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$4.95 U.S. • $5.95 Canada • PERIODICALS From left, Dave’s Hot Chicken co-founder Arman Oganesyan, President Jim Bitticks and CEO Bill Phelps inside a Dave’s restaurant in Monrovia, California. The brand is No. 2 on this year’s Fast & Serious list. The News and Information Source for Franchisingwww.franchisetimes.com JANUARY 2026 — 7 BREW TOPS LIST OF FAST-GROWING BRANDS — DAVE ’ S HOT CHICKEN MAKES ITS BIG FAST & SERIOUS DEBUTUPFRONT 8 We check out three sandwich brands so you don’t have to, in FT Undercover By FT Staff 10 ‘Be proactive’ in succession planning, says Taco John’s, in Behind the Sales By Alyssa Huglen 11 A big Papa Johns operator gets bigger, plus more from FT Online By FT Staff 12 How ‘zee built a well-oiled Valvoline biz By Joe Halpern 14 Jobs for veterans is Wild Bill’s goal By Emilee Wentland 16 Arthur Murray steps into growth reset By Alyssa Huglen 17 New era for Jollibee in North America By Matthew Liedke 18 Fresh Monkee harnesses protein trend, in The Upstart By Alyssa Huglen $4.95 U.S. • $5.95 Canada • PERIODICALS From left, Dave’s Hot Chicken co-founder Arman Oganesyan, President Jim Bitticks and CEO Bill Phelps inside a Dave’s restaurant in Monrovia, California. The brand is No. 2 on this year’s Fast & Serious list. The News and Information Source for Franchising www.franchisetimes.com JANUARY 2026 — 7 BREW TOPS LIST OF FAST-GROWING BRANDS — DAVE ’ S HOT CHICKEN MAKES ITS BIG FAST & SERIOUS DEBUT CONTENTS ON THE COVER 22: From left, Dave’s Hot Chicken leaders Arman Oganesyan, Bill Phelps and Jim Bitticks 16: Arthur Murray Dance Studios 18: Fresh Monkee founder Judy Flynn 30: Fast & Serious brand British Swim School JANUARY ‘26 Volume 32 Issue 1 Cover photo by Tracy Boulian and David Ahntholz It’s full steam ahead at 7 Brew, which takes the No. 1 spot on our list of the 40 smartest-growing brands. Hot on its heels is Dave’s Hot Chicken, making its debut at No. 2. Learn how these fran- chise leaders are driving sustainable growth. By Joe Halpern, Alyssa Huglen, Matthew Liedke, Laura Michaels and Emilee Wentland 22-41JANUARY ‘26 VOLUME 32 ISSUE 1 60: Hawaiian Bros Chief Development Officer Carey Malloy 55: Flynn Group founder and CEO Greg Flynn 44: World Gym aims to restart growth FITNESS FINANCE & GROWTH 44 After acquisition, World Gym ready to achieve scale By Matthew Liedke 46 Adaptability reshapes fitness growth By Liz Wolf TOOLKIT 49 Panera aims to reverse sales declines under new plan By Laura Michaels 52 Don’t discount Golden Corral, says CEO By Matthew Liedke 53 Behind Edible’s unexpected additions By Emilee Wentland 54 More insights, advice abound at RFDC By Alyssa Huglen, Laura Michaels and Emilee Wentland 56 ‘Zees look beyond restaurants to grow By Emilee Wentland 58 M&A optimism prevails, with a caveat By Joe Halpern 60 Strong openings worth the investment By Joe Halpern 62 Franchise growth confidence softens By Laura Michaels INTERNATIONAL 65 Five Iron Golf is ready to make its mark in the UAE By Laura Michaels 66 UAE offers business-friendly markets, reports Country Profile By Laura Michaels NEWS & VIEWS 69 Batteries Plus employee signs three-unit agreement, in The Wire By Matthew Liedke COLUMNISTS 75 Refranchising isn’t for everyone, but brands can be smart about letting go By Emilee Wentland 76 How much risk and demand-creation responsibility should owners carry? By Alicia Miller 77 Hey, restaurant operators: c-stores are here to eat your delivery lunch By Nicholas Upton IN EVERY ISSUE 6 First Things First 63 Scoreboard 72 Executive Ladder 78 Grab BagYour Lease is Eating Your Profi ts. Sale-Leaseback & Advisory solutions that turn real estate into growth capital. ✓ Lock in rental savings and free up capital for growth ✓ Exit underperforming locations strategically ✓ Acquire or sell properties with expert execution surmount.com“O ur north star: To make our franchisees more money.” Whelp, that’s it, folks. Enough said—my work here is done. Because that should be every brand’s north star, their focus, each and every day. For years, I was shouting it from the rooftops when I was out speaking at events, and each and every month, writing about it here, in this column. But Jason Parker, co-CEO of K9 Resorts, communicated it better than I ever did in that one, impactful sentence. No wonder the brand ranked among the leaders our annual Fast & Serious list this year, which presents the top 40 franchise brands that are growing the fastest, all the while doing it in a sustainable way. K9 Resorts posted 89.8 percent and 81.8 percent increases in sales and unit growth, respectively, from 2022 through 2024, and ended 2024 with $50 million in sales from 40 locations. That eye on franchisee profitability is a common thread you’ll read from these Fast & Serious brands in this month’s issue: “It comes down to owners making money and getting a good return on their investment. It’s to reinforce that we as the franchisor care as much about the bottom line as the top line.” —John Cappasola, CEO of No. 7 Playa Bowls. “…We’re committed to help franchisees go from the high $2 million and low $3 million to mid $3 mil- lion and low $4 million (in sales). We want to see our franchisees progress.” —Zach Peyton, president of No. 12 Superior Fence & Rail. “We continue to build a team that is focused on really great unit performance and making that better.” — Bob Anderson, president of No. 15 The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. It’s really simple: Focus on franchisee profitability. But, simple is hard, and brands get there in a lot of different ways. “I often say that people are our most important asset, and we invest heavily in talent development, leader- ship and culture to ensure our teams are equipped to scale with us,” said Alex Lemmen, CEO of Tommy’s Express Car Wash, No. 13 on the ranking. “We’re not chasing growth for growth’s sake. Instead, we focus on steady, consistent execution.” The brand’s sales grew 62.5 percent from 2022 to 2024, to reach $325 million. Scooter’s Coffee CEO Joe Thornton said his brand is growing by filling in the vacancies in existing mar- kets, and going into new markets when they see “demand rising.” His team relies on data for many decisions, from site selection to marketing, and “are always aligned with the success of our franchisees.” And at The Now Massage, No. 17 on the list, it means never letting up on the gas pedal. “Even when sales are strong,” said President Jeff Platt, “our focus remains on innovation and continuous improvement of our guest experience. It’s easy to stay the course when things are going well, but the brands that stand out are the ones that challenge themselves before they have to.” And that focus is rewarded in the end. Our No. 2-ranked company, Dave’s Hot Chicken, boasts a $2.45 million average unit volume, and it’s what keeps the franchisees coming back for more. “That’s ultimately why they’re here, right?” Dave’s President Jim Bitticks said. “There might be a cool lay- out or a cool design, but ultimately if they’re not making a ton of money off of it, they’ll go open a bunch of Yogurtlands or something where they’re getting a better return.” Again, well said. When profitability comes first, everyone can win FIRST THINGS FIRST Volume 32, Issue 1 Publisher/Vice President: Mary Jo Larson mlarson@franchisetimes.com Associate Publisher Lucas Wagner lwagner@franchisetimes.com Editor in Chief: Laura Michaels lmichaels@franchisetimes.com Managing Editor: Emilee Wentland ewentland@franchisetimes.com Senior Writers: Joe Halpern jhalpern@franchisetimes.com Matthew Liedke mliedke@franchisetimes.com Reporter: Alyssa Huglen ahuglen@franchisetimes.com Senior Graphic Designer: Joe Veen ads@franchisetimes.com National Sales Director: Kevin Pietsch kpietsch@franchisetimes.com Sales Support: Jenny Raines jraines@franchisetimes.com Digital Marketing/Web Development: Adam Griepentrog adamg@franchisetimes.com Emma Barry ebarry@franchisetimes.com Allison Olson aolson@franchisetimes.com Conference Services: Gayle Strawn Rachel Tegethoff Alie Leonard Production Staff: Steve Hamburger, Manager Steve Schmidt Accounting: Matt Haskin, Controller Jill Evans Franchise Times Corp. Continental Franchise Review® John Hamburger, President To contact Franchise Times: Franchise Times Corp. 2808 Anthony Lane South Minneapolis, MN 55418 www.franchisetimes.com Phone: (612) 767-3200 Fax: (612) 767-3230 Advertising/Classifieds: Call (612) 767-3200 Subscriptions: Subscription rate is $35 per year, $59 for two years. To order, change address or other customer service, call (612) 767-3200. Franchise Times reserves the right to decline subscription/back issue requests. Reprints and back issues: To order, call (612) 767- 3202. Back issues are $9.95 plus shipping. Reproductions of any kind are not authorized. It is a violation of copyright law to reproduce all or part of this publication or its contents. Franchise Times (ISSN 1530-3748) is published 10 times per year (monthly except for combined issues June/ July and November/December) by Franchise Times Corp., 2808 Anthony Lane South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55418. Periodicals Postage Paid at St. Paul, Minnesota and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Franchise Times, 2808 Anthony Lane South, Minneapolis, MN 55418 Entire contents copyright ©2026. Publications mail agreement No. 40064408. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London BRC, Ontario, Canada N6C 6A8. Publisher Reach Mary Jo at 612-767-3208 or mlarson @ franchisetimes.com8 Franchise Times | January 2026 BRAND INTELLIGENCE We check out three sandwich brands so you don’t have to Y ampa Sandwich (A) isn’t the cheapest on the street, but it’s not trying to be. The company, led by co-founder David Pepin, got its start in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, serving hearty sandwiches to backpackers and other adventure seekers, and it’s continued its emphasis on premium ingredients and sizable portions. At a location in downtown Denver, a worker was happy to offer several recom- mendations from a menu jam-packed with options. The Fourteener did not disappoint. With a $14.39 price tag, it better not. Stacked with tender roast beef and topped with gor- gonzola, roasted red peppers, romaine and horseradish mayo, the quality was evident and the French baguette holding everything together was deliciously chewy. (High praise from someone who adores the French bread at Jimmy John’s.) The shop itself was understand- ably quiet at 3 o’clock on a Sunday, but a few delivery drivers stopped in for pickups and the view into the kitchen showed a large catering order in progress. Yampa started franchising in 2020, but just eight locations are open, all in its home state. It appears regional expansion is the priority for now. The upshot: Yampa would be a welcome addi- tion to anyone’s restaurant rotation. —L.M. I entered the Kelly’s Roast Beef (B) in Saugus, Massachusetts, with a bit of trepidation. A few online reviewers claimed the quality had slipped at the iconic restaurant that boasts it introduced the modern roast beef sandwich to the world in 1952 in nearby Revere Beach. Don’t believe everything you read online. I went with the classic three-way sandwich that includes a generous pile of roast beef served on a fresh sesame seed bun and is topped with mayonnaise, a slice of Land O’Lakes White American cheese and James River BBQ sauce. The small sandwich for $11.20 was yummy and satisfying. What I learned is that Kelly’s roast beef is made from 25-day aged beef knuckles, a cut that makes it stand out. The beef is roasted at a low temperature for three to four hours until it’s medium-rare, and then it rests for at least an hour. The resting period is crucial for locking in the juices, resulting in more tender and moist meat. All that work makes for a tasty and memorable sandwich. The upshot: Kelly’s began franchising in 2020 and there are 15 locations, mostly in Massachusetts. Hopefully the brand opens more locations so more people can experi- ence what a great roast beef sandwich tastes like. —J.H. I ’m always game for a sandwich and had no qualms about visiting a Jersey Mike’s (C) in Minneapolis. The 55-year-old brand, acquired by private equity firm Blackstone last year, built a name for itself with fresh subs and its “Mike’s Way” sandwich preparation style, which adds lettuce, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar and seasonings to each sand- wich. (Filming creative, funny ways to request a sandwich made “Mike’s Way” became a TikTok trend.) I used Jersey Mike’s mobile app to order my sandwich: “The Original Italian” for $10.75. The app was easy to navigate and made ordering fast and simple, with a promise that my food would be ready in about 15 min- utes. I arrived early and sure enough, my food was waiting. The shop I visited had a healthy blend of people eating inside and picking up to-go orders, and the friendly staff seemed far from lagging. With tasty meats, fresh rosemary parmesan bread and a generous helping of even fresher veggies—a step up in quality compared to other sub shops—I finished my meal sati- ated and still had half of a sandwich left over. The upshot: Jersey Mike’s has no plans of slow- ing down, and already is at more than 3,000 units. So long as the subs stay this fresh, that seems to be a good thing. —A.H. Ever wonder how consumers feel about your franchise? Editorial staffers Laura Michaels, Joe Halpern, Matthew Liedke, Alyssa Huglen and Emilee Wentland check out three brands in a different genre each issue, and report back. Next >