The latest chefs on the move
Karen Nicolas has been named the first executive chef of Equinox Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Chef–owner Todd Gray previously ran the 12-year-old restaurant’s kitchen. Most recently the executive...
View Article4food gets interactive, eyes growth
Expansion is at hand for 4food, a year-old New York City restaurant marrying alternative quick-service fare like lamb burgers on brioche with interactive technologies that make guests key to the...
View ArticleYum! Brands creates corporate unit for India
Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc. said Tuesday it will create a separate corporate reporting unit for its business in India, removing it from Yum! Restaurants International and creating a separate...
View ArticleMax & Erma's refreshes its restaurants
What’s old is new again for Max & Erma’s, as the 73-unit casual-dining chain debuted a new look last week that will be the basis for a systemwide remodeling program and resumed growth. Max &...
View ArticleJack in the Box tackles menu upgrades
Jack in the Box restaurants are rolling out reformulated burger patties, improved buns and new saucing procedures this week as part of an ongoing plan to upgrade core menu items to drive sales. The...
View ArticleSanta Roll
Japanese cuisine often expresses seasonality not merely by using seasonal ingredients, but by evoking seasonal images. That’s what Tom Gorball, executive chef of the Luxor and Excalibur hotels in Las...
View ArticleRestaurants should have happy holiday sales
As businesses gear up for the holiday spending season, restaurant sales for the next few months are looking up. Although most restaurants typically don’t generate a disproportionate percentage of...
View ArticleRestaurant deals target Black Friday shoppers
With 152 million shoppers expected to hit retail stores this weekend for the start of the holiday spending season, restaurants are hoping to cash in on their hunger with Black Friday discounts. This...
View ArticleTurkey's year-round popularity climbs
While turkey has long been a staple of Thanksgiving and holiday feasts, the protein has been moving into a year-round menu workhorse in foodservice, especially on college campuses where future menu...
View ArticleRib Crib names Marc Chastain president
Rib Crib BBQ & Grill has named Marc Chastain president, succeeding owner Bret Chandler in the role. Chastain will lead day-to-day operations at the 46-unit Rib Crib, which is based in Tulsa, Okla....
View ArticleDel Frisco’s Grille eyes expansion
Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group has opened the second unit of its smaller, more casual Del Frisco’s Grille in Dallas. The company opened the first unit of the concept in New York in August, and divulged...
View ArticleMinibar.ber.shop blends salon, restaurant concepts
Evan Musikantow is betting that people will be more likely to go for a haircut when they can also grab a hot panini and a beer at the salon. Musikantow, a longtime franchise developer of Applebee’s...
View ArticleMint refreshes restaurants’ holiday menus
Mint, cool and refreshing, might seem like a flavor that would be appropriate for the summer. But as restaurants prepare for the December holidays, many are turning to mint as a perennial winter...
View ArticleYum inks deal with gas stations in China
Yum! Brands Inc. has struck a deal with China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. that will allow additional restaurant openings for KFC, Pizza Hut and Yum’s proprietary East Dawning brand in Sinopec gas...
View ArticleRestaurants expand gift card offerings
With holiday shoppers spending more than expected over the Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend, restaurant brands are looking to get their fair share by pushing gift card sales with bonuses for...
View ArticleSmashburger plans units in Canada
Smashburger is pushing into Canada for the first time with the aim of sparking franchise development there, the company said Tuesday. The Denver-based fast-casual chain has signed two lease agreements...
View ArticleSbarro exits Chapter 11
Sbarro Inc. has exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with reduced debt and a new $35 million capital infusion from its lenders, the Italian quick-service company said Tuesday. Interim president and...
View ArticleC-store growth poses threat to quick service
Convenience stores that sell food and beverages continue to steal market share from limited-service restaurant chains, new research finds. While quick-service chains have expanded their operating hours...
View ArticleApplebee’s expands Sizzling Entrée line
Applebee’s is extending its value-positioned line of Sizzling Entrées with two new beef dishes in the latest installment of the chain’s ongoing menu-improvement strategy. The Kansas City-based...
View ArticleEinstein Noah buys Kettleman Bagel Co.
Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc. said Tuesaday it acquired the five-unit Kettleman Bagel Company in Portland, Ore., in a move aimed at building the Einstein Noah's presence in the Pacific Northwest....
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