FT’s Picks of the Week highlight notable C-suite moves, brand milestones, tech tidbits and other franchise news, sourced by the Franchise Times editorial team.
McDonald’s is testing a new line of cold beverages at more than 500 locations starting September 2.
The drink tests, which will be primarily conducted in Wisconsin and Colorado, are based on data from CosMc’s, a spinoff beverage-focused concept McDonald’s launched in late 2023 and then closed in June. They will include iced coffee, fruit-flavored “refreshers,” craft sodas and energy drinks, the company said. McDonald's is targeting Gen Z consumers who are increasingly interested in customized and exciting beverages.
This test is part of McDonald's larger strategy to compete in the $100 billion specialty drink market and address recent afternoon sales dips at the burger chain.
Noteworthy
The United States Small Business Administration extended the deadline for franchisors previously listed on its Franchise Directory to complete their required re-certification process. Brands have until December 31, 2025, to update their information, according to the SBA.
The SBA implemented the directory in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term in office and then reinstated it earlier this year following the Biden Administration’s move to eliminate it. The index is a running list of brands and franchised business models that meet eligibility standards for loans and financing.
Technology
A survey by Mood Media confirmed what has been an ongoing trend in the quick-service restaurant industry—consumers prefer using drive-thrus over dining rooms. Nearly three in four of the respondents to the recent survey that polled 1,000 U.S. consumers said that speed is the most important thing for them and that they want to move through drive-thru lanes fast. That change in consumer behavior has led many restaurant brands to upgrade their tech stacks and optimize their online ordering and off-premises capabilities.
Milestones
Biggby Coffee turned 30 yrears old in 2025.
Biggby Coffee is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The East Lansing, Michigan-based coffee brand that was founded and co-owned by Bob Fish and Michael McFall has more than 440 locations across 13 states.
Rodizio Grill is celebrating 30 years of operating in the U.S. this year by inviting guests to share their restaurant memories on social media. The company that was founded by Ivan Utrera in 1995 and refers to itself as the America’s first Brazilian steakhouse has 25 locations in 14 states.
Marco’s Pizza is marking two milestones—its one-year anniversary of operating in Mexico and 10 years in Puerto Rico. The brand entered Mexico in 2024 through a 50-unit master agreement with Grupo Pizza Amantes. The 47-year-old brand launched operations in 2015 in Puerto Rico under a master franchisee it signed for the Caribbean. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's was founded in 1978. The company has more than 1,200 stores in 35 states.
Just for fun
A recent Instagram post from Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love and professional volleyball player Ronika Stone shows them holding a three-tiered Pizza Hut cake at their wedding celebration. The After Pizza Cake features pizzas made from the Hut Lover’s Line and assembled in a 5-foot tall, tiered arrangement that includes pepperoni curled into rose-like edible bites and tomatoes with anthurium flowers scattered throughout the structure.
Jordan Love, right, and Ronika Stone proudly display their love for Pizza Hut on Instagram.
Pizza Hut, which launched the promotion in June, is making The After Pizza Cake available for weddings in New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta this summer.
Subway is set to unveil an immersive pop-up experience on August 8 that will transform a Santa Monica, California, location into a “Happy Place” in collaboration with the newly released film “Happy Gilmore 2” starring Adam Sandler. Created in partnership with Netflix, Subway's Happy Place will let fans relive iconic scenes from the movie and play minigolf on a course inspired by the film.
Subway's "Happy Place" is a new pop-up experience for fans of "Happy Gilmore 2" that recreates the hero's surreal and serene dream world inside of a Subway restaurant in Santa Monica, California.
Subway, which is owned by Roark Capital and remains the largest sandwich chain the world by its number of locations, recently named former Burger King and Driven Brands executive Jonathan Fitzpatrick its new CEO.
Actor Gavin Casalegno is the latest celebrity to promote Dunkin’s new line of drinks. A video shows Casalegno by a swimming pool holding a Golden Hour Refresher, a lemonade drink mixed with mango-pineapple and strawberry-dragon fruit flavors. Casalegno, who plays a main character in the Amazon Prime series “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” is declared the “King of Summer” in the video.
Dunkin’ has been leveraging celebrities to promote its menu items this year, including TV personality and podcaster Paige DeSorbo, who was tapped in April to promote its Pink Spritz Refresher, and Grammy-winning singer Sabrina Carpenter. Last summer Dunkin’ also launched an ad campaign with celebrities including Will Arnett, Corporate Natalie, Joey Fatone, A.J. McLean, Nick DiGiovanni, Yoon Ahn, SypherPX and Maia Reficco to promote its iced beverages.
Checkers & Rally's introduced a GloRilla's $4 Unbeatable Meal Deal that’s named after the Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist and former Checkers employee. GloRilla, who was born Gloria Hallelujah Woods, once worked at a Checkers in Memphis, famously telling coworkers, “One day I'm going to be famous.” Based in Tampa, Florida and owned by Oak Hill Partners, Checkers Drive-In Restaurants has nearly 750 locations.
Wendy’s is partnering with the Netflix show “Wednesday” to debut a new “Meal of Misfortune” on August 4 that includes a Raven’s Blood Frosty and four “Dips of Dread” sauces. The Dublin, Ohio-based burger brand said the meal also includes 10-piece chicken nuggets, small fries and custom packaging. Customers can order the meal at U.S. restaurants via the smartphone app. Season 2 of the show will debut on Netflix on August 6. Founded in 1969, Wendy’s has more than 7,000 global locations.
IHOP is giving away free tastes of its $100 Luxe Dubai Chocolate pancakes at select locations in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, on August 4. The company said it’s cooking 25 stacks of the buttermilk flavored pancakes that are infused with Dubai Chocolate flavors, including pistachio, hazelnut and kadaifi, a shredded phyllo dough, and topped with pricey perks like a massive Dubai Chocolate bar, Madagascar vanilla-infused whipped cream and a shaving of edible 24-karat gold flakes that’s valued at roughly $3,000 an ounce.