Franchise Intel Report: Penn Station East Coast Subs

A 40-year legacy brand leaning back into growth — but aggressive incentives and rapid expansion will test how well its franchise model scales outside its Midwestern comfort zone.

Franchise Intel Report: Tropical Smoothie Cafe

A 1,500-unit health-forward powerhouse now backed by private equity — but unit margins and build costs will test how far the growth story can stretch.

Franchise Intel Report: Domino’s (Q3 2025 Earnings Lens)

Domino’s beats Wall Street—but margin pressure, store closures, and a pricey rebrand show the real cost of keeping growth hot.

Franchise Intel Report: Swig

Swig’s drive-thru drink empire is bubbling fast—but can syrup margins and franchise costs stay sweet as expansion speeds up?

Taco Bell: #8 on Franchise Times — Living Más or Living on Margin?

Franchise Times ranks Taco Bell #8 in its 2025 Top 400® — our No BS lens digs into how the brand’s pop-culture momentum and 8% sales surge stack up against rising CapEx and labor pressure.

Domino’s: #7 on Franchise Times — Still Delivering the Playbook for Pizza Profit

Franchise Times ranks Domino’s at #7 on its 2025 Top 400®. Our No BS lens examines how a delivery-first model became one of the most scalable cash engines in QSR — and why cracks could form if growth outpaces workforce and tech reliability.

Burger King: #4 on Franchise Times — But Can the Flame Keep Burning?

Franchise Times ranks Burger King as the #4 franchise in its 2025 Top 400®.Our No BS lens cuts through the glossy stats to show what’s really happening under the crown.

Why Great Questions Matter More Than Good Headlines

Everyone says the franchise world is booming — but are we asking the right questions about what’s behind the numbers?

KFC: Still Global Royalty — But Are the U.S. Buckets Running Dry?

Franchise Times ranks KFC #3 in its 2025 Top 400®. Our No BS lens looks beyond the shiny numbers to see if the Colonel’s empire is holding steady — or quietly thinning out.

McDonald’s: #1 on Franchise Times — But What’s Behind the $130B?

Franchise Times ranks McDonald’s on top for global sales. Our No BS lens shows where the Golden Arches shine — and where operators feel the pressure.

🤖 The Automation Race: Who Really Wins in QSR?

AI won’t save QSR — unless you believe in PR more than P&L.

The Untapped Green Space in Chicken QSR: It’s All in the Sauce 🟢

Why $125 Billion in Sauces Could Be the Hottest Growth Play in Chicken QSR

🚀 Why some franchises look like rockets — but never reach orbit

Headlines are meant to excite. We show you how to pressure-test growth stories before betting your capital.

Burger Chains Face a Red Flag in 2025

Visits are slipping, rivals are gaining ground, and even billion-dollar remodels may not be enough to stop the bleed.

🔥 The Weekly Hype Check: Jack in the Box

Closures in Houston highlight deeper cracks behind Jack in the Box’s comeback pitch.

Taco Bell’s $5B Bet: Will Drinks Save the Drive-Thru?

Live Más Café promises high-margin beverages and Gen Z buzz — but franchisees need speed and consistency to cash in.

Franchise Intel Report: Q Burger (Taiwan)

Taiwan’s breakfast-burger hybrid is quietly scaling toward 500+ units — and filing U.S. trademarks before anyone’s watching.

The Market Signal vs. The Operational Reality

The market rewarded an operator’s résumé — but the real work of fixing Starbucks is still unfinished.

⚔️ Ohio: The Battlefield for Bojangles’ Next Chapter

Eyas Capital bets on Ohio to test whether a Southern icon can go national.

🔮 Yum! Brands: Reading the Future with Collider Lab

Most restaurant brands wait for trends to show up in the sales data. By the time they react, it’s already too late. Yum! Brands (@YumBrands) is doing the opposite: building a system designed to see the future.

No BS Newsflash: Brunch-Themed QSR Meals

Jack in the Box is testing $6 Brunchie and $9 Lunchie combo meals in San Diego, bundling core favorites into a hybrid daypart play.

🚗 Road Warriors: The Lifeline of American Revenue

When most people think about revenue in America, they picture local shoppers and families. But another group fuels the economy every single day: the road warriors.

The No BS Top Burger Franchises of 2025

Where the green lights are real — and not just marketing spin.

Franchise Intel Report: Smashburger

Affordable entry into the better-burger niche — but mid-tier sales, stalled growth, and ops inconsistency keep this a situational play.

🌈 Smashburger’s Rainbow Pitch vs. the Real Data