Book excerpt: This book is the only up-to-date book of its kind that will provide an introduction to franchising, its pros and cons, and other aspects pertinent to restaurant franchises. It is the only guide to franchising written exclusively for food service professionals and is an indispensable resource for anyone wishing to break into one of today’s most dynamic service industries. Since the late 1800s, when the idea was first conceived, the restaurant franchise has become a worldwide phenomenon. Opportunities abound for restaurateurs and food service professionals with the know-how to dive into and stay afloat in the growing, ever-changing sea of franchise operations. With the help of vignettes and case histories, this completely updated new edition to Restaurant Franchising explains operate a successful franchise, from developing a winning franchise concept to demystifying the legal intricacies of franchise agreements. Topics include: What is franchising? Franchising pros and cons Selecting the franchise that fits your style and goals Finding financial backing Understanding franchise agreements State franchise rules and regulations Developing healthy franchisor/franchisee relationships International franchising Unconventional franchises This book is suitable for classroom use, and an accompanying online instructor’s manual is available as a teaching resource for instructors. It includes a template of a syllabus to fit one semester within an academic calendar, and each chapter’s contents are highlighted starting with the chapter’s objectives. Objectives are designed so that after reading and studying each chapter, the student should be able to complete specific knowledge components. Key teaching elements and points are listed for each chapter, with special emphasis on definitions and terminology. References and other sources for further information are also provided. At the end of each chapter within this book, there is a case study, for which discussion questions are listed. Possible topics for class assignments and field studies are suggested in the instructor’s manual. In addition, almost 200 PowerPoint slides are provided for each chapter. Overall this manual is designed to provide teaching aids that will help in making lectures a more productive, interactive, and interesting learning experience for students. Readers will get practical, first-hand information that will be extremely useful to hospitality academicians and students, as well as corporations that are franchisors and other related restaurant corporations. It will be a valuable book for entrepreneurs and those interested in owning a franchise.