that Franco would have some kind of connection to Superior Donuts...like a personal connection before he lost someone in his life and that's why he applied. I really thought that's where they may have been going, but maybe that would be too dramatic for a sitcom.
If you're not taking any steps forward, you're not moving at all.
in the play, Franco had gambling debts (to the Mob), and Arthur stepped up to cover them. their connection was all after Franco got hired on.
in the tv series, Franco steps up to fight the incurring neighborhood Starbucks presence, by 'tagging' the Starbuck's store's sign. Arthur steps up to keep Franco out of jail - arrested for graffiti' of the starbucks' sign <-misdemeanor, and rehires him after firing him.
in both cases, Arthur had hired Franco before Franco's actions.