Restaurants

Saladworks-Bradenton-FL
DevelopmentFloridaNewsRestaurants

WOWorks Opens 23 New Restaurants, Plans 15 More By End of Year

by Abby Cox

St. Petersburg, Fla. — WOWorks has opened 23 new restaurants so far this year, with 15 additional locations currently in development. This brings WOWorks’ total footprint to nearly 240 restaurants nationwide and puts the company on pace for nearly 40 new stores by year’s end. WOWorks is the parent company of brands such as Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos and Zoup! Eatery. New restaurants have launched across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast — including Ohio, Missouri, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Georgia and Texas — …

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DevelopmentNewsRestaurants

Mokas Coffee & Eatery Signs Nine-Unit Deal in Missouri, Kansas

by Abby Cox

Salina, Kan. — Mokas Coffee & Eatery has signed a nine-unit franchise development deal in the Kansas City area with Cornerstone Hospitality, led by veteran entrepreneurs Brice Turner and Jeff Bennett. The deal includes six units across Clay and Jackson counties in Missouri, along with three additional development units outside the metro area in Derby, Garden City and Manhattan, Kansas. Active site selection is underway with a projected opening in 2027. Mokas Coffee & Eatery, which is part of the JRI Hospitality Group, operates seven locations in Kansas and Arizona.

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Shipley-Donuts-Exterior
DevelopmentMichiganNewsRestaurants

Shipley Do-Nuts Signs 15-Unit Franchise Agreement in Michigan

by Abby Cox

Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts has signed a franchise agreement with Hole Lotta Dough LLC to open 15 new units in Michigan. The agreement will bring Shipley Donuts to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties across the Metro Detroit area, with the first location targeted to open late in the first quarter of 2027. The agreement also establishes plans to open three additional shops per year for the next four years, resulting in 15 new stores over a five-year development period. In addition, Shipley announced it will enter Ohio with a three-unit franchise …

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ArizonaDevelopmentNewsRestaurants

Cold Stone Creamery to Open Up to 12 Locations in Michigan Over the Next Four Years

by Abby Cox

Scottsdale, Ariz. — Cold Stone Creamery plans to open between eight and 12 new locations in Michigan over the next four years, building on its existing footprint of 27 stores in the state. A new Cold Stone Creamery location is underway in Plymouth, a suburb of Detroit, and is projected to open this fall. An additional Michigan location has also been awarded to a franchisee and is in the early stages of development, the company said. Kyle Welch, whose ownership group operates four Cold Stone locations in Michigan, said the company …

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Gong-Cha-Exterior
NewsRestaurantsTexas

Gong cha Signs 50-Unit Deal in Texas

by Abby Cox

Boston — Taiwanese beverage chain Gong cha has signed a 50-unit exclusive area development agreement in Texas with seasoned franchise operator Bakers Acres & Cattle Co (BACC). The agreement marks the largest direct franchising deal in Gong cha history. This deal follows Gong cha’s recent acquisition of master franchise rights for 170 U.S. locations across 13 states, including Texas. Under the 50-unit deal, BACC will further develop Gong cha’s presence across four major Texas markets over the next seven years, including Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Since launching direct franchising …

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Laynes-Night
DevelopmentNewsRestaurantsTexas

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Signs 24 Franchise Agreements, Reaches 50 Units Open

by Abby Cox

Frisco, Texas — Layne’s Chicken Fingers has expanded its footprint to more than 50 operating restaurants and has signed two dozen franchise agreements. In the second quarter of this year, Layne’s celebrated its 50-restaurant milestone in its home state while also laying the groundwork for its California debut with a new 12-unit deal in partnership with tenured IHOP operators. Taylor Thomas, a multi-unit Layne’s and Whataburger franchisee, executed three restaurant openings in 60 days and signed a new agreement to develop 30 Layne’s locations across Oklahoma. Founded in 1994 in College …

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NewsPennsylvaniaRestaurants

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard Plans to Double New Signings in 2026

by Abby Cox

Philadelphia — Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is on track to double its 2026 new shop signings. Rita’s has experienced a 100 percent increase in franchise ownership inquiries compared with 2025. Driven by the brand’s real estate strategy, including second-generation restaurant conversions and drive-thru locations, the concept is expanding outside of its core Mid-Atlantic market to the Midwest and south-central United States. According to Rita’s, drive-thru shops generated 38 percent higher average gross sales in 2025 than comparable non-drive-thru locations. Founded in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, in 1984, Rita’s Italian Ice & …

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NevadaNewsRestaurants

Capriotti’s Marks 50th Anniversary Year with 30 New Development Deals

by Abby Cox

Las Vegas — Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop is celebrating its 50th anniversary year by opening 12 new restaurants and awarding development rights for 30 additional locations. The year’s development activity has introduced Capriotti’s into several new markets, including Lake County, Illinois; Killeen, Texas; Tempe, Arizona; Southern Utah; Charleston, South Carolina; and Fort Wayne, Indiana, further expanding the brand’s national footprint as it works toward its long-term goal of 750 restaurants by 2032. Founded in 1976, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop is a fast-casual restaurant brand with more than 150 locations across the U.S.

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Zaxbys_Modern-Farmhouse-Exterior-Image-
DevelopmentIllinoisNewsRestaurants

Zaxby’s Signs Seven-Unit Development Agreement in Chicago

by Abby Cox

Chicago — Zaxby’s has signed a franchise agreement with a local entrepreneur to open seven new restaurants in Chicago. The development plans follow a separate multi-unit agreement signed in Chicagoland in 2025, along with the first restaurant in Plainfield, Illinois, earlier this year. Zaxby’s currently has more than 1,000 locations in 22 states and is headquartered in Atlanta.

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Shipley-Donuts-Exterior
DevelopmentNewsRestaurantsTexas

Shipley Donuts to Make Ohio Debut, Signs Three-Unit Franchise Deal

by Abby Cox

Houston — Shipley Donuts has signed a three-unit franchise agreement in Cincinnati, marking its entry into Ohio. The deal is with Houston-based Koelache Co. LLC, which plans to open its first Shipley location in the first quarter of 2027, with the other two units expected to open through 2029.  Founded in Texas in 1936, Shipley Donuts has more than 390 franchised and company-owned restaurants across 13 states.

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