Expansion News--Burger King, Celsius Franchising, Del Taco, Frozen Desserts Systems <b></b>
Miami-Burger King purchased 30 restaurants fromfranchisee Nath Franchising Group as part of an effort to increasethe chain's overall profitability. When the company owns theeateries, all profits go straight to the bottom line. By contrast,Burger King only receives a limited royalty stream when arestaurant is owned by a franchisee. Currently Burger King owns 9percent of its restaurants worldwide, compared with the 30 percentof McDonald's restaurants that are company-owned.-Miami Herald
Kansas City, Missouri-Celsius Franchising Inc. andWal-Mart have signed an agreement giving the tanning franchiseexclusive rights to open salons in Wal-Mart's Supercentersnationwide. Celsius plans to open salons in Wal-Marts within ayear. -The Business Journal of Kansas City
Laguna Hills, California-Del Taco has completed adevelopment agreement with Arizona Del to build six new restaurantsin Phoenix. Del Taco opened its first Arizona restaurant in 1999and currently has 19 locations in the state. -DelTaco
Bensalem, Pennsylvania-Frozen Dessert Systems Inc.,parent company of Joe's Water Ice and Petrucci's Ice Cream,is beginning West Coast operations with the opening of its neweststore in Garden Grove, California. With their first Californiafranchise, Frozen Desserts Systems hopes to cultivate the WestCoast market and will use the Garden Grove location as a base ofoperations in the West. Additional stores are scheduled to open inthe next year. -Prescott/Levinson Public Relations