US Restaurant Franchise Forum now free to attend for operators: UK operators can now attend the US Restaurant Franchise Forum for free courtesy of CPL Training, which has become headline sponsor for the event. The half-day, which takes place on Friday, 28 April at One Moorgate Place in London, will see leading US operators present to their UK counterparts about franchise opportunities in Britain. CPL Training chief executive Dan Davies said: "We are delighted to sponsor this important seminar to allow operators to attend for free." Operators can claim up to two free places by emailing anne.steele@propelinfo.com. The running order for the event is:

9am-10am: Registration

10am-10.15am: Forum introduction

Wingstop is the fastest-growing US quick-service restaurant (QSR) chicken brand, with 1,000 sites. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Wingstop operates and franchises more than 1,000 restaurants across the US, Mexico, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, and United Arab Emirates. The menu features classic and boneless wings with more than ten bold, distinctive flavours – wings are always cooked to order, hand-sauced and tossed and served with a variety of house-made sides, including seasoned fries. Having grown its domestic like-for-like sales for 13 consecutive years, the company ranked third in the Top 100 Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains by Nation’s Restaurant News (2016), seventh in the Top 40 Fast Casual Chains by Restaurant Business (2016), and was named “best franchise deal in North America” by QSR magazine in 2014. Wingstop was ranked 88th in Fortune’s 100 Best Medium Workplaces list in October 2016.

Wienerschnitzel is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with 329 locations throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Texas and New Mexico. Founded in 1961 by John Galardi along the famous Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California, Wienerschnitzel is known by its yellow and iconic themed A-frame locations. Serving chillidogs, corndogs and Tastee Freez ice cream treats, Wienerschnitzel is the world’s largest hotdog chain. With some of the lowest food costs in the industry, hotdog profits are good. Still family owned and operated, Wienerschnitzel continues its heritage as a legacy brand to which it holds its true values – serving food to serve others.

Chutney’s Indian Grill is a fast-emerging Indian QSR/fast-casual brand. It was created to offer diners the opportunity to enjoy fresh, built-to-order, healthy Indian street food. Featuring fresh ingredients and hand-made food, guests are able to “enjoy a healthier, fresher option to traditional Indian food”. Chutney’s has a single location, with two in development. The second is slated to open in 2017 and the third in 2018. Franchise development is currently under way, with inquiries coming from across North America.

11.45am-12.15pm: Coffee break

The first Little Caesars restaurant opened in the US in 1959 as a family owned and managed business. Today, it is the third-largest pizza chain in the world, with locations in all 50 US states and 20 countries and territories worldwide. In the US, it has been named the “best value” among quick-serve restaurant chains in America for nine years in a row. Little Caesars Pizza is excited to expand in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Little Caesars has opened stores in Turkey, where the brand is enjoying great success. Little Caesars is looking for franchisees (multi-unit regional operators) that would like to introduce the brand in the British and Irish markets. Little Caesars is also open to the possibility of conversion of local pizzerias or other restaurant concepts already operating in the market.

Panda Express is the largest Chinese QSR chain in the US, with 1,800 sites. It was founded by the Cherng family, who opened the first full-service restaurant, Panda Inn, in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Panda Express now has more than 1,900 restaurants in eight countries and territories worldwide, with US average sales more than $1.6m per site. Ranked third in Restaurant Business’ 2016 Top 500 Fast Casual Chains, Panda Express is inviting applications for multi-unit regional franchise operators in the UK and Republic of Ireland.