Free tickets for Propel’s US Restaurant Franchise Forum: Propel has partnered with World Franchise Associates to launch the US Restaurant Franchise Forum – and is offering 40 free tickets to our Propel Multi Club attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. The event, which takes place on Friday, 28 April at One Moorgate Place in London, will see leading US operators present to their UK counterparts about franchise opportunities in Britain. The first five high-profile US foodservice franchisors to present at the event have been confirmed as:

Panda Express: Panda Express is the largest Chinese quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain in the US, with 1,800 sites. It was founded by the Cherng family, who opened the first full-service restaurant, Panda Inn, in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Panda Express now has more than 1,900 restaurants in eight countries and territories worldwide, with US average sales more than $1.6m per site. Ranked third in Restaurant Business’ 2016 Top 500 Fast Casual Chains, Panda Express is inviting applications for multi-unit regional franchise operators in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Little Caesars: Little Caesars is the third-largest pizza QSR restaurant chain in the US, with 4,250 sites. The first Little Caesars restaurant opened in the US in 1959 as a family owned and managed business. Today, it is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with locations in all 50 US states and 20 countries and territories worldwide. In the US, it has been named “best value” among QSR chains in America for nine years running. Little Caesars has opened stores in Turkey, where the brand is enjoying great success and is looking for franchisees (multi-unit regional operators) who would like to introduce the brand in the British and Irish markets. Little Caesars is also open to the possibility of conversion of local pizzerias or other restaurant concepts already operating in the market.

Wingstop: Wingstop is the fastest-growing US QSR chicken brand, with 1,000 sites. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop operates and franchises more than 1,000 restaurants across the US, Mexico, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, and United Arab Emirates. The menu features classic and boneless wings with more than ten bold, distinctive flavours – wings are always cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed and served with a variety of house-made sides including seasoned fries. Having grown its domestic like-for-like sales for 13 consecutive years, the company ranked third in the Top 100 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains by Nation’s Restaurant News (2016), seventh in the Top 40 Fast Casual Chains by Restaurant Business (2016), and was named “best franchise deal in North America” by QSR magazine in 2014. Wingstop was ranked 88th in Fortune’s 100 Best Medium Workplaces list in October 2016.

Wienerschnitzel: Wienerschnitzel is the largest hotdog QSR brand in the US, with 350 locations. Wienerschnitzel sites are predominantly in California and Texas, although there are others in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Washington. Wienerschnitzel was founded by former Taco Bell employee John Galardi in 1961. This location, still operating today, was a hotdog stand at 900 West Pacific Coast Highway in the Los Angeles community of Wilmington.

Chutney’s Indian Grill: Chutney’s Indian Grill is a fast-emerging Indian QSR/fast-casual brand. It was created to offer diners the opportunity to enjoy fresh, built-to-order, healthy Indian street food. Featuring fresh ingredients and hand-made food, guests are able to “enjoy a healthier, fresher option to traditional Indian food”. Chutney’s has a single location, with two in development. The second is slated to open in 2017 and the third in 2018. Franchise development is currently under way, with inquiries coming from across North America.