Good Morning Wolf Pack,

Today's newsletter covers Big Dave's Cheesesteaks locking up all of Washington D.C. as it transitions from regional favorite to national contender, Donatos Pizza making an aggressive push into Florida with up to 25 new locations planned, and Smashburger strengthening its executive team to accelerate franchise expansion across the country.

Enjoy!

Was this email forwarded to you?

Subscribe Here

FROM THE WOLF DEN

1) Big Dave's Cheesesteaks Lands All of Washington D.C. in Landmark Franchise Deal

Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, the Atlanta-born fast casual concept founded by Derrick Hayes in honor of his late father, has signed its first franchise agreement covering all of Washington D.C. The deal is being led by BIG DMV, a franchise entity made up of experienced D.C.-area restaurant operators.

The move marks a significant step in the brand's East Coast expansion strategy, following recent deals in Tampa and South Carolina. Chief Operating Officer Shawna Snyder has been the architect of the brand's disciplined growth push since stepping into the role, and the D.C. deal stands as one of her most visible wins to date.

Big Dave's has been on a tear — ranked No. 6 on Fast Casual's 2025 Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, with stadium deals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (NFL) and Kia Center (NBA) giving the brand millions of first-impression exposures annually. Washington, D.C. is one of the strongest restaurant markets on the East Coast, and locking up the entire district signals the brand isn't thinking small.

2) Donatos Pizza Targets Florida as Its Next Major Growth Market

Donatos Pizza, the Ohio-based premium pizza franchise known for its Edge to Edge toppings, is making Florida a priority market with up to 25 new locations planned over the next several years. A key opening in Panama City is set for later in 2026, with the brand actively targeting Southwest Florida, Central Florida, Northeast Florida, and the Panhandle.

The brand currently operates six Florida locations and is betting on Midwestern migration patterns to fuel demand. CEO Kevin King noted that Florida offers a rare combination of growth, brand familiarity from transplants, and available territory. The brand's development VP added that qualified franchise partners in Florida can now tap into a market where Donatos is already known but vastly underpenetrated.

Donatos and its franchise partners currently operate over 177 traditional stores, plus a presence in more than 250 non-traditional locations including select Red Robin restaurants. The Florida push reflects a broader strategy to accelerate outside its Midwest stronghold and build a national footprint.

3) Smashburger Adds Three Executives as Franchise Expansion Accelerates in 2026

Smashburger has named Kate Savelli as Chief Marketing Officer, Theresa Vitale as Director of Non-Traditional Franchise Development, and Jack Reed as VP of Western Operations, signaling a serious upgrade to its bench heading into what the brand expects to be a growth-heavy second half of 2026.

Savelli brings over 20 years of restaurant marketing experience and takes over brand, menu, and partnership strategy. Vitale, formerly of Inspire Brands and Caribou Coffee, will focus on growing the brand in non-traditional venues. Reed, with 25-plus years across Church's Chicken, Benihana, and Dunkin', adds operational horsepower for the Western U.S. push.

With up to 12 new openings planned for 2026 and a growing pipeline of franchise operators, Smashburger is positioning itself to take meaningful advantage of a fast casual landscape still ripe for a better-burger resurgence. CEO Jim Sullivan called the hires a direct investment in the brand's ability to "do more with more" as it grows.

EXTRA SAUCE 💥

Layne's Chicken Fingers awarded 50+ restaurants in Q1 2026 across six states The Texas-born chicken finger franchise kicked off its strongest quarter ever, signing multi-unit deals in California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and more — plus expansion agreements with existing owners in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and San Antonio.

Chicken Salad Chick posts record Q1 franchise growth, up nearly 50% year over year The fast casual chain awarded 52 new restaurants in the first quarter alone, its strongest development quarter ever, with new market entries including Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Upstate New York.

Firehouse Subs signs multi-unit franchise agreement to expand in San Antonio Entrepreneur William Ellis inked a deal to bring new Firehouse Subs locations to South Central Texas, with the first opening expected this summer as the brand pushes toward 130-plus Texas locations.

RNR Tire Express signs franchise deal to enter Massachusetts for the first time Local operator Matthew Rossini will open the brand's first Bay State location this summer, continuing RNR's New England expansion strategy under DX3 Brands CEO Adam Sutton.

Sparkle Grooming Co. announces major expansion across Tennessee The wellness-focused dog grooming franchise is entering Tennessee through operators Heath Johnson and Mike Darsch, who will target Nashville first with an opening planned for Q1 2027.

Home Franchise Concepts taps industry veteran Josh Barker as chief development officer Barker brings leadership experience from Unleashed Brands, Neighborly, and Christian Brothers Automotive to the home services platform as it looks to accelerate recruitment and franchisee development across its brand portfolio.

Tint World strengthens leadership team with two key hires to support domestic and international growth The automotive styling franchise named Victoria Coia as Director of Business Development and Kevin Murray as VP of Real Estate and Construction, adding bench strength as the brand builds out its development pipeline on both sides of the border.

Celebree School adds 3-unit agreement in Philadelphia, bringing regional pipeline to 19 schools The early childhood education franchise is accelerating its Northeast footprint with 10 franchisees now developing locations across the greater Philadelphia market.

Heart to Home Meals signs its fourth U.S. franchise deal in Durham, North Carolina The senior-focused meal delivery franchise is deepening its Research Triangle footprint with its second North Carolina agreement, backed by parent company apetito's $1B+ global operation, as demand for in-home senior services continues to accelerate.

Project LeanNation surpasses 100 locations open and in development The personalized nutrition and prepared meals franchise hit the milestone alongside signing several new development deals bringing the brand into three additional U.S. markets.

Batteries Plus strengthens franchise development team with two key appointments The battery and power solutions retailer named Rick Schanz as Franchise Development Manager of Resales/Conversions and promoted Scott Buchalter to Senior Director of Franchise Relations, signaling continued investment in scaling its franchise system through 2026.

Crunch Fitness franchisee announces $12M, 36,000 sq. ft. gym coming to Fort Worth CR Fitness Holdings, already operating 12 Crunch locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is opening its latest Crunch 3.0 location in Saginaw by year-end, on track to hit 18 total DFW gyms in 2026.

WOLF BITES

• New pill nearly doubles survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer patients in landmark trial 💊

• SpaceX trims its IPO valuation target to $1.8 trillion ahead of its roadshow 🚀

• Google wants to release more than 30 million mosquitoes across CA and FL 🦟

• Nvidia unveils RTX Spark, its first-ever PC chip, calling it "as big a deal as the smartphone" 💻

• Anthropic files to go public 👀

• Malaysia bans social media accounts for children under 16  🚫

• Factories face soaring costs as Iran war causes supply shocks 📈

That’s it for this edition of The Wolf Report. Feel free to reply with any questions or feedback. Thanks and see you Thursday!

— The Wolf