Sbarro to debut refreshed test units
Italian quick-service chain Sbarro Inc. will debut 10 test units showcasing new strategic initiatives beginning June 7 in cities around the country. The refreshed test locations, which will open over a...
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Smith & Wollensky debuts new menu items for summer
Smith & Wollensky is taking inspiration from classic European salads and appetizers with its summertime specials — including its own versions of gravlax, frisée aux lardons and salade Niçoise — as...
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Former Pat & Oscar's franchisees to launch new concept
A group of former franchisees of the Pat & Oscar’s brand in Southern California have rebranded their nine restaurants to a new concept called O’s American Kitchen. The move follows the liquidation...
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How to plan for communal tables
Communal-style fixtures are increasingly getting a seat at the table in restaurant design. These “communal,” “community” or “gathering” tables generally can seat eight to 16 people and have grown more...
View ArticleA look behind the NRA's Marketing Executives Group
The Marketing Executives Group, one of 10 study groups organized by the National Restaurant Association, held its 2012 spring meeting in Chicago earlier this month with the purpose of challenging the...
View ArticleThe Melt adds breakfast service, accelerates growth
The Melt soup-and-grilled cheese concept on Thursday said it would add breakfast service to most of its locations starting next week. The announcement comes as the fast-casual chain plans to ratchet up...
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Fourchu lobster meets NYC culinary scene
Close your eyes as you taste a lobster from Fourchu and you could be transported to a tiny fishing village on an inlet off the blustery, windswept coast of Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island. You could...
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Salsarita's moves past survival to growth
Since acquiring 80-unit fast-casual chain Salsarita’s nearly one year ago, Phil Friedman has been refining the underlying systems the Mexican brand needs to meet its growth goals, and those changes...
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Restaurant industry leaders oppose proposed New York soda ban
Foodservice operators and association executives slammed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to ban the sale of large sodas and sugary drinks in the city’s latest effort to address the nation’s...
View ArticleZuppa di Carbonara
The classic Roman dish of pasta alla carbonara is the inspiration for this soup. “It’s the same ingredients, but they’re in soup,” said Cesare Casella, chef-owner at Salumeria Rosi Parmacotta. He...
View ArticleCarrols completes acquisition of 278 Burger King units
Carrols Restaurant Group Inc. said it completed the acquisition of 278 company-owned Burger King restaurants, making the Syracuse, N.Y.-based operator the largest franchisee of the quick-service chain...
View ArticleDunkin’ unveils Times Square billboard
Dunkin’ Donuts celebrated National Donut Day with a packed Friday schedule meant to spread brand awareness and reward loyal guests. Executives rang the opening bell of the Nasdaq stock exchange in New...
View ArticleMcD warns on declining consumer confidence
McDonald’s Corp. executives Don Thompson and Tim Fenton acknowledged that waning consumer confidence would challenge the burger brand around the world during a meeting with securities analysts in New...
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Fresh Brothers Pizza receives investment from Skechers exec
The six-unit Fresh Brothers Pizza chain in the Los Angeles area has received an equity investment from Skechers shoe executive Michael Greenberg in a move aimed at ramping up growth. In an interview...
View ArticlePizza Hut targets sandwich chains with new P'Zolo
Pizza Hut will introduce Monday a new P’Zolo menu item, marking the pizza chain’s return to its competition with the sandwich segment. While it resembles a wrap more than the chain’s calzone-like...
View ArticleModerno updates classic Italian cocktails
Moderno, a month-old restaurant in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Ill., pays homage to the traditions of Italian cuisine while judiciously applying modern touches. It is pleasing patrons with...
View ArticleProduce grows on restaurants
Anita Jones-Mueller, M.P.H., president and founder of Healthy Dining, a nutrition-related marketing and consulting firm, interviews Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO of the Produce Marketing...
View ArticleChurch's Chicken names Robert Crews EVP, CMO
Church’s Chicken has hired Robert Crews as its executive vice president and chief marketing officer, the company said Monday. Crews most recently led international marketing and product development at...
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The latest chefs on the move
Ben Hershberger, head baker of Per Se and Bouchon Bakery in New York, has joined a nonprofit training organization called Hot Bread Kitchen as head baker and instructor. Hershberger is training...
View ArticleAnalysts: Sonic same-store sales preview 'encouraging'
Sonic Corp. estimated Monday that systemwide same-store sales for the fiscal third quarter rose 2.8 percent. Sonic’s preview of sales for the third quarter, which ended May 31, included an estimated...
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