Future of Franchising in the Retail/Restaurant Space

Business disruption was a common theme in 2020, particularly for franchisors in the retail/restaurant space. While these companies were forced to confront unprecedented challenges brought on by the pandemic, there’s a whole new set of hurdles ahead for the franchisor/franchisee relationship. As the economy reopens, consumer patterns and demographics have shifted and work from home trends have affected many urban retailers and restaurant chains. Andrew Sherman, Corporate partner and co-chair of Seyfarth’s Franchise & Distribution practice group, and Daniel Blumenthal, Corporate counsel, join hosts James O’Brien and Eric Greenberg to discuss how retail/restaurant spaces are evolving to remain competitive and what franchisors need to think about when assessing their growth strategy.