The first step in creating or renegotiating a supply chain is understanding its component parts, and the roles each part plays: Producers, Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers, and Consumers. These roles are not exclusive. For instance, the producer of a raw good, such as milk or software code, may also be the manufacturer of the finished good
Online Reviews – Best Practices for Dealing with Yelp from Yelp!
The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association provides many benefits to its hospitality industry members. One of those benefits is access to its interesting and useful webinar series. This month’s webinar “Five Star State of Mind: Handling Online Reviews” was presented by Ali Schwartz of Yelp. Unlike Yelp’s sales team, Ali is a
Dinner on Demand: Franchising and Meal Prep Delivery
A meal kit contains the ingredients necessary to prepare a meal, and many are intended to be balanced and healthy. Meal kits are being marketed for all occasions to provide freshly prepared meal options. Kits answer not only the question of “What is for dinner,” but also, “Do I have everything I need?” These kits
Updates From the Franchise Times Finance and Growth Conference!
I recently attended the annual Franchise Times Finance and Growth Conference in Las Vegas. In addition to hearing dozens of emerging and established brands pitch their systems, one of the highlights of the Conference is certainly the Deal Makers Gala Awards Luncheon. This is where the Franchise Times recognizes those deals which “drive the
Durational Residency Requirements for Liquor Licensees: Closing Time?
Today, we welcome guest author Elizabeth G. Hodgson from our Exton, PA office. Elizabeth represents clients in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, Pennsylvania liquor licensing, startup and growth stage companies, hospitality, real estate, technology and financial services. Today, she describes how an upcoming ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court could impact the
Franchising in the Smart Home Era
In the near future, customers will likely be ordering their fast food through their smart home devices, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home. Gary Vaynerchuk, chairman of VaynerX, a modern-day media and communications holding company, gave this prediction at the International Franchising Association Convention in February 2019. Lawyers need to be prepared for
Employers Beware: ICE Is Ramping Up I-9 Audits to Record Levels
On Fox’s Immigration View blog, my partner Alka Bahal provides a detailed exploration of the I-9 inspection process, in the wake of a recent surge in I-9 audits carried out by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. All employers in the United States are required to have a Form I-9 on file for
Will a GrubHub Restaurant Take Over a Neighborhood Near You?
Each year in Washington D.C., the IFA joins forces with the International Bar Association’s Franchising Committee (IBA) to hold the IBA/IFA Joint Conference immediately after the IFA Legal Symposium. This was my first year attending. As our international franchise practice grows, I found it a rewarding opportunity to educate myself about the latest issues facing
National Restaurant Association Releases New Cybersecurity Guide
The National Restaurant Association recently released a new guide for restaurant operators looking for more information on how to increase their cybersecurity efforts.
In 2015, the National Restaurant Association released its first manual for restaurant owners called “Cybersecurity 101: A Toolkit for Restaurant Operators” [PDF] which outlined best practices on five core areas
No-Hire and No-Solicit Covenants Could be Overcooked
Many franchise agreements contain a provision that restricts a franchisee from hiring or soliciting the employees of the franchisor or other franchisees. A class action lawsuit that was recently filed in the Eastern District of Texas could require removal of this type of provision in the future. Though this suit is only at the initial