The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) includes a $28.6 billion subsidy for eligible restaurants. Termed the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), these funds are intended to help eligible restaurants offset revenue...more
Franchisors renewing their Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD) for 2020 with the intent of actively resuming franchise sales activity may be wrestling with how best to disclose the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on their...more
Many franchisors and franchisees operate for tax purposes in pass-through entities (LLCs, S corporations, partnerships, and entities that are disregarded for tax purposes). The owners of pass-through entities pay tax at...more
Readers may remember the book and movie The Perfect Storm in which a confluence of dynamic weather events produces a monstrous Atlantic storm that sinks a fishing boat and causes other havoc on the high seas....more
Private equity-owned franchise systems are flourishing. Private equity firms are attracted to a franchisor's continuous royalty stream; an organizational structure where the franchisees' drive to succeed aligns substantially...more
In a prior article published in Franchising Today, we addressed the intersection of franchises and crowdfunding, a method of business financing which was made legal through rulemaking on the part of the Securities and...more
On November 22, 2016, the Small Business Administration released SOP 50 10 5(I) (the "SOP"), which is administrative speak for new standard operating procedures affecting loans to businesses involved in franchising. The...more
The National Labor Relations Board Office of Public Affairs announced on July 29, 2014 that the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has authorized complaints against McDonalds, USA, LLC (McDonald's) and...more