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.
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.
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.
Louisville, Ky. — Yum! Brands Inc., the Louisville-based operator of the Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC franchises, has entered into an agreement to sell the Pizza Hut chain across two separate transactions with a combined value of $2.7 billion. LongRange Capital, a private equity firm based in Stamford, Conn., has agreed to purchase Pizza Hut outside of mainland China for approximately $1.5 billion. The company is financing its acquisition using funds from UBS Investment Bank. Yum China Holdings Inc., which is based in Shanghai and was spun off from …
Lexington, Ky. — PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans has signed a seven-unit license agreement with Steve Estepp, founder of Estepp Energy and Coffee Dudes LLC, to expand the New Orleans coffee brand throughout convenience stores in Central Kentucky. The company operates more than 13 convenience stores across Kentucky and is expanding its portfolio with complementary brands including Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Little Caesars and now PJ’s Coffee. Alongside the company’s operating partner, Brendon Farrar, the group plans to introduce PJ’s Coffee to its stores through a combination of full cafés …
Pasadena, Calif. — Fast food bakery chain Wetzel’s Pretzels and ice cream parlor chain Cold Stone Creamery are expanding their national footprint through co-branded locations. The brands currently have three co-branded locations under development for May, with plans to open an additional eight units by the end of 2026. This pipeline is on top of several new co-branded locations that opened earlier this year. Recent or upcoming openings include: • Clifton Park, New York • Columbus, Ohio • Alamo Ranch, Texas • Bennington, Nebraska • Bronx, New York • Lewisville, Texas …
Orlando, Fla. — Fast-casual chicken tenders chain Huey Magoo’s is introducing a freestanding drive-thru prototype designed to lower build costs and increase site flexibility for franchisees. The design allows development on sites that were previously not viable, supporting growth in more markets while reducing upfront investment. The prototype extends the brand’s “cost-conscious” design approach into a standalone drive-thru format, building on momentum from 2025 when Huey Magoo’s introduced a condensed 1,500-square-foot inline model. Designed in-house by Melissa McCammack, director of architecture and design, the ground-up drive-thru model totals approximately 1,850 …
Lafayette, Ind. — Broken Yolk Café, an American restaurant chain specializing in breakfast, brunch and lunch, has signed a franchise agreement to develop two new restaurants in Lafayette, about 60 miles south of Indianapolis. Marc Clapper, who maintains two Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers locations, will own and operate the restaurants. The first Broken Yolk Café location is expected to debut in the Midwest this fall. In addition to development agreements in Indiana, the San Diego-based brand has also opened multiple restaurants in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and Texas, totaling 42 …
Pasadena, Calif. — Dave’s Hot Chicken opened eight new restaurants on April 16, expanding its footprint to more than 400 locations worldwide. The fast-casual concept, which originated in Los Angeles, is bringing its Nashville-style hot chicken to multiple markets, including Fairlawn, Ohio; Oneonta, New York; Edina, Minnesota; Gastonia, North Carolina; Arlington Heights, Illinois; Miami; Saratoga, Utah; and Waterford, Connecticut. Founded in 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has sold the rights to more than 1,020 franchise locations in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Canada, and will open 70-plus locations this year.
Boston — International bubble tea brand Gong cha has signed a franchise agreement to develop three new units in Southern California. Franchise operators Gagan and Aman Batta will own and operate the restaurants. The agreement includes locations in Fontana, Eastvale and Jurupa Valley, with the first location expected to open in the third quarter of 2026. Founded in Taiwan in 2006, Gong cha has more than 2,200 locations and is active in over 33 markets.