November 2014
| Business World
35
This particular facelift has been pretty com-
prehensive, and, according to Whittle, is an
ongoing process. "We are simply trying to
improve, to be better at everything we do,”
he says. “The new prototype, the remodels,
the upgraded AV experience and premium
sports packages, the on-going menu work –
all of these efforts have been undertaken to
deliver to our guests the best possible experi-
ence when they visit our stores.”
Whittle says it's all part of making people
happy. And he says it's important to pay at-
tention to the needs of franchisees, too. "We
work hard to support our franchisees, to help
them be successful,” he says. “Whenever we
see an opportunity to leverage our collective
scale on their behalf, we do. And we extend
to them the full benefit of our buying power.
If they grow, we grow. It is in our interest to
have a healthy base of franchisees who are
anxious to reinvest in their business.
"It's incredible how successful this brand
has been for 30 years. And it is a testament
to its strength that it is every bit as relevant
today as it was in the 1980s. We believe that
there is no reason that the next 30 years can't
be even more successful than the last. After
all, haven't we learned by now that the pur-
suit of happiness never goes out of style?”
