#Burger-Franchising-Business

[jumboking-burger]

Guidelines for Selecting the Right Franchise in India

Investing in a franchise in India is a big decision and therefore demands a lot of patience, homework and time. These are some of the important tips that might help you in choosing the the right franchise for yourself: 

1. Know Your Hobbies And Competencies 

Pick a franchise from an industry you love, be it food, retailing, education or fitness. Alternatively, if you are in the food industry, you may want to invest in the number one hamburger franchise in India as this industry is also proving to be more popular now. 

2. Know the Trends and the Sector 

Identify sectors that are constantly on the rise in India: fast food outlets such as QSR or quick services are amongst the highly demanded burger suppliers in India. Determine whether people in your target territory require the products or services offered by the brand. Find out if there is justification in conducting such a need in the given area through local studies or research articles.  

3. Consider the Franchise Brand 

Select a franchise that has a strong and reputable brand. For instance, a reliable India-based fast food franchise was named as one of the leading Smiths.

4. Evaluate the Financial Commitment

Consider the overall cost of the business model starting with the franchise fee, setup and the royalties with working capital. A number of famous burger franchises in India also allow for a phased-in investment based on the available resources. Thereafter estimate the possible return on investment together with the payback duration. Make sure the investment opportunity corresponds with your expectations.

5. Evaluate the Franchisor Assistance

Check if the franchisor is able to offer the requisite training, support and shares marketing resources. Many popular brands of burgers in India provide a wide range of course support aswell to help their franchisee. Make sure that there is an adequate distribution system and raw materials to ensure the right grade and supply standards on each batch.

6. Site Potential

Confirm that the franchisor pays attention in selecting the sites and also participates in conducting such evaluation. Some of the best burger franchises in India have their sites at malls and transit places to take advantage of the larger volume.

7. Who are the Customers

Examine if the line of the products offered by the franchise is suitable for the spending and eating habits of the residents of the area. For example, a burger chain in India may appeal to teenagers and other customers who just want quick service and low-priced meals.

8. Connect With the Franchisees in the Region

Interact with existing franchisees to know their side of the story, what they faced, and how much profit they reaped. Their opinion can help in cutting through the operational haze of the brand.

Keeping these factors in mind, you can unequivocally pick the right franchise in India that suits your capabilities and ambitions. Be it a burger company in India or any other sector, these tips will help you start a profitable business venture.

[sammydem0n64]

I need to study but I keep getting hit with oc visions. Crimson we are really in it now

[sonik69287]

Burger King Franchise Cost, Profit & How to Apply?

Burger King Franchise: Find Business Opportunity. Known as one of the best fast-food brands, Burger King offers one of the most lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs within India's fast-moving restaurant (QSR) market. 

Right from its signature sandwich-the Whopper-to customer-friendly services, Burger King franchises cost in India ensure both excellent profit-generating potential and comprehensive support from the brand.

In this article, we’ll explore why Burger King is a smart franchise choice, the costs involved, its profitability, and how to apply, along with career opportunities for job seekers.

Why Consider a Burger King Franchise Cost in India?

1. Global Recognition

Burger King’s brand reputation is unparalleled. Operating in over 100 countries, it enjoys a strong customer base and instant recognition, giving franchise owners an immediate edge.

2. Growing Fast-Food Market in India

The QSR sector in India is witnessing explosive growth, which is largely driven by urbanization, changes in lifestyle, and a growing preference for affordable dining. Burger King is positioned to seize this opportunity.

3. Extensive Support System

Burger King offers comprehensive support to the franchisees, which includes:

Training programs for the owner and the staff.

Marketing drive for customers.

Assistance in setting up and managing outlets. 

4. High Customer Retention

Through proper pricing strategies and quality products, Burger King ensures customer return, and this forms a stable revenue-generating machine for the franchisee operators.

Burger King Franchise Cost in India:

 Brief Overview

Initial Investment

The starting investment to establish a Burger King franchise is determined by the format of the outlet. .

Franchise Fee: ₹ 2.5-4 crores

Setup: ₹1-2 crores for all equipment, interior design, and branding.

Monthly Operating Costs

Manpower: Managers and kitchen help

Inventory: Fresh produce and packaging material.

Utilities: Electricity, water, and other operational expenses.

Royalty Fees: 4–5% of monthly sales paid to Burger King.

Pro Tip: First-time franchise holders should select the smaller format, kiosk, which would help save a lot of money but ensure a steady income.

Profitability of a Burger King Franchise

Revenue Expectations

Average monthly revenue for different types of outlet is as follows

Kiosk Format: ₹5–8 lakhs per month.

Dine-In Outlet: ₹8–15 lakhs per month.

Drive-Thru: ₹15–25 lakhs per month.

Profit Margins

Once the monthly expenses are covered, 15–20% profit margin is expected for a franchisee.

Break-Even Point

Most of the franchisees pay back the initial investment within 2–3 years. However, this completely depends on the location and sales volume.

Tip: A location with high footfall like a shopping mall or a busy commercial zone improves profitability manifold.

How to Apply for a Burger King Franchise Cost in India

Step 1: Research & Inquiry

Start by visiting Burger King India’s official website and filling out the franchise inquiry form. This helps the brand understand your location preferences and financial capabilities.

Step 2: Eligibility Assessment

Burger King evaluates potential franchisees based on financial stability, business acumen, and operational readiness.

Step 3: Signing the Agreement

Once approved, you’ll sign a detailed franchise agreement that outlines the terms of the partnership, including fees and operational standards.

Step 4: Training & Outlet Setup

Burger King gives comprehensive training to the franchisee and his employees along with orientation about outlet opening.

Pro Tip: A holistic business plan showing research conducted and financial planning can be used as a supporting document for your application.

What Makes Burger King a Unique Business Opportunity?

1. Innuovative Menu

Burger King continually modifies its menu to suit customers' diverse tastes and sustains customer interest.

2. Effective Marketing

Burger King balances global campaigns with localized promotions, enabling franchisees to attract and retain customers.

3. Harnessing Technology

The brand uses online ordering systems and delivery partnerships to tap the growing e-commerce market.

Pro Tip: Use Burger King's digital platforms to interact with customers and increase sales on the Internet.

Jobs for Job Application at Burger King

Technical Jobs

Operations management.

Supply chain management.

Quality assurance personnel.

Non-Technical Jobs

Preparation of food staff.

Customer service managers for in-house and home delivery.

Delivery boy.

Pro Tip: Job applicants can visit the careers portal at Burger King to find available jobs to apply for. Demonstrating flexibility and a willingness to learn, and adapting to different positions available, can increase the chances of hiring more job applicants.

Conclusion

Burger King is not just any fast-food powerhouse but also an entryway to entrepreneurial success and career growth. Whether a tourist seeking a profitable franchise or an employee who aims to be part of one of the most recognized brands in the world, Burger King has something for everyone.

Take the first step toward owning your very own Burger King franchise cost in India or landing a job with this iconic brand today!

[dailyadventureprompts]

Expanded universes really are the final frontier of franchise based storytelling aren't they? The ultimate sign that the brand managers have finally squeezed out the artists and twisted things into a state of maximum profitability.

Crossovers and callbacks can be fun, continuous crossovers and callbacks make the story into a slurry. Canon and what if's and reboots all ground up and served in a trough for the undiscerning consumer to mire in. It's bland, it's exhausting, it's pointless.

Big companies and studios are risk averse, and the profit seeking wisdom steers them away from niche works of art and towards wide appeal content. Why risk money on a movie/game that only a fraction of people will love when you can spread that engagement out across a dozen different products that are just good enough to keep people invested in your extended universe, whether from genuine fandom or just cultural fomo?

Marvel feels ubiquitous as Kleenex doesn't it? It's always there in the movie theatre/store, slightly cheaper offbrands right beside it. While individual works within the marvel universe might be genuinely good in their own right their quality is secondary to their purpose in perpetuating the brand and keeping it relevant.

People like familiarity, and if it's a safe bet for you as a consumer to have a pretty okay time in exchange for your hardearned dollars then it's a safe bet for the investors to receive their quarterly returns. It's no mistake that Disney, the company that owns Marvel does most of its business in theme parks: entertainment on an industrial scale. Just like their movies the rides are made to give you and everyone else who bought a ticket a scientifically optimized amount of fun and then move you along so that that the next batch of riders can have an identical experience.

It's value production as efficient as an assembly line or slaughter house, completely atomized and divested of any trace of the individual for the sake of maximum profitability. The figured out a way to sell you your own fandoms like they sell you happymeals, endless iterations of a product just this side of bad but convenient enough that you never need to go without.

I don't blame anyone for liking things, just like I don't blame people for wanting a quick burger in the middle of a long day. Our minds need entertainment just like our body needs calories, and profit seeking conglomerates exploit that need as they always have. What irks me is the fact that even outside of the commercials I feel like I am being sold something, like the movies and games I actually enjoy are being supplanted by feature length billboards that only serve to advertise the next instalment. The desire to find out what happens next is a powerful thing in media, and that desire is being exploited by expanded universes the same way it's exploited by DLC that contains the "true ending".

You can tell it isn't sustainable.. McDonald's is so inflated in price it's competing with actual restaurants, the gaming Industry guts itself with layoffs every quarter, and Disney's competitors are producing entire movies and tv shows only to destroy them for tax befits. The cracks have been showing for a while but I have no idea what shape the landscape is going to take after the dam gives.

[veryinnovative]

@jegulus-microfic | january 2, prompt: fire | word count: 1.575 featuring older ceo regulus black and younger intern james potter

“A truffle wagyu burger with hand-cut fries? What does that even fucking mean?!” James shouts into the receiver as he winds through the busy masses of bodies crossing the roads, the traffic light across blinking for him to hurry. “Can’t I pick up something for him from Burger King or something? You know, like a normal human being?” 

On the other end of the line, Barty snorts a derisive sound. “Yeah, you try feeding him cheap chain franchise slob and see how that plays out for you. The fucker thinks Versace is a low-class brand, James. He probably doesn’t even know what the inside of a Burger King looks like. Besides, that place is fire. They have good shit.”

Groaning, James picks up the speed and sets out for a sprint, having missed the bus to Howick and resorted to the most reliable way of transport—his two sets of healthy, always moderately trained legs. 

“Are you running? You better not be fucking running, Potter. You’re going to come back all sweaty and with creases in your cheap-ass button-up and then I’m going to be the one getting shit for not driving you and ruining the image of Regulus Black’s executive assistant—”

“Suck a dick, Barty,” James bites back after barely evading a car, its tires screeching at him in warning. He throws the driver an apologetic smile.

“I’m serious. You meal-prepped, Potter! Asked where the fucking office microwave is, are you out of your mind? Lunch is on company credit, for fuck’s sake. You’ve got an image to uphold now you’re working for Black Enterprises!”

“The cafeteria is too rich for my taste. Besides, I like meal-prepping. It’s calming.”

“Your fucking tuna stinks up the place.”

“Maybe that’s just your big bullshitting mouth.”

“Listen here, you piece of—”

“Oops, entering a tunnel, hear that?” James cups a hand over the receiver and makes a low, grating sound—mimicking the static rasp of a bad cellular connection. “See you!”

He tucks away the phone before entering Beauxbatons, the restaurant Barty had told him to go to because Regulus was craving his guilty snack, which, to James, sounded like an item right off a witch’s menu. Then again, he was a poor twenty-three-year-old who had just had a gap year fresh out of university, lived in a run-down apartment tucked in Southern London, and knew nothing of the expensive tastes a man like Regulus Black possessed. Thirty-something years old and not a single skin blemish. Must be all the fucking truffle and caviar and whatever Boiron guava puree he eats.

“Welcome,” one of the employees asks. Of course, all of the staff are also wearing pristine clothes and have perfectly sleeked-back hair.

“Hi,” James answers, now all too conscious of the developing sweat marks below his armpits and the dampness cooling on his back. “I’m, uh, here to pick up lunch? Sorry, I forgot my order so let me have a peek at my messages…”

The employee blinks like James has grown a second head. “Take-away? Sir, this is a dine-in restaurant.”

Good thing James has come prepared. He shuffles through the contents of his bag, phone in the other hand and tip of his tongue peeking out in full concentration. “Oh, that’s alright. I brought something to carry it with me. I also got some Tupperware if you don’t mind rinsing it beforehand.”

“No, sir, it’s not a matter of containers,” the employee starts, her lips pursed into a tight line. “We don’t do takeaways.”

James stops and frowns, bag half slung over his shoulder. “Isn’t this Beauxbatons?”

“It is.”

“My boss sometimes has people pick up his lunch here.”

“You must be mistaken… We do not lend any type of service like that.”

James sighs. Great. Amazing. Just what he needed. “Right. Do you mind if I make a call? I’m sorry, there must have been a mistake then.”

The employee, undoubtedly taking pity on him and his disorderly state that suggests he’s been running the past ten minutes, nods. “Of course.”

Heaving a sigh, James scrolls through his contact list and taps on ‘Regulus’, never mind that he has been firmly instructed to only call him during emergencies. But considering the sort of day he’s been having, he considers this one.

Regulus picks up after the third ring. “Potter?”

It’s been two weeks and he still won’t fucking call him by his name, going off on tangents about formal office conduct and etiquette. Potter this, Potter that, bridling when he’s called by his first name for a change in an environment that would kiss the soles of his feet if he’d ask. “Hi, I’m at the place you sent me the address of but they don’t do takeaways so I wanted to know what you want to eat. You cool with Wagamama?”

There’s a pregnant pause—all too telling of how Regulus is probably taking a deep breath and doing the thing where he either pinches the bridge of his nose or rubs his eyebrows. “Have you mentioned the takeaway is for me?”

“No, I haven’t.” What difference would it make, James wants to ask. But in a world where Regulus Black is pretty much revered, he is confident it would make a little difference at least.

“Do that, Potter.”

James rolls his eyes before returning his attention to the employee. “He wants you to know his name is Regulus, by the way.”

Her eyes widen. “Reg—Do you mean Mr. Black?”

James clicks his tongue. “That the one.” The employee doesn’t look convinced and James holds up his hand just above his chest. “About this tall? Curly black hair? Probably in one of today’s morning tabloids, not hard to miss. I could put him on speaker if you’d like?”

There’s the frantic wave of her hands, head shaking vigorously. “Oh! You should have told me from the start, Sir. Please, what would Mr. Black like to eat for lunch? I—I’m sorry. We are very exclusive in our service and are most honored Mr. Black has once again chosen our humble establishment—”

“Just,” James sighs, skimming over the menu laminated standing on an easel by the entrance, not possessing the energy to listen to someone go off on tangents about his boss again. Not like he does so internally at night, anyway. Absolutely not. “A truffle wagyu burger with hand-cut fries.”

“Not fries, a salad—” Regulus reminds him over the phone, but James has decided that he will just about eat whatever James decides on.

“Potter—” Regulus tries again and James flat-out hushes him. To his surprise, Regulus actually shuts up.

The employee nods, over-excited. “Oh, of course, an excellent choice. How would Mr. Black like it to be cooked?”

James shrugs. “I don’t know, on a grill?”

There’s a faint garbled noise coming from Regulus that James will definitely tuck away in his memory.

But the employee is too thrilled to be serving someone as pompous as Regulus to notice the lack of culinary terminology James possesses. “Oh, I meant the cook of the meat!”

“The cook of the meat?” James repeats. “I don’t know, whoever is on shift? Regulus, who do you want to cook your burger?”

The employee makes a high-pitched sound at the same Regulus sighs in a very exaggerated, exhausted manner. “Just tell them medium rare.”

“Medium? What is this, a video game difficulty?”

“Medium rare!” the employee chirps, her smile wry. Strands of hair stick out of the previously perfectly pulled-back bun like the situation has created plenty of static to dishevel her updo. “One medium rare wagyu—”

“Don’t forget the fries,” James adds, unable to fight off the grin cleaving his face. This, he loves most—fucking with rich people. ‘Who do you want to cook your meat?’ he’s a genius for that one, an absolute innovative mastermind. Make him head of corporate next at this rate.

“You had to call me for this?” Regulus asks him as James watches the poor girl scurry off to the back, undoubtedly to ring in the order and gush about the perfect, rich, hot-looking Regulus Black on the phone by the restaurant’s hallway.

“It was an emergency. I get you the wrong order and you, I dunno, bite off my head like Miranda Priestly.”

“I don’t know a Miranda Priestly.”

“No? Shame. Would’ve loved her, a real feisty woman that one. She works in the fashion industry, though.”

“Potter.”

James tries not to bark out a laugh. He can’t help it, Regulus is just too easy. “Yeah, I’ll get you your overtly expensive A3-grade cut of meat that could pay for my weekly rent. Didn’t take you for the type of man to get burgers, by the way.”

“That’s why I’m asking employees of a lower tax bracket to pick them up for me.”

Okay, that’s kind of funny. Regulus Black can be fucking funny if he wants to, he just rarely chooses to. James barely masks his snort at it. “Got me there, boss.”

“Get a cab back to the office. And stop calling me boss.”

“My bad, Sir,” James drawls, knowing that Regulus reacts particularly well to this specific formality. 

A second of silence that stretches on for a little too long. James clears his throat, wondering if the line cut off. “Regu—”

“See you soon, Potter,” Regulus speaks, faster than usual, almost like he’s flustered, and with a strange pitch to his words before he hangs up.

[raatart]

a complete boycott list in alphabetical order

a complete list of companies / brands / franchises to boycott in support of palestine that i have been working on putting together for a while now.

remember to support your local businesses

stand with palestine against genocide

(Food & Beverages)

A

Activia

Acqua Panna

Akmina

Absolute Vodka

Algida

A&W

Aquafina

Alpro

Actimel

B

Burger King

Baskin Robbins

Ben & Jerry's

Bugles

Betty Crocker

Badoit

Becel

C

Coca Cola

Costa Coffee

Cadbury

Cheerios

Cheetos

Campbells

Calve

Cappy

Chiquita

D

Dominos

Dasani

Dunkin' Donuts

Doritos

Dr Pepper

Danone

Dolcela

Damla

Dogadan

E

Evian

Eden

F

Fanta

Frito-lay

Fruit by the Foot Roll Ups

Falim

Fresca

G

Gatorade

Greggs

H

Hardees

Haagen Dazs

Heinz Ketchup

Hershey's

Hard Rock Cafe

Heinz

I

Innocent

Israeli Fruits & Vegetables

J

Jacob's

Jaffa

K

KitKat

KFC

Kbueno

Kraft Mac & Cheese

Kellogg's

Kraft

L

Lipton

Lays

M

McDonald's

Mars

Marks & Spencers

Maggi

Marila

Monster

Mountain Dew

Mehadrin

Minute Maid

Milk Bar

M&M's

Magnum Ice Cream

Milka Chocolates

N

Nestle

Nestle Cereals

Nescafe

Nesquik

Nespresso

Nido

Nutella

Nature Valley

Nestle Milo

Nestle Carnation

Nestle Coffee Mate

Nestle Nestum

Nimbooz

Nestea

O

Orea

Original Shredded Wheat

P

Papa John's

Pepsi

Pringles

Pizza Hut

Perrier

Pillsbury

Popeyes

Pretty a Manager

Pure Life

Powerade

Popup Bagels

Q

Quality Street

Quaker

R

Redbull

Ruffles

S

Starbucks

Subway

Smartwater

Sweetgreen

Snickers

Sprite

Sabra

Sunkist

Strauss

Smarties

S.pellegrino

Schweppes

Sana

Sirma

Sara Lee

T

Toblerone

Tang

Twix

Tesco

Tropicana

U

V

Vittle

Volvic

W

Wall's

Walmart

Walkers

Wrigley's

X

Y

Z

7Up

(Clothing)

A

America Eagle

Adidas

Alo

Adina Eden Jewelry

B

C

Converse

Calvin Klein

Cat

Castro

D

Drew

Diesel

E

F

G

Good American

GAP

H

H&M

I

J

K

Kamili

L

Levi's

Lumberjack

M

Mango

N

Nike

O

Oasis

P

Puma

Q

R

River Island

S

Skims

Skinny Dip

St. Mark

Style Nadia

T

Timberland

U

V

Victoria's Secret

Vakko

W

We Wore That

Wyeth

X

Y

Z

Zara

(Beauty)

A

Aveda

Amika

Avon

Aussie

Aveeno

Always

Aesop

Ahava

B

Bobbi Brown

Blistex

Bath & Body Works

Britney Spears Fragrance

Becca

Biotherm

Beauty Blender

C

Clinique

Covergirl

Colgate

Calgon

Camay

CeraVe

Christina Aguilera Perfumes

Clean & Clear

Crest

CND

Cacharel

D

Dr. Jart+

Dove

Dettol

Darphin Paris

Dark & Lovely

E

Essie

Elidor

F

Fenty Beauty

Fair & Lovely

G

Garnier

Gillette

Glam Glow

H

Honest Beauty

Haci Sakir

Herbal Essences

Head & Shoulders

Hugo Boss

I

J

Jo Malone

Johnson & Johnsom

K

Kerastase

Kiehl's

Kylie Cosmetics

Kylie Skin

Kotex

L

L'Oreal

Lacome

La Roche-Posey

Lifebuoy

Lux

Lubiderm

M

Maybelline

MAC

Moroccan Oil

Maui

Matrix

Max Factor

N

Nyx

Neutrogena

Nivea

Nature's Beauty

Niely

O

Olay

Origins

Orkid

Oral-B

Oax

P

Pepsodent

Pantene

Q

R

Revlon

Rimmel

Rexona

Rhode

S

Summer Fridays

Schick

Smashbox

Sephora

Sensodyne

Skinceuticals

Skin Better Science

T

The Body Shop

Too Faced Cosmetics

The Ordinary

Tom Ford Beauty

Tampax

Takami

U

Urban Decay

Ulta Beauty

V

Vichy

Vaseline

Veet

W

X

Y

Yes to

Yuesai

Z

(Luxury)

A

B

C

Chanel

D

E

Estee Lauder

F

G

Georgio Armani

H

I

J

K

L

LVMH

Louis Vuitton

La Mer

Lavs

Le Labo

M

Mugler

Maison Margiela

N

O

P

Prada

Q

R

Raplh Lauren

S

T

Tiffany & Co.

Tom Ford

Tommy Hilfiger

U

V

Valentino

W

X

Y

Yves Saint Laurent

Z

(Tech & Entertainment)

A

Aol

Amazon

AirBnB

Apple

B

BBC

Buxton

Barbie

Booking.com

C

CNN

D

Disney+

Dell

E

Energizer

F

Ford

Fiverr

G

Galaxy

H

HP

Hyundai

Hulu

I

IBM

Intel

J

K

L

Lego

M

Motorola

Movenpick

Mattel

Microsoft

N

National Geographic

Nokia

Netflix

O

Oracle

Oxi

P

Philips

Q

R

Rolls Royce

S

Siemens

Sodastream

T

Toys R Us

U

V

Volvo

Valvoline

W

Wix

X

Y

Z

(Other)

A

Axa

Ariel

Aero

Ambi Pur

Airwick

Aroma

AVC

Amway

Ace Hardware

Andrex

American Express

B

Bounty

Black & Decker

Bonux

Bref

Braun

Benadryl

Band-aid

Barclays

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Better Help

C

Caltex

Chevron

Culligan

Citi Bank

Chicco

Cravola

Clearblue

Capital One

D

Dash

Drynites

Dosmestos

Doona

E

Expedia

F

Finish

Febreeze

Fixodent

Fairy

G

Goop

Gerber

Gys

H

HSBC

Huggies

Hayat

I

Imodium

J

JCB

K

Kimberly-Clark

Kleenex

L

Lion

Little Swimmers

Lenor

M

Mr Muscle

Minidou

Monsanto

N

Nicorette

O

Omo

P

Pampers

Purina Felix

Payoneer

Palmolive

Protex

Pull-ups

P&G

Prima

Pril

Paramount Pictures

Q

R

Rejoice

Rinso

Rogaine

S

Signal

Sensus

Sudafed

T

Tide

U

Unilever

Us Cellular

V

Vim

Vanish

Vicks

W

X

Y

Yumus

Z

(Places)

A

B

C

D

Disney

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

(People)

A

Ashley Tisdale

Amy Schumer

Andy Beshear

B

Bono

Ben Savage

Bella Thorne

Beyonce

C

Chris Evans

Claire Holt

Ciara

Chris Rock

Chris Pine

D

Demi Lovato

Dwayne Johnson

DJ Khaled

E

Eva Longoria

F

G

Gal Gadot

H

I

Ian Somerhalder

J

Jamie Lee Curtis

James Maslow

Justin Bieber

Jennifer Aniston

Jaclyn Hill

Jack Harlow

Jordan Peele

Joseph Quinn

Jack Black

K

Kylie Jenner

Kim Kardashian

Kris Jenner

Kerry Washington

Katie Perry

Karlie Kloss

Khloe Kardashian

Kat Graham

Kendall Jenner

Kourtney Kardashian

L

Lebron James

Lana Condor

Lana Del Rey

M

Millie Bobby Brown

Malala

Mindy Kaling

Mark Hamill

Madonna

N

NFL

Nina Dobrev

Natalie Portman

Nabela

Nicole Richie

Noah Schnapp

O

Octovia Spencer

P

Perez Hilton

Paul Wesley

Phoebe Tonkin

Pia Mia

P!nk

Q

R

Ronaldinho

Rihanna

S

Sofia Richie

Shaquir O'neal

Selena Gomez

T

Tara Strong

Taika Waititi

Taylor Swift

Tyler Perry

U

Usher

U2

V

Vanessa Hudgens

Viola Davis

W

X

Y

Z

[mmoxie]

Cheeseburger Cost Too Much: Take 2

AN: Americans explaining economic hardship: "Imagine a hamburger."

Summary: Employee wages can double and the price of a meal can be halved and the company still turns a profit. But you already knew that. This is about going insane with a calculator.

A double cheeseburger meal* costs between $9.00 and $13.00 depending on which restaurant you're at. *That's two patties, any toppings you want, medium fries and drink.

That's an absurd amount of money.

It costs on average $3.00 for all the ingredients if they're just bought at the grocery store and not in bulk, y'know like restaurants do.

Of course, restaurants have to make a profit and pay their employees. They also have to pay to ship their ingredients and pay for utilities. Some restaurants don't even own the building they run out of, and instead lease it for cheaper.

Let's do some experiments based on this under the cut:

Suppose you have a typical 2000sqft burger franchise. Your lease, shipping, and utilities come out to $3500 a month. You have six employees- four of them make $15/hr and work 20 hours a week, two of them make $17/hr and work 40 hours a week. You're open 7 days a week, and are closed on Christmas.

Let's pay those employees first and foremost: $1200 for the part-timers, $1360 for the full-timers.

So as soon as you open the doors in the morning, you need to be able to pay out $6060/mo.

==========

You are a very simple burger franchise, with a single menu item- the Double Cheeseburger Combo. Comes with lettuce, onion, pickle, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and mayo, atop two 1/8lb all-beef patties with two slices of American cheese. This is served with a side of fries and a 16oz fountain beverage. Like the combo, you get one. It's Coke.

You make the best burger in town, and average 100 customers a day.

Your combo costs $10.99. So you make $1,099/day.

Now let's factor in the cost of ingredients. At $3.00/combo, you're actually making $7.99/combo, or $799/day.

In a month, you make $23,790 from sales after the cost of ingredients. You pay your bills, and you have $17,730 left over. This is what corporate keeps.

Let's say business is steady for a year. Your franchise makes $212,760 for corporate.

You are one of 21,000 franchises worldwide. They all do exactly as good as you. Your corporation has amassed $4,467,960,000. For brevity's sake, we'll just say $4.47Bn.

You've made this amount after accounting for wages, utilities, shipping, and leasing. Let's say you get a Superbowl ad, and run a healthy ad campaign to promote your combo all year. I'll be generous and say that the regular ad campaign is the same price as the Superbowl ad- so you're out $14 million dollars. Taking you down to $4.45Bn.

You pay your CEO 24 million dollars as a bonus. You have $4.3Bn.

What's left here is called EBITDA- Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization.

Let's pay your taxes. It's about 23% of your income. $1,012,000,000. $1.01Bn- you have $3.44Bn left.

Throw all that in the bank. With a 7% interest rate, you'll have made an extra $241 million or so.

Leave it alone for five years, that's a cool billion you made doing nothing.

==========

I'm not gonna talk about stocks, shares, or "worth." This is about a sandwich and what it should cost. Suppose instead that it's $7.99. Let's see what happens to the company when I make it so!

You now make $499/day, $13,972/mo. Subtract your operating costs-you now earn $7,912/mo.

Every month. Every franchise. What has the company made after a year?

$1,993,824,000 - $1.99Bn.

Superbowl ad. Regular ad campaign. CEO bonus. Taxes. All at the same rate.

14 million dollars, 24 million dollars, and... 457.7 million dollars.

So what do we keep? $1,532,300,000. Or 1.53Bn.

So the company is still a billion dollar company. Just not a four billion dollar company. This is why I won't talk about stocks, shareholders, stuff like that- it's just scorekeeping. It's just making the number go up so that the fans at home can make a number go up for themselves- and it's all at the expense of the working poor.

You put 1.53Bn in the bank for 5 years at 7% interest, you're making 107 million additional dollars, by doing nothing.

After 10 years, that's a cool billion without any effort on your part.

==========

Let's see what we can do with just the interest.

107 million, split across 21,000 franchises, that's $509.50 you can pay out every year, to every franchise.

Doesn't sound like a lot, but two things- one, this is just interest, and two, you'd be surprised what a little pocket change can do for a restaurant. You can replace a heating element in a fryer. You can get the floors waxed. You can buy your staff concert tickets. If someone gets sick, you can help them out! On interest.

You haven't gone a penny under the 1.53Bn you put in the bank.

Suppose you did. Suppose you raised the minimum wage at all franchises to 20 dollars, with managers making 24 dollars.

$1600/mo for part-timers now, and $3840/mo for full-timers. You still have a staff of six and your shipping, utility, and lease haven't changed. Your new monthly total is $8940/mo.

And fuck it, a combo is $5.99 now. Ready for round 3?

$299/day -> $8970/mo.

Your franchise now makes 30 dollars a month for the company.

That's $630,000 a year when you multiply it across all franchises worldwide.

You can't pay your CEO a 24 million dollar bonus. You can't buy 14 million dollars worth of advertising. You make $44,100 a year in interest. You pay $144,900 in taxes.

You're a 486 thousand dollar company. You pay your CEO a 10,000 dollar bonus. You make it back fourfold in a year.

You can no longer give every store $509.50 extra a year. Heck, on the interest you're making, you can barely scratch $25 per store in terms of money you can give away every year. But that was always just bonus money. Playing with your interest.

You're half the size of McDonalds, feeding people all over the planet, reaching further than Burger King, and your company is valued at 413,000 times less than they are.

And you're still half a million dollars in profit that you don't have to spend on anything but paying your CEO- who makes $30 an hour, salaried to 45 hours a week. $64,800/yr for the special boy.

You've still got $420,000 in the bank, which, in a world where a combo meal costs $5.99, is the perfect amount.

This is as good as it gets in 2024. A time traveler from 1995 would laugh at us:

[lunarsilkscreen]

The Fast Food Wars

The movie; [Demolition Man] (1993) starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes introduced a bunch of ideas about how the future may look after cryogenically freezing some convicted felons for 30 years in order to rehabilitate them.

The most profound concept introduced was [The Fast Food Wars] and how Taco Bell became every restaurant.

We see this idea every once in a while when a chain makes it big; a Starbucks on every street corner, a Subway next to a Subway across the street from a Subway.

Earlier fast food chains like McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell were no different. Even Walmart experienced this at its birth.

However, it's rather important to look at this from an economic and business standpoint. [The Founder] (2016) a docudrama has a REALLY important quote.

"You're in the real estate business, not the burger business." -Roy Kroc

Fast Food conglomerates have since been buying up the most important pieces of real estate for many many years now... They are reaching a saturation point.

So what is the next step for fast food?

Do you remember Red Lobster? Have you been to Olive Garden? Outback Steakhouse? Any kind of restaurant like this is considered a franchised "Sit-down" restaurant.

And to many who can't afford much, it is a fancy experience you dress up for. While to many; it's just another restaurant chain, not "fancy" at all.

To children, Fast Food is often a treat, until they turn 18, get a car, and have it every day for a year and release it's not that great.

But these concepts remain; [Fast Food] business is about land ownership and franchising. Keep the most profitable restaurants, while pairing the least profitable ones. Retaining the most lucrative real estate with the most foot traffic.

If we were talking about a small dense city; this would serve to increase prices across the board. Because they own the most demanding real estate.

And, as we've seen in recent years; that is exactly the case. Fast Food is starting a change; they're moving from cheap, affordable, and ubiquitous--to a more "experience" oriented business model.

They have the real estate, they can do it.

These conglomerations will seek to dethrone those "Fancy" restaurants of their titles, and eventually overtake that aesthetic. And Fast Food will shed itself of the "Fast Food" moniker.

I'm not ready to treat KFC like benihana...

What this means is a gentrification around franchises, across the U.S. and even the world can be measured by this model tracking [Fast Food] restaurant behaviors.

What it also means is that there is an opening for a [Fast Food] enterprise to replace those that are making themselves more expensive.

Unless... As in the movie Demolition Man; "All restaurants are Taco Bells."

From the cheap to the most expensive, all are owned by yum brands, and there are simply cheap restaurants and expensive restaurants.

Like the difference between silver, gold, and platinum packages on your hotel stay.

Unfortunately; this opens a concern to National Security and Federal Monopoly Laws.

As the feda are won't to do anything about such matters; who knows how it'll eventually play out.

[stvrchaser]

omg omg omg ur such a lifesaver w ur requests for jay kelso being open! but how about going to the drive in movie with jay!! maybe a lil kissing here and there 🤭 n e ways i appreciate all your work! <3

drive-in

( note ) : ahh!! i loved this prompt sm. it gave me an excuse to write teeth-rotting fluff and temporarily retreat to a fandom i abandoned a while ago. the it miniseries had two episodes (I think??) and idk if drive-ins usually show series. if not, let’s say they do for plot purposes. the two episodes are like 3hrs total anyway so it’s a somewhat passable movie length. i just wanted to include a horror movie moment (because jay canonically gets scared easily and i couldn’t not use that to my advantage)… so here we are. have fun!!

oh. and can you tell by reading this that bullying is 80% of my love language? /j

( pairing ) : jay kelso x reader

( words ) : 1700

There’s a certain charm to Point Place. Most people dream of living in the city where time slips by faster than they can keep up with. They seek the thrill in busy streets and sleepless nights. Personally, you don’t think small towns are too bad. Point Place isn’t too bad. Of course, you might be a little biased.

The city doesn’t have a Jay Kelso. It doesn’t have the local ice-cream shop Jay took you to on your first date. It doesn’t have the old gazebo where you waited out the rain on your one-year anniversary. It doesn’t have a weekly drive-in at the local park where you spend hours critiquing movie plots and laughing at stupid jokes over milkshakes and burgers.

There’s only one place you’ll find that — home.

There’s a loud boom over the speakers, the kind they pair with a loud crescendo to evoke that sense of suspense. It shakes the ground and everything that touches it, startling your boyfriend. His hands find your own and grips them tight. When you look up, you see his eyes are squeezed shut.

“Why do they keep doing that?” Jay sounds breathless, his cheeks flushed from knowing that you’d definitely felt him flinch. It’s endearing, really.

“Why do they keep doing that?” Jay sounds breathless, his cheeks flushed from knowing that you’d definitely felt him flinch. It’s endearing, really.

“It’s a horror franchise, babe. If you wanted something more quiet, you should have just asked me to read the book. Less sound effects and pointed teeth.” You make a show out of baring your teeth, imitating the snapping jaw of the werewolf on-screen.

“There’s a book?” he asks, finally opening his eyes. You think he’s joking, at first. Like he’s about to say something about how waiting for the movie is just so much easier. But his brows are settled into that look he gets when he’s really confused. You sit upright, startling Jay with the suddenness of your movement.

“There’s a— What do you mean ‘There’s a book?’ It’s Stephen King!” He stares blankly. “You’re kidding. He’s published like thirty novels.”

“Well, none that I’ve read.” You roll your eyes.

“Well, duh. When was the last time you picked up a book?”

“I read!” he bristles.

“Comics don’t count.”

“I read other things! I don’t have an A in English for nothing.” You want to say something about how class novels don’t count either but you decide against it. He is smart, really. He’s easily distracted, sure, but Jay is a lot more knowledgeable than he lets on. He’s particularly good at reading people, what they like and don’t like. It’s probably why he gets along with everyone.

“Alright, fine. But please tell me you’ve watched some of his other films.” He shakes his head. ”No? Not even Carrie? The Shining?” You think your pitch rises with every question, baffled by this new revelation regarding your boyfriend’s lack of horror movie knowledge. “Jay, I don’t know how I feel about this.” He rolls his eyes at your dramatics.

“I’m just not a big horror fan!” That, you know, is a gross understatement. Jay can get scared by so much as a light breeze. You refuse to confirm nor deny whether you find pleasure in taking advantage of that very fun fact.

“Fair enough. Some people just scare easily, I guess.”

“Not me, though,” he huffs a defensive, albeit nervous laugh.

Oh, that’s cute.

“Really?” you challenge.

“Uh-huh. It’s gonna take a lot more than a movie to scare me.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

⋆

“Just imagine this happening in real life. I mean, it’s terrifying. This guy can just get inside your head. Sure, ghosts and stuff can be scary. But at least you can move out or… perform an exorcism for that. How do you tell an ancient omnipotent alien to get out of your head? I don’t even have to be afraid of one specific thing, but if I’m creative enough, who knows what I could come up with? Like… a flesh-eating centipede the size of a crocodile. What do you think he’d shape-shift into if he was trying to scare you?”

You’re only slightly thrown off to be met with silence. Your mind is running through a thousand words a minute, theorizing about hypothetical evils and mind-reading. The absurdity, all too welcome, is only manageable to the extent that you’re still aware of where you are, who you’re with, and how said person seems to have stopped breathing.

“Jay? Ja-ay!” you try to snap him out of it.

“Nothing, duh. I think I’d know if a creepy clown was trying to manipulate me, thanks.” He’s pale as a ghost, clearly unnerved. You’re cruel, and he’s unlucky.

“Really? Not even if a spider started crawling on you?”

“Y/N,” Jay warns, sensing the mischief in your tone, low and taunting.

“I wouldn’t go to sleep with my mouth open tonight, if I were you.”

“No, no, Y/N don’t put that into my head,” he whines. You grin.

“The creepy crawlies are out to get-cha!” You reach for the nape of his neck, fingers crawling upward to imitate his eight-legged foe. Jay’s eyes widen in horror. Before you know it, he’s scrambling for his car keys.

“Nope! Nuh-uh! Not doing this. Going home now, thank you!”

“Oh my god, Jay!” you call after him.

The couple to your right hisses an angry scolding in your direction. In your opinion, that was a hell of a lot scarier than the face-painted clown with a preference for human flesh. Jay doesn’t seem to notice that though because he’s climbing into the driver’s seat, face pale. He looks a little bit sick.

“Jay, baby, I was just messing with you.” He shakes his head profusely.

“First it’s centipedes, next it’s spiders. I don’t even wanna know what else you can come up with. I’m already not sleeping tonight. I’m gonna try to keep it to a one-night maximum.”

“Jay.” He looks at you through the rear-view mirror. “Ja-ay. Can you look at me for a sec?” You crawl after him, wrapping your arms around the backrest of his seat. There’s only an inch of space between your mouth and his neck. Your steady breath, and the softness of your voice, eases the tension in his shoulders. “How about this? If you watch the whole thing with me and still feel scared, I’ll sleep over at your place tonight. I’ll protect you from any killer clowns and creepy insects, hm? What do you think?” He takes ahold of your hand, looking at you through the mirror again with a slight grin. You can tell he’s holding back, biting at his cheek to keep the corners of his mouth from turning upward.

“Is that a promise?” You press a kiss to his knuckle.

“Cross my heart, hope to die. I can throw in a pinky-swear in, if you need it.” With your free hand, you raise a pinky to his face.

“Oh, shut up.”

“You love me.” He grumbles through your fit of laughter. When your breath evens out again, you’re surprised to see his expression change. Jay's eyes crinkle with a smile. Not his usual teeth-baring grin, but the blissed-out turn of the mouth that holds all weight in his gaze, alone. Sincerity. Admiration. Love.

“I do, don’t I?” You’re momentarily stunned by the intimateness of this moment. The sudden vulnerability is so unexpected that all you can do is press a kiss to his cheek – a silent acknowledgement of his affection as if to say ‘I love you too.’

Like most days, you slip back comfortably into childish banter.

“But I still don’t get why you like this movie so much.”

“It’s a classic. Besides, doesn’t The Losers Club kind of remind you of us? Tight-knit friend group in a small town, spending the summer together?” He tilts his head to the side, seemingly deep in thought.

“Does that make you Beverly?” You open your mouth, but hesitate to respond. Jay raises his brow, intrigued by your tentativeness.

“I was thinking Richie.”

“Huh. You know what? That checks out. Trashmouth Tozier’s got nothing on you.”

“Damn right.” You clap an approving hand for his shoulder, reaching back to the abandoned meal you’ve left in the back of the car. Jay, with his impeccable timing, decides to return the attempt of humiliating you just as you reach for your milkshake. Admittedly, it’s well-played. You’d be proud if it wasn’t you he was trying to make fun of.

“You sure it’s got nothing to do with your crush on Bill?” Your jaw drops, surprised.

“I do not have a crush on Bill!” Your voice gives you away, sounding undoubtedly guilty, almost reminiscent of the turbulence in Jay’s voice when he insisted that he wasn’t scared. Turns out, you’re both terrible liars when it comes to each other. It’s quite humbling. “Well, maybe a little.”

“I knew it!”

“Hey! I’m allowed to like things for multiple reasons.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure you’re here for the power of friendship.” He waves a dismissive hand.

“See?” You play dumb to his sarcasm. “Now you’re getting it.”

“You’re so lucky I like you.”

“Does that mean we’re staying?” You flash him a sickly sweet smile. With a sigh, Jay finally surrenders.

“Fine. But I’m holding you to that promise. You’re coming over.”

“Good.” You shift back to where you were seated, facing the large screen again. “I really wanted to get through all of the scenes with Bill.” He gasps, feigning offense with an exaggerated hand to his chest.

“First of all, how dare you?”

“You love me! Remember that!”

taglist (reply or dm me if you want me to add you!)

@ajaxisbae

[jumboking-burger]

2025: A year where QSRs must re-imagine culture to deliver profitability

In the United States, when it comes to QSRs, the COCO/FOFO/COFO debate was settled a long time ago. It is established that when it comes to QSRs franchising is the preferred mode of business. Indian QSRs must study the reasons behind this. For one, in the US, franchisees generate more than 60 percent of all jobs added annually and are a strong contributor to the economy, (Source: Bureau of Labour Statistics). The merits of franchising are embedded into the culturescape of the QSRs and indeed, every part of the system thrives in it.

A well-executed franchising program is an excellent enabler for entrepreneurs to start up their own businesses under the umbrella of a proven business model. QSRs committed to exponential growth must go beyond just scaling their operations or expanding market share in the short term and re-imagine their business model for the long term. The structure of QSRs in developed economies like the US, suggests that the right approach to business is to nurture a culture that supports franchising.

First up comes the shared understanding that pureplay franchising has massive savings in terms of:

—Raw material cost: A standalone restaurant procures at retail prices while a franchise central kitchen procures at wholesale prices.Also, technology and lean menus tend to streamline inventory and minimise waste. This is a saving of 10-15 percent.

—Labour costs: There are two kinds of labour- the back end staff involved in production and front end staff involved in service. In a franchise business, the back end operation is centralized and the costs are distributed over a large number of stores. The front end staff is minimal thanks to technology. This is a saving of 10-15 percent.

—Real estate costs: The space requirement for a restaurant can be split into 40- 50 percent kitchen area and 50-60 percent service area. Since franchising operations are serviced by a central kitchen, the kitchen area shrinks to 20 percent. Location is a big cost, therefore this is a big saving; you don’t want to tie up expensive real estate in activities like cooking and preparation. This is also a saving of 10-15 percent.

—Marketing costs: As a part of a franchise system- every restaurant benefits from visibility and promotions that the franchisor is able to negotiate. This is also a win-win for the online delivery partners as they get a ready network of locations.

The entire QSR operation is like a resilient structure; its engine being a rigorous training department and an effective, integrated supply chain. The fuel for this engine is a constant exchange of best practices between a community of franchisees. The accelerator is the reputation of the brand, which provides a sense of personal empowerment to every franchisor.

The culture of training: Empowering every franchisee One of the most critical elements in defining a company’s core culture is ensuring that each member understands their role within the broader mission. For a company to thrive and scale exponentially, it cannot rely on a few who grasp the long-term vision. Every master franchisee, every individual store operator and every employee- from entry-level staff to senior management- must feel a sense of ownership and purpose in the company’s future. Training plays a key role in this process. Through continuous learning programs, franchises and employees can deepen their understanding of not only their specific job functions but also the company’s overall strategy, values, and goals.

Training should be seen as an ongoing, dynamic process—one that constantly adapts to the company’s evolving needs and challenges. By investing in robust training and development programs, a company empowers all stakeholders with the skills needed to meet new challenges and capitalise on emerging opportunities. These could be new markets or new formats of business that have the potential to be nurtured to profitability.

The culture of aspiration and the "Made in India" decision A unique advantage for companies operating in India today is the growing sense of national pride in Indian innovation and entrepreneurship. As India continues to rise as a global economic powerhouse, building a “Made in India” brand is seen as a badge of honour. The influence of India on the global stage presents an opportunity for companies to amplify their cultural identity by aligning themselves with a reinvigorated national narrative. This aspirational element can also attract top-tier talent who are excited to be part of a company that is not just looking to grow, but to do so while making a significant impact on the global stage.

Overall, profitability is a natural outcome of getting the cultural narrative right. Franchising, training and the India story are big winners for progressive QSRs.

The author, Dheeraj Gupta, is founder and MD of Jumboking. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of ET HospitalityWorld.

Source:

[those70scomics]

Fictober Day 21: "we've done worse"

That '70s Show Fanfiction

Hyde and Forman stood outside Mitch Miller's house. They'd both traveled here, to Point Place, on a Saturday to fix Forman's screw-up and to fix Mitch. Forman probably would've preferred to have Mitch fixed by a veterinarian. The dude had been an obnoxious presence in his and Donna's lives for over a decade, but Hyde had a plan.

He reached for the doorbell, but Forman stopped him. "Are you sure what we're about to do is, you know, ethical?"

"We've done worse. Anyway, he'll either appreciate the manipulation or won't realize it."

Hyde rang the doorbell, and the front door swung open seconds later. "Gentleman," Mitch said, dressed in clothes suitable for a tennis match, "welcome to my home."

He took Hyde and Forman's coats and hung them in the foyer closet. The coats were bigger than he was, but he managed not to drop either.

Inside the heated living room, a charcuterie board was laid out on the coffee table. For a moment, Hyde was sent back to the Burkhart Estate, and he shivered. But this house was no mansion, and it wasn't in the town's richest neighborhood either. Trees lined the block with leaves of varying autumn colors, the only complimentary detail he could mention if asked.

The three of them sat, Hyde and Forman on the sofa and Mitch in a nearby armchair.

"I'm so glad you guys -- gentleman -- asked to meet! A catch-up before the Formans' big Halloween party." Mitch's joy failed to disguised a desperation Hyde recognized. It matched the purple undertone beneath Mitch's eyes and the mild tremor in Mitch's hands as he poured glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. "My cheddar is the good stuff. Not the cheap kind we use at Fatso Burger."

Forman accepted his glass of wine and sipped from it. Hyde put his down on the table. He used to believe he could handle his booze, but he'd been kidding himself. Cutting it out from his life, though, hadn't been tough. He was lucky.

"So, Eric, I read in the Point Place High Chronicle that you're working for Blinkhorn Toys." Mitch popped a chunk of cheddar into his mouth but kept talking. "Your dream job, huh? Yeah, I'm a business man myself."

Forman stuffed two cheddar pieces into his mouth. He was clearly too chicken-shit to do the talking, but Mitch had a history of out-talking him. Hyde got it, and he whispered to Forman, "Listen and learn."

Hyde laced his fingers over his lap. The jeans he and Forman wore stood out in sharp contrast to Mitch's white shorts, but Hyde's approach was meant to be casual. "How's your franchise doin'?" he said, already knowing the answer.

"Good, good!" The high pitch of Mitch's voice revealed the truth, and he drank half his glass of wine before continuing. "I convinced the owner to let me tailor the Point Place location to the town's tastes. It should have worked. Profits should've increased significantly, meriting me my own franchise with the fee waved."

He topped off his wine glass. Forman made a sound, but Hyde elbowed him in the ribs. Never stop someone from revealing intel, he wanted to tell him, but he waited for Mitch to continue.

"Being manager of a store comes with a lot of responsibilities," Mitch said, "especially a franchise." He drank from his glass then gestured at Hyde with it. "You know what I'm talking about, right? You managed the local Grooves for years."

"Yup, at nineteen. Tossed into the deep-end," Hyde said, but he'd had his sister's guidance and their dad's. "Made some changes to the store's focus. Not all of 'em went over well," at first.

Mitch ran his fingers through his hair, as red as Donna's. It became disheveled, which Hyde suspected was its natural state lately. "Fatso Burger's CEO is meeting with the franchisee on Monday. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get fired."

He laughed the laugh of someone who was about to lose the last shred of his dignity -- or sanity. "My charisma has steered me wrong. I never thought this would be my life. I'm turning fucking thirty next year, and this is my life!" He drank even more wine, and Hyde moved the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to the sofa's side table. "I should've started a cult when I had a chance."

"Okay, first, you were charismatic enough to sway my friends for, like, a day when we were teenagers," Forman said, "but no way you'd make it as a cult leader."

Hyde smiled to himself and leaned back against the sofa cushions. Forman had finally found his voice.

"A cult leader ... " Forman laughed once. "You could be a cult leader's toady, but you'd always be second."

"You're right!" Mitch shouted and burst into tears. "I'm pathetic."

Forman let him sob. He was enjoying this experience; Hyde spotted the corner of Forman's mouth lift into a smirk, but savoring Mitch's misery was not their goal.

"I wouldn't be where I am without you," Hyde said and clasped Forman's shoulder tightly. The pain he was causing showed on Forman's face. "I'm nobody's second, so why don't you tell Mitch how he can be first, too?"

"Right, yeah," Forman said while prying Hyde's fingers off him. "Mitch, it's simple: change everything about who you are, and you'll stop being pathetic."

Mitch peered up at Forman with red, puffy eyes and a flushed face. "But you have everything I want. My dream career, my dream woman. I'd have to kill you to be happy."

Forman turned to Hyde with a flurry of exasperated words and hand gestures. Hyde quieted him down with a look that communicated more than support. He would fix this sitch, as promised. A frog to Forman's arm might've had the same result, but Hyde needed to practice non-violent techniques. Fatherhood might be in his future, and he'd never lay a hostile finger on his kid.

"Dreams can take different forms, man," Hyde said to Mitch. "I've got a proposal for ya."

Mitch stared at him blankly, like Hyde were a frog bestowed with the power of speech. In response, Hyde pulled a two-by-two photograph from his wallet, and life returned to Mitch's face.

"This is Gretchen Hindley, VP of marketing at Grooves. She's searchin' for someone with your charisma and experience to fill a newly-vacated job." Hyde plucked Gretchen's business card from his wallet, placed it beside her picture on the coffee table. "She's also single and searchin' for a guy who'll treat her like she hung the freakin' moon."

Mitch examined both the photograph and the business card. "How tall is she?"

Forman sighed, but Hyde said, "Around my height."

"I love me a tall woman." Mitch flicked the business card against his wrist. "Mixing work and romance won't be a problem?"

"Not as long as both of you sign the forms HR'll give you. So what do ya think?"

Mitch quit flicking the business card and read it over. "Well, I have done a lot of promotions for Fatso Burger the last five years. I do a lot of person-to-person marketing ... "

Hyde knew this fact as well as Mitch's tenuous position at Fatso Burger. Jackie's dad had bought back the company after being released from prison. Turned out he wasn't as bankrupt as he'd left his family, had managed to transfer a sizeable chunk of money and stock portfolio to his best friend in Michigan. Best friend returned it all except for twenty percent. That was the deal. Underhanded but goddamn clever, and Jack gave Jackie the support -- financial and otherwise -- she needed, was owed, to begin her fashion house.

After one call, Jack had gotten Hyde a copy of Mitch's resumé ASAP, and Hyde's plan created itself.

"Would I have to move to Milwaukee if I got the job?" Mitch said.

"Yup, but I have a buddy in real-estate. He can help you find a good place to move."

Mitch rubbed his face with both hands. "This all sounds too good to be true." He gripped his chair's armrests and leaned toward Forman. "Are you messing with me? Because if you are, I will take you life -- in every sense."

"You're an asshole, and I hate you, but no," Forman said. "I asked Hyde to help you because Donna asked me to help you."

"Donna?" Mitch's voice wavered like might cry again. "She's a journalist ... and she must've dug up my dirt. Oh, how I wish her curiosity extended to my body."

Forman stood with balled fists, but Hyde yanked him by the shirt to the sofa. He stayed seated but grumbled.

"At least one person in this crappy town cares about me," Mitch said and gazed wistfully at both the photo and business card. "I'll give Gretchen a call."

He was wrong about so much, but correcting him would do more harm than good.

In the cold air outside Mitch's house, Forman exhaled a deep breath of white smoke. Relief rose off him similarly. "Thanks. ... Boy, do I owe you."

"Damn right."

Hyde wasn't thrilled by the prospect of Mitch living in his city. The music industry was filled with enough pinheads like him, but one more wouldn't hurt. Especially if it freed Forman and Donna from their quasi-stalker and gave Mitch a chance at a better life.

Hyde flinched at his own thoughts. Man, he'd become soft. Must've been a consequence of being happy.

[sirfrogsworth]

Regarding my heading down an unfinished road... I found it on Google Street View.

So these are from a year ago.

This is the lane I drove down.

And this is the section where I realized, "Oh shit, I ain't supposed to drive here."

I used generative fill to update these images to what they looked like on the day of embarrassment.

Looking back, there were a few cones. But all of the "do not enter" signs were gone and I think it would be perfectly reasonable to assume you could drive here. I think other people may have avoided it because they drive in this area regularly. I drive maybe once or twice a month.

And here is what the dead end looked like with a year of construction progress.

(It is scary how close generative fill matched this to my memory of it.)

I was really confused when I got to this point. I wasn't sure if I should try backing up or turning. I thought the gravel was okay to drive on, so I pulled forward and started a u-turn. But there was a sharp drop-off from the road to the gravel section I couldn't see and that was very jarring. And the gravel was not fit for driving on. So I kicked up a ton of dust and passers-by were all "WTF are you doing?"

Hell, I was like "WTF are you doing?"

I have a feeling this memory will join a few other embarrassing moments that pop into my head right before I try to fall asleep.

It wasn't my fault, but yeah, I hate driving around here.

It feels like the highway construction in this area is endless. It's been going on for years and it never feels like any progress is being made.

They closed off 3 highway exits for streets that contain a lot of local businesses. One of them leads straight to Ferguson. And if you don't know to exit onto a side road ahead of these areas, you'll just pass them by. So people from out of town who might be looking for a place to eat or shop could easily drive past these areas.

I feel sad for my community. Big franchises are closing up shop. There is no pizza place that directly delivers to my area. When your last pizza place closes up, that's when you know your community is in trouble.

If anyone around here wants pizza delivered you have to spend a ton to have it DoorDash'd in from another area.

And it all started with a "white flight" epidemic. They even made a documentary about it called Spanish Lake (my township). There was a failed housing project nearby and a lot of poor Black folks started moving to Spanish Lake afterward. Then some scummy real estate people took advantage and it all snowballed from there...

"The 1990s saw a mass exodus of the white population, spurred on by blockbusting, a practice some U.S. real estate agents use to encourage white property owners to sell their houses quickly at a loss, implying the African-Americans moving into their neighborhood will depress their property values."

Apparently blockbusting is the new red lining.

The "controversy" section on Wikipedia sums up the movie pretty well.

I started following a Facebook page dedicated to Spanish Lake, thinking it would be other folks in my community. I thought maybe I could get to know my neighbors.

Instead, it is all of the white people who moved away reminiscing about how great Spanish Lake used to be.

People in this group are trying really hard not to say the quiet part out loud.

Riff raff?

Scot, I think you dropped this...

I grew up here. I still live here. I love my house and my street. There are some areas that could really use some help, but if you live here, you know the few small pockets to stay away from. I have no issue walking up and down my street at night without fear.

They also mourn the loss of the businesses that closed because they abandoned the area.

There is the mall which will be officially demolished soon.

And, yes, it is the spooky mall from that viral video.

There was the movie theater... at the mall.

There was the Aloha Roller Rink.

Which now looks like this.

And the burger joint.

The pizza place.

And the other pizza place.

Saullo's was okay.

Angelo's in the next town over is better. And still in business!

What was I talking about?

Oh, yeah. Don't drive down unfinished roads!

[jackhues]

back to toronto - mama's backstory

note: mama's nickname before she was mama is peach! there'll be a few chapters of this, just to give some backstory on mama and aus' relationship / life before peanut was born! and ik the game mentioned here is an away game, but for the sake of the story, we'll pretend it's a home game

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gif not mine!

the energy in toronto was different than anywhere else. it was why peach loved the city.

she grinned to herself as they made their way through the downtown traffic. while almost everyone hated toronto traffic, it wouldn’t ruin her good mood. it was the day before opening night for the toronto maple leafs, and peach was back in the city she practically grew up in. it was going to be a good day, she could tell.

william nylander parked his car outside his house, ushering peach and the hughes inside.

just a few years ago, willy had been living with peach and the hughes in their toronto home, and now peach was here with her younger brothers to spend the week with him.

“oh! that’s so cool!” jack grinned, immediately dropping his bag on the floor and going to a framed and signed jersey on the wall.

peach rolled her eyes, clearing her throat and motioning to jack’s duffel bag that he threw on the floor.

“oh yeah,” jack muttered, coming back and shouldering his duffel bag.

peach laughed, flicking her younger brother lightly, before addressing willy. “where do you want us to put our bags?”

“just right here,” willy led them to the back, where he had two spare rooms available. 

peach took the smaller one, while her brothers shared the other room. peach spent the first day back in toronto exploring kensington market with her brothers. she missed that one burger restaurant more than she’d like to admit.

before any of the hughes had realized it, they were gearing up for the toronto maple leafs first game of the season, against the ottawa senators. peach had her ‘nylander’ jersey on, seats near the glass, and was impatiently waiting for puck drop.

the game was intense — the battle of ontario always was. with the leafs new rookie, auston matthews, scoring all four goals for the team, the leafs had managed to push the game to overtime.

“i hate overtime,” quinn muttered from next to luke.

peach was too busy trying not to tear her hair out to answer.

“matthews is scoring the game winner,” jack grinned from next to her, bouncing in his seat. “i’m calling it from now.”

“he already has four goals,” luke said from between quinn and peach. “you think he’s gonna score the ot goal also?”

“it’s auston matthews!” jack emphasized. “if anyone will score the fifth and game winning goal, it’s him.”

“careful, jack,” peach joked. “your man-crush is showing.”

quinn and luke laughed, while jack merely rolled his eyes. 

it was true. jack had gone to the leafs store and bought an overpriced auston matthews jersey before the game because they were all sold out online. he had this idea that matthews was going to be the saviour of the franchise.

peach had to admit that he was probably the leafs’ best chance in a really long time.

the puck dropped for ot, play continuing on both sides. it didn’t last very long, considering the senators scored less than forty seconds into the first overtime.

there was a chorus of groans from the fans in the arena as the goal horn sounded. 

the game was fun to watch, and the leafs played good, but ottawa just got a good goal in at the end. 

“i hate this team,” jack muttered, shaking his head to himself.

“no you don’t,” quinn rolled his eyes, the four siblings waiting for the crowds to empty a bit before heading to the tunnel.

willy trudged out a few minutes later, managing a smile at the sight of the four hughes kids. peach hugged willy quickly, the rest of the boys exchanging fist bumps as they began talking hockey. peach rolled her eyes at the boys, leaning against the wall as she waited for them to finish so they could go get some ice cream. peach loved hockey, but she wasn’t like her brothers where she needed to talk about it twenty-four/seven.

it’s jack’s unusual silence that drew peach’s attention back to the boys’ conversation.

luke and quinn were talking to willy about a play in the third period, one that led to ottawa’s goal. surprisingly, jack remained silent during this, breathing funny as he tried to stay calm.

“what’s wrong?” peach nudged jack’s foot.

jack motioned towards his right, where two leafs players were talking to each other. peach narrowed her eyes, recognizing auston matthews and frederick anderson, the goalie, deep in conversation. 

“quit fangirling,” peach tried not to laugh as jack ducked his head when his favourite rookie glanced over.

willy whistled towards freddie and auston, smiling as they came over. 

“guys, this is auston and freddie,” he motioned towards them. “these are the hughes kids. they were my billet family when i first came to toronto.”

peach put a hand on jack’s shoulder to keep him from bouncing, smiling at the two leafs players.

“you guys played a good game,” peach said to the two, hoping to raise their spirits somewhat.

being part of a family of athletes, peach knew it was hard to console yourself after an overtime loss. she appreciated words of comfort from her friends after those games, and even if she wasn’t ‘friends’ with these two players, she hoped they could still find some comfort in her words.

auston smiled back quickly, “thanks.”

peach noticed jack’s breathing beginning to go funny again, and she patted him as inconspicuously as she could on his back, reminding him to be normal.

“can i get your autograph?” jack asked auston.

“uh… yeah, sure,” auston blinked, taking the marker from jack and signing his jersey.

he was still new to toronto, and not at all used to giving autographs and taking selfies with fans.

jack grinned happily, and peach already knew he was planning on framing the jersey somewhere back home.

auston walked away as the hughes siblings and willy left as well, trying to get the pretty one and her smile out of his head.

-

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[funnyfooddatabase]

Hard Rock Cafe John Wick: Chapter 4 Burger and Cocktails

Food AND Drink

Type of Funny Food: Tie-In Product

Introduced: March 2023

Location: Hard Rock Cafe

To promote the release of the fourth film in the John Wick franchise, music-themed restaurant chain the Hard Rock Cafe offered a themed burger and two cocktails for a limited time.

The burger- the Wagyu Yaga (a reference to Wick's nickname "Baba Yaga") was a wagyu burger with a sweet and spicy gunpowder seasoning, tomato, lettuce, wasabi cheese sauce, Tonkatsu ketchup, red wine-caramelized onions, and wasabi cheese sauce, all served with fries.

The two drinks were Vengeance on the Rocks (right), a mix of Jack Daniels, passion fruit, lime juice, almond syrup, prosecco, and liqueur cassis, and the No Business-Espresso Martini (left), a mix of Jack Daniels, brown sugar simple syrup, Disarrono amaretto, and fresh espeesso.

The partnership also included a sweepstakes that would allow one lucky winner to dress like John Wick by receiving a custom suit created by the film's costume designer, Paco Delgado, alongside a stay in the Rock Star Suite at the New York Hard Rock Hotel. This sweepstakes was won by Cathi Swett, an attorney and actress from New Jersey.

_

Images courtesy of Hard Rock International and the Hard Rock Twitter account.