Food Service Franchise Research Articles

The Effect of Relationship Learning on Recontracting Intention in the Foodservice Franchise Industry

The Effect of Relationship Learning on Recontracting Intention in the Foodservice Franchise Industry

A Study on the Success Factors of the Foodservice Franchise Business

A Study on the Success Factors of the Foodservice Franchise Business

A Study on the Success Factors of the Foodservice Franchise Business

A Study on the Success Factors of the Foodservice Franchise Business

Genetically Modified Foods

ABSTRACT This study outlines the controversy surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how it impacts North American based food service companies' marketing policies. Recent developments have made foods derived from GMOs a strategic marketing challenge for food service franchise and chain operations. Headlines such as “Why McDonalds Pulled Frankenfries from Menus” have unwittingly put restaurants on the frontline of the battle over foods made from GMOs (Martin, 2000). A survey method was used to explore food service operations' views regarding consumer acceptance of GMOs, right to know issues (labeling) and the benefits of GMOs, as well as food service companies' strategic response to this emerging technology. Findings indicate that food service establishments were generally concerned about customer opinions and tend to prefer government mandated labeling of GMOs. They also tend to feel that GMOs offer potential benefits to their industry and that customer concerns may fade over time.

Evaluating Value Added Features of Foodservice Franchise Ownership

The franchisor-franchisee relationship represents a partnership conducted as a form of relational exchange. As such, the strengthening of the franchisor-franchisee relationship, such as through expansion of individual franchisees' businesses, involves a sharing of benefits and costs. Accordingly, of particular interest to franchise owners is the balance between the payments made to the franchisor (that is, franchisee costs) and the “value” (that is, franchisee benefits) received in return. Moreover, consistent with partnership theories, franchisees are expected to remain in the relationship as long as they perceive to receive adequate value for their contributions to the franchisor. Recognizing that franchisees' perceptions of value of services received versus payments made to the franchisor may change over time, it is important that franchisors effectively manage franchisee perceptions of the value received from the franchisor. Unfortunately, research on franchisees' perceptions of their franchisors is scant. As a first step to filling this gap in the understanding of franchisee-franchisor relationships, empirical research will examine whether franchisee perceptions of franchisor value change over time. In essence, it is the aim to answer the question, “Does the strength of perceptions of value assessment change over time?” More specifically, examination of single-unit and sequential multi-unit franchisees' perceptions of value received from the franchisor at the present time and compare these assessments to expectations for the future and to expectations they recall from their past.

Antitrust implications of food-service franchising agreements: Regulation of franchisors marketing practices

Franchisors that require their franchisees to purchase from the parent company certain “trademarked” products or equipment may, in fact, be in violation of antitrust law.