Background: Collins Foods is the ASX-listed operator behind almost 350 KFC restaurants across Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, plus more than 25 Taco Bells for when people want a break from the Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices.

What happened: Collins Foods has been quietly riding a wave of fried-chicken-fuelled momentum. It dropped its half-year results where profit jumped nearly 13% to more than $27 million and revenue lifted 6.6%. thanks the Zinger Banh Mi and Zinger Kebab.

What else: Off the back of all this, the company upgraded its full-year profit guidance to mid-to-high teens growth. But Collins Foods isn't just opening more stores - it’s selling more chicken per store too.

What's the key learning?

💡Same-store sales is a crucial metric for franchisors because it shows whether the brand is actually growing with customers, not just opening more stores. Same-store sales measure the performance of retail stores against the same store last year.

💡Same-store sales give investors a clearer picture of business health by stripping out the effect of new openings. So it helps investors spot sustainable growth trends rather than temporary spikes from expansion.

💡Positive same-store sales indicate strong underlying demand. In Collins Foods’ case, Australian same-store sales rose 3.6% and Germany jumped 5.5%. So it's no surprise that investors were clucking with excitement.