With a private company, you've got to get into who's investing and what's the balance sheet like. So going public is a positive thing from the perspective of the sales organization.

It's a special thing to be a public company.

My incarceration was actually a positive thing from the beginning. I needed a gimmick to get my act going again, it gave me material.

They all have brought down prices. You have to make sure their same-store sales are positive in a deflationary environment, so that's relatively positive, but it's early days yet. The integration seems to be on track.

It's been almost a decade since the Burger King system enjoyed seven quarters of positive comp sales in the United States. As part of our Go Forward Plan, we're working together with our franchisees to deliver great products served hot and fresh by friendly and fast employees in a clean and safe restaurant environment. Our long run of positive sales increases shows that customers have noticed and appreciate our efforts.

We are thrilled with the positive response we've received without even publicly announcing our re-opening. The first week's sales far exceeded what we expected, considering September is typically a slow period for us. Our employees and our regular patrons have made it clear that they love the restaurant's new look. This instant success reinforces our belief that re-investing in our brand and this restaurant was a smart thing to do.