SEMI-MONTHLY EDITION · SEPTEMBER 2026
Today at a glance: Beyond Juicery shows how data can help franchise systems make smarter pricing decisions, Little Caesars puts robots on delivery duty, and royalty math gets a closer look. Plus, Dan Rowe on AI, D1 Training on measurable results, fall menu strategies, the Dallas expo and September's PR firm nominations.
Franchise News & Articles
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Image courtesy of Quantiiv and Beyond Juicery + Eatery.
100% franchisee buy-in.
No mandate.
A pricing recommendation can be right and still go nowhere if franchisees don't trust it.
Quantiiv and Beyond Juicery + Eatery say every franchise owner adopted their new pricing approach within six months, without the brand losing customer traffic to the adjustments.
How did they get there? The interview walks through what owners saw before they said yes, and how the team tested changes before taking them system-wide.
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Image courtesy of Coco Robotics.
The pizza's ready. The robot's outside.
Little Caesars and Coco Robotics are bringing robot delivery to participating stores in Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami, with downtown San Jose planned next. Orders flow through DoorDash and Uber Eats.
The useful detail is how the robots fit into the ordering systems stores already use, and what changes between the kitchen and the curb.
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Illustration from Franchise Brief's royalty economics article.
A royalty percentage doesn't tell the whole story.
A 5.5% royalty on a hypothetical $10,000 project equals $550. But if that project generates $1,650 in gross profit before royalty and overhead, the same $550 is equivalent to roughly one-third of the gross profit generated by the job.
That doesn't mean the royalty is too high; or that the franchise isn't a good investment. It means prospective franchisees should look beyond the headline percentage.
Gross margin, direct costs, additional fees, local operating responsibilities and the value the franchise system provides all help determine what the economics really look like.
Before comparing royalty rates, understand the business underneath them.
Franchise Executive Brief
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Image created from provided imagery, via Franchise Brief.
Your AI advantage may be in another franchisee's P&L.
Dan Rowe sees a franchise advantage that an independent operator can't easily copy: learning from an entire system's results. He explains how Fransmart and its brands use shared data to choose locations and uncover pricing opportunities.
His site-selection examples show what that looks like beyond an AI sales pitch.
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Image courtesy of D1 Training.
If members can't see progress, why would they stay?
By Elliot Capner, Chief Commercial Officer, D1 Training
Elliot Capner argues that fitness brands need to show members what their training is accomplishing. For franchise systems, that means results can't depend on one exceptional coach. His column connects repeatable programming, coach development and member retention.
The Franchise Verdict
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Which PR firm would you recommend to another franchisor?
Think of the firm you'd name if another franchise leader asked who to call. September's supplier vote is open for franchise PR firms.
Worked with one that's earned your trust? Write it in. You're choosing from experience, not a preselected shortlist.
Already subscribed? Your nomination won't add you to the newsletter twice.
Franchise Pulse
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Image courtesy of Smoothie King.
One fall menu. More than one reason to come back.
Caribou Coffee, Smoothie King and Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii are taking three different routes through fall: returning favorites with new twists, pumpkin tied to a broader menu strategy, and a later launch that gives the season a second push.
There's a useful planning question here: does your seasonal campaign have a follow-up, or just a launch day?
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Event graphic from Franchise Brief. Logo courtesy of MFV Expositions.
100-plus exhibitors. Two days in Dallas.
Franchise Expo Dallas returns September 18–19 at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Organizers expect more than 100 exhibitors, plus workshops and an Emerging Brands Pavilion for concepts with fewer than 10 locations.
From the Editor's Desk
WHAT GETS THE MOST PUSHBACK?
A system-wide rollout still comes down to individual owners deciding whether they trust the plan.
What's hardest to get franchisees behind in your system: pricing changes, new technology or something else? Hit reply and tell me. A few words is plenty.
Forward this to the colleague who has to get franchisees on board with your next rollout.
Tim Katsch
Founder, Franchise Brief
