The fast food industry is driving though changes including a shakedown in franchising deals.

Sandwich chain Subway has unveiled plans to open 600 new stores in the UK and Ireland, creating more than 7,000 jobs.

GE Money Australia and New Zealand will offload its Wizard Home Loans brands and franchise business network in Australia to Aussie Home Loans for an undisclosed amount.

Going live just in time for Christmas Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars today launched a new online catering service, allowing customers to log on and place catering orders any time of day or night. 

Crust's online catering system streamlines the ordering process and makes ordering healthy meals faster and more convenient for desk-bound office professionals and function organisers.  Costa Anastasiadis, Crust founder and managing director, said the online system will add to Crust's ability to offer a fast and efficient hassle-free service to fit with catering customer's need for high quality, healthier food service.   "Our new online system takes into account the fact that customers don't always have time to fax or phone an order in. Office professionals and function organizers do have easy online access, so now they can order our pizzas at the click of a mouse" said Costa. 

World Franchise Council co-chair and CEO of pool and spa franchise company PoolWerx, John O'Brien, claims the Government support package for small business will have little impact. The Government's proposals were revealed at the Small Business Summit in Brisbane by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on 24 October 2008.

Knowing that small business is the first to feel the effects of a financial downturn, Rudd said he would work to minimise the impact of today's global economic crisis, offering individual tax management plans, $4 million for advisory centres and guarantees of on-time payments for businesses that deal with government departments.

Chocolate franchise, The Chocolate Room, has announced the opening of four more franchises, taking the total stores throughout Australia up to 14. The latest store to open on 11 December was in South Morang, with franchises in Cairns and Sydney's Paramatta and Burwood to follow in January 2009.

Franchisors Jim and Kathy Richardson opened the first store in Geelong, Victoria, back in 2006 and have since experienced rapid growth. The opening of the new stores will take the total number of employees to more than 120, not including the international franchise in India.