As Starbucks and Kraft Foods Inc.’s bitter — and likely expensive — divorce as licensing partners plays out in the court room, industry watchers see the drama as a sign that the stakes are getting ever higher for restaurant companies looking to license their brands.
When a new Freebirds World Burrito unit is about to open, fervent fans frequently pitch a tent city on the grounds in order to be among its first patrons. And this year, as the chain doubles in size, fandom has been especially intense.