgers are a necessary evil in the current economy?  Some would say yes.  However, McDonald’s stopped selling its double cheeseburger for $1 because of profit margin concerns at the end of last year.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

The Huffington Post reported that the casting call was promoted on Craig’s List with the following message:

This is a call for girls 18-30 years old to submit videos of themselves eating a Carls Jr. or Hardee’s burger. Be sure to introduce yourself, tell us where you (or the girl) is from, and state your favorite Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s burger before eating.[...]
The winner will have the chance to appear in an upcoming Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s marketing campaign, a $1,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip for you and a friend to Las Vegas.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

The essay contest, entitled “Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway,” offers to waive the $14,500 franchise for up to 100 vets who want to sign on as franchisees, and will award one turn-key franchise package – all expenses paid – to the Grand Prize Winner.

Lisa Sperling (770-736-3573) is the PR contact for the program, which is being promoted via a dedicated website, Twitter campaign and publicity initiative.  Press releases follow:

Maid Brigade Announcement

Maid Brigade Contest Application

Maid Brigade Panel of Judges

Maid Brigade Salutes Veterans with $1.5 Million Franchise Giveaway
Contest Will Offer New Careers to 100+ Military Veterans

(June 29, 2009) — They’ve earned their medals in the U.S. Armed Forces. Now veterans can prove
their mettle in the business world with the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway, a program that will
award more than $1.5 million in business ownership opportunities to 100+ veterans, creating more than 1,000 jobs nationwide.

The contest comes at a time when America’s economy is down, but patriotism is high. Maid Brigade, the
award-winning residential cleaning service and longtime supporter of the military, is acting on both fronts by offering new careers to veterans, a group it considers worthy, qualified, and proven as franchise owners.
Currently, 10 percent of Maid Brigade owners are veterans; others in the network come from a range of careers.

The contest will launch on Independence Day, July 4, and conclude on Veterans Day, November 11, 2009.
To apply for the giveaway, veterans must visit www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com to complete the form and to
submit a short essay by September 30 on how their military responsibilities would translate to successful Maid Brigade franchise ownership.

Maid Brigade will waive its $14,500 Select Market Franchise fee for as many as 100 qualified veteran applicants. Additionally, one grand prize winner will receive a new Maid Brigade franchise operation at zero cost —a total value of $45,000, which includes waived franchise fees, working capital, training, and
equipment. Second and third place winners will receive similar packages valued at $27,500 and $17,500, respectively. A Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise is designed for smaller geographical regions. Owners manage all business aspects of an operation and oversee a staff of employees who clean homes following Maid Brigade’s certified Green Cleaning system.

Maid Brigade’s four-member panel of judges consists of U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael H. Miller; Ted Daywalt, military veteran and President of VetJobs, the leading military-related job board on the Internet and endorsed by The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Naval Reserve Association and the Veterans of Modern Warfare; decorated U.S. military veteran and Maid Brigade franchise owner Ray Toombs; and Maid Brigade Chairman and Founder Don Hay.

“Military veterans have done so much for our country,” said Hay of the Maid Brigade franchise network.
“This year on Veterans Day, we want to show them our appreciation by giving them their own business, a new career, and comfortable lifestyle.” Unlike a typical military career and some other franchises, Maid Brigade franchise ownership is a Monday to Friday business with daytime hours, no nights, and no weekends. It allows time home with one’s family and an opportunity for business growth and a high ROI. Maid Brigade, a recession-resistant business, has weathered previous recessions of the 1980s, 1990s and post-9/11, without a drop in same store sales.

Franchise businesses consider veterans to be excellent franchise owners. They’re disciplined self-starters,
they embrace teamwork and know how to follow a proven path to success. Maid Brigade’s technology-driven business systems, highly standardized cleaning processes, and ongoing corporate support make its organization an especially good fit for veterans.

Hay and his wife, Maid Brigade Vice President of Franchise Recruitment and self-proclaimed “Navy Brat” Cathy Hay, have always believed in a vigorous commitment to the U.S. military. For years, Maid Brigade has partnered with the non-profit Operation Homefront to provide military families in crisis with free housecleaning services; it has also consistently offered veterans discounted franchising fees and larger territories.

Maid Brigade is a longtime member of VetFran, the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative, created by the International Franchise Association and supported by the Center for Veterans Enterprise.
One of the contest judges, Army and Navy veteran Ray Toombs, and his wife bought their Maid Brigade
operation in Ohio in 2003. “The military was a big part of my life, and it meant a lot to be recognized for my
service by Maid Brigade and VetFran,” Toombs said. Since they launched their business, the Toombs’
franchise has experienced 15 to 20 percent growth per year. Other couples also own Maid Brigade operations; system-wide the network comprise 17 percent couples, 48 percent men, and 35 percent women as owners.

While Maid Brigade has a long and rich history of supporting veterans, a new bill, the Help Veterans Own
Franchises Act (HR 2672), has recently been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage
other franchise businesses to offer discounts for veterans interested in buying a franchise.

Veteran applications are due by September 30, 2009. Detailed Veterans Franchise Giveaway rules are
available at www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com. Veteran applications are due by September 30, 2009.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is a global residential cleaning service with more than 420 locations in the United States and Canada. Established in 1979, it has grown its market share every year since its inception, with system-wide sales over $70 million in 2008. Unique to Maid Brigade is its Green Clean Certified® cleaning system, the only house cleaning system that uses green cleaning solutions certified by Green Seal State of the art technology, training and ongoing support also set apart the franchiser, which helped it earn several franchising accolades, including rankings in and magazines and awards from Franchise Research Institute, The Franchise Ratings Guide, and FranNet.

For more information, visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 800-722-6243.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

graphic:  Maid Brigade

According to this post on Ad Age:

Carl’s Jr. tapped YouTube’s No. 2-most-subscribed channel, from a comedy group called Nigahiga, to push its new portobello-mushroom burger — and it has paid off, in 3.3 million views last week, according to Visible Measures data compiled for the weekly Viral Video Chart. And this is no subtle, where’s-the-brand sponsorship. The (burgerless?) burger is in just about every frame, and when it’s not, they’re talking about it.

The Carl’s Jr. performance was good enough to best two basketball-themed videos that have been on the chart during much of the NBA playoffs…

Are you taking advantage of the franchise marketing power of social media? What are you waiting for?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.