Happy Halloween! In this issue we highlight stories on a veteran in franchising, Burger King's strong third quarter and how hotels are embracing data analysis.

Here's what else to expect:

• Wyndham uses AI agents to boost guest services
• Zaxby's stands out with signature chicken, sauces
• Why you need to schedule some time for deep thinking

Zaxby's Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer Patrick Schwing has focused on core menu items and innovative marketing to differentiate the brand in a competitive chicken market. Schwing has restructured the menu to spotlight Zaxby's 12 sauces and signature chicken, added limited-time offers such as tacos and a surf-and-turf box, and rounded out the menu with new sides and desserts. Schwing is also expanding digital menu boards and partnering with pop culture figures such as rapper Omar Epps to enhance brand visibility.

Burger King's "Reclaim the Flame" campaign helped fuel a 3.2% third-quarter same-store sales increase and the "Whopper by You" initiative played a key role in engaging customers and boosting sales. The campaign rolled out in 2022 and sticking with the messaging and the plan to modernize the brand has been key to growing sales and winning back market share, said Josh Kobza, CEO of parent Restaurant Brands International. RBI-owned coffee chain Tim Horton's also beat expectations in the quarter, booking a 4.2% rise in same-store sales, driven by enhanced food and coffee offerings.

Russell Benes, franchisee for PuroClean, discusses the finer points of multiunit ownership and how his military experience applies to franchise business operations. "One of the most important skills I carried over from the military is the ability to trust and follow proven systems," says Benes. "Success in both settings comes from discipline, consistency and accountability."

In this "always on" world, it can be difficult to find the time to engage in deep thinking and explore questions that matter to us, whether they are professional, creative or practical, writes Darius Foroux, who offers a five-step method to help build this habit. "Deep thinking is like weightlifting for your brain. It's uncomfortable at first; your thoughts jump around, and you may feel restless. But if you stick with it, the scattered noise quiets down and ideas begin to connect," Foroux writes.

--Jackie Secor, Taco John's COO

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has deployed 250 agentic AI agents across 7% of its 8,300 hotels to enhance guest services, CEO Geoffrey Ballotti says. The AI agents, supported by OpenAI, Salesforce, Canary Technologies and Oracle, handle tasks such as booking modifications and travel recommendations, resulting in higher booking conversion, faster service and a 25% reduction in average handling time. Ballotti notes that the initiative has already managed more than 500,000 guest interactions.

The hotel industry is transforming its pricing strategies by replacing traditional methods with data-driven algorithms and advanced revenue management systems. This algorithmic pricing approach enables hotels to respond to real-time demand signals and optimize rates with precision, reducing the reliance on manual adjustments and guesswork. Major hotel chains such as Best Western, Marriott International and IHG Hotels & Resorts are investing heavily in technology to unify data and optimize pricing, although smaller hotels face challenges in training and technology adoption.