Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2012 | Page 34
MVP 2012
raises or bonuses, but I made them one
guarantee: I would never lay them off
and would make part of my deals with
Boston Market and McDonald’s the
requirement that they be hired at the
same salary. Over the process of three
years, not one was laid off. I saw that as
a moral obligation.”
In 1993, Doherty was able to acquire
the franchise rights for Applebee’s in
New Jersey and has never looked back.
Today he has 61 Applebee’s, 30 Panera
Breads, two Chevys Fresh Mex, and two
concepts he developed with his three
children—all of whom work at Doherty
Enterprises.
In 2007, he assigned his middle child,
Shannon Portell, the task of developing
a great Irish pub. That concept, Shannon Rose Irish Pubs, is now doing well
in three locations. In April, his youngest daughter, Kerry, led the opening of
Spuntino Wine Bar & Itali [