Hospitality & Leisure

Marina, California – October 21, 2026 -- The Brass Tap's Marina, California, location posted the highest sales volume in the franchise's system during its first full year of operation, earning owner Karl Waller the Highest Sales Volume Award at the 2026 FSC Franchise Conference.

The honor follows Waller's 2025 Franchisee of the Year title. The upscale American tavern brand operates more than 50 locations across 16 states and has offered franchise opportunities for more than 10 years.

Food became an equal traffic driver alongside craft beer in Marina

Waller initially expected craft beer to drive most of the restaurant's traffic. Food quickly became an equally important part of the business, drawing families as well as guests seeking drinks and entertainment. He and his family have continued to adjust the operation to local demand, including building out the food and events side.

Philadelphia – October 21, 2026 -- PrimoHoagies has signed seven new franchisees in 2026 and has roughly 10–15 existing restaurants available for acquisition, most of them in greater Philadelphia and South Jersey. The Italian specialty sandwich chain is courting qualified operators who want to enter established markets and build toward multi-unit ownership.

The system counts about 80 franchise owners, 20 of them multi-unit operators, and more than 120 restaurants. This year's recruits include operators with backgrounds in national restaurant franchises, airport concessions and real estate.

Macao – October 21, 2026 -- The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) closed in Macao with more than 1,000 business-to-business matchings and a confirmed host for 2027: Hainan Province, which will stage the 13th edition under a memorandum of understanding signed with the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

Hainan and Macao sign tourism cooperation memorandum for 2027

MGTO and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province signed the memorandum to deepen cooperation in tourism and related fields. The two sides will align with the development strategies of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port, and will strengthen resource sharing and industry matching.

NEW YORK – October 21, 2026 -- EMRG Media has published a 2026 planning guide covering 20 corporate holiday party venues across Manhattan and Brooklyn, with seated dinner and standing reception capacities listed side by side for selected spaces.

EMRG Media builds the guide on 1,100 New York events since 2001

The company says it has produced more than 1,100 events in New York City since 2001 and has firsthand production experience at many of the featured venues. It is the exclusive event producer for NEBULA and The Amber Room. The guide includes NEBULA, HK Hall, City Winery at Pier 57, Marquee New York, Capitale and Guastavino's, spanning nightlife spaces, ballrooms, rooftops and waterfront settings.

Andover, Minnesota – October 21, 2026 -- Beef 'O' Brady's has named Andover franchisee Bradley Dethmers its 2026 Franchisee of the Year, and he also took the brand's Marketer of the Year Award at parent company FSC Franchise Co.'s 2026 conference. The family sports pub chain operates 120 locations in 21 states.

Dethmers bought the Andover restaurant in May 2021 with nearly 30 years of hospitality experience

The Andover restaurant marks 18 years in business on October 6. Before becoming a Beef 'O' Brady's franchisee, Dethmers opened restaurants around the world and worked with several franchise brands. That background shapes his focus on hospitality and guest relationships.

WASHINGTON – October 21, 2026 -- Former MLB pitcher Tanyon Sturtze says a lockout is coming when Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1, citing disputes over a potential salary cap, payroll requirements and player compensation.

Sturtze made the prediction on a special episode of Franchise Value, a sports-business program produced by CrossCheck Media Inc. and distributed through Biz Talk Today TV. Host Shana Orczyk Sissel, CEO and Founder of Banríon Capital Management, conducted the interview. "Unfortunately, it's definitely coming," Sturtze said, adding that he backs the players but expects a difficult fight for them.

UK – October 21, 2026 -- Inspired Entertainment (NASDAQ: INSE) has launched Aphrodite Legends of OlympusTM in the UK B3/LBO market, with a Cat C release scheduled for November.

The title is the latest in the Legends of OlympusTM series, which draws on Greek mythology. It combines the Win & Spin Bonus with the Triple Hit Combo mechanic, both already used in the series.

Three Jewel symbols drive up to seven feature combinations

Each Jewel symbol in view grows its corresponding urn, and the urn size carries over between spins. Once a feature is awarded, that urn returns to its starting size. More than one urn can trigger at once, producing a two-feature Super Bonus or a three-feature Mega Bonus, with up to seven possible combinations.

United States – October 21, 2026 -- Foodservice operators are being urged to match packaging to menu items before sports-season order peaks, with Pactiv EarthChoice soup cups and hinged-lid containers offered as options for chili, soups, wings, sandwiches and loaded fries.

Game-day volume turns small packaging flaws into service delays

Large orders, tight pickup windows and simultaneous tickets expose weak packaging quickly. A slow-to-secure lid slows the line, and the wrong container can cause leaks or soggy sides. Staff who must hunt for the right package or transfer food to another container lose time at the busiest point of a shift. The impact reaches catering, delivery, takeout and grab-and-go, including sites without game-day promotions, such as hotels, healthcare and senior living communities.

Needham – October 20, 2026 -- Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) will post its third quarter 2026 financial results at 7:05 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 5, 2026, on its investor relations website.

Tripadvisor schedules management Q&A 85 minutes after the release

The company will hold a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET the same morning to answer questions on the results. The call will be webcast live through the investor relations website.

Webcast replay stays online for three months

Investors who miss the live session can access a replay on the same site for three months.

New York – October 19, 2026 -- Sandals Resorts is investing US$200 million to transform three Jamaican resorts closed after Hurricane Melissa, with the first reopening scheduled for November 18, Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said as he received the 2026 International Achievement Award from the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ).

Sandals sets staggered reopening dates for three Jamaican properties

Sandals South Coast is scheduled to reopen on November 18. Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay follow on December 18. All three closed in the wake of the storm and are being reimagined with new accommodations, redesigned pools and expanded dining concepts.