How to combat rising chicken wing prices
Commodity cost increases have hit nearly every restaurant chain this year, but inflation in chicken wing prices is especially pronounced because of comparisons to 2011, when prices were well below...
View ArticleGarbanzo Mediterranean Grill partners with Gemini Investors
The fast-casual Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill chain said Thursday it has garnered investment capital from private-equity firm Gemini Investors. Alon Mor, Garbanzo’s chief executive, said Gemini is...
View ArticleCosì taps activist investor as consultant
Così Inc. said Thursday it signed an agreement with former activist investor and restaurant veteran Brad Blum to consult on branding, product development, merchandising and marketing for the struggling...
View ArticleFriendly’s CEO resigns
The chief executive of Friendly’s Ice Cream LLC, Harsha Agadi, will resign Friday, although he will remain on the company’s board of directors. Chief operating officer Jim Parrish will act as interim...
View ArticleKrispy Kreme on comebacks, coffee
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. has seen boom-and-bust cycles first hand, and chief executive Jim Morgan and new president Ken May definitively say those days are behind the iconic doughnut chain. Looking...
View ArticleThe walking ched
Cool Plates features dishes from across the country to help inspire chefs' creativity. Chef-owner George Formaro replaces the buns for this burger with macaroni-and-cheese patties that he breads and...
View ArticleRestaurants' trans fat bans may have positive health effects
Reductions in restaurants’ use of trans fats may have played a role in declining levels of the fats in the blood of white American adults between 2000 and 2009, a Centers for Disease Control study...
View ArticleRestaurants leverage Super Bowl without pricey TV ads
When it comes to advertising during the Super Bowl, restaurant companies don’t need to shell out $3.5 million per spot to be in the game. There were no national restaurant TV commercials during the...
View ArticleChains plan Valentine's Day promos
Restaurant chains are using Valentine’s Day as an opportunity for quick marketing promotions to drive traffic to their regular menus. Valentine’s Day often conjures up images of romantic, fine-dining...
View ArticleKona Grill looks ahead after top-level turnover
Kona Grill executives assured analysts Thursday that they intend to bring the past year’s chief executive carousel to a standstill. Current chief executive and president Berke Bakay, who was appointed...
View ArticleDunkin' Brands: U.S. units will double in 20 years
New menu items and innovative marketing brought Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. back to profitability in the fourth quarter of 2011, the parent of the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins chains said Thursday....
View ArticleThe latest chefs on the move
50 Eggs Restaurant Group, which operates Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach, has hired two former “Top Chef” contestants as it rolls out a variety of seafood and Asian concepts in its...
View ArticleBankruptcy court approves $129M sale of Real Mex
Real Mex Restaurants Inc. has a new owner and is expected to emerge from bankruptcy soon. A Delaware bankruptcy court judge on Friday approved the sale of the parent company to the El Torito, Acapulco...
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Kruse Report: Customization is king
Restaurant patrons have come to view customization as a fundamental right, as they mix and match their menu choices to suit their moods, pocketbooks and diet plans. This mindset creates both challenges...
View ArticlePizza Hut targets value with $10 Dinner Box
Pizza Hut's new $10 Dinner Box hopes to appeal to changing value perception among consumers. The $10 Dinner Box includes one medium rectangular one-topping pizza, five breadsticks with marinara dipping...
View ArticleSpicy Pickle defaults on $4.8M loan
Spicy Pickle Franchising Inc., the franchisor of the fast-casual Spicy Pickle sandwich concept, defaulted on loan obligations earlier this month, resulting in the closure of six out of seven...
View ArticleIFA convention: Top 3 takeaways
Franchisees and franchisors gathered at the 52nd annual International Franchise Association convention in Orlando, Fla., expressed a collective sense of optimism that sales and unit counts would grow...
View ArticlePizza operators aim to minimize price hikes
Pizza operators say they will continue to cater to value-focused consumers by keeping price increases in line throughout 2012, according to a report from market research firm Mintel. Pizza restaurants,...
View ArticleCalifornia Tortilla rebrands airport locations
Fast-casual burrito chain California Tortilla is rebranding its airport locations as Burrito Elito, the company said. The new concept, named after the 35-unit chain’s loyalty program, will debut in...
View ArticleRed Mango to open unit in supermarket
Red Mango will test its first in-store location at a unit to open later this month in a United Supermarket store in Abilene, Texas. Construction on the new Red Mango outlet began this week, a...
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