Restaurants to benefit from gift card popularity
Untapped demand for restaurant gift cards will result from an imbalance between givers and recipients this holiday season, according to the National Restaurant Association. About one in five people, or...
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Survey: Restaurant operators optimistic on 2012 sales
Restaurant industry same-store sales remained flat in November, mainly because guest traffic tapered off from prior months, but operators remained bullish on sales outlooks for the next six months,...
View ArticleLandry’s to buy Morton’s for $116.6M
Tilman J. Fertitta, owner of Landry’s Inc., said Friday he has agreed to buy Morton’s Restaurant Group Inc., the owner of the 77-unit steakhouse chain, for about $116.6 million. Fertitta said he has...
View ArticleSubway names new directors of ops, training
Subway has named Joe Chaves its director of operations and Rebecca Audet director of worldwide training for the chain, which franchises more than 35,500 quick-service restaurants across the world....
View ArticlePerkins & Marie Callender’s exits Ch. 11
Perkins & Marie Callender’s Inc., the owner and franchisor of Perkins and Marie Callender’s restaurants, has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with its debt load reduced by more than...
View ArticleStacked plans strategic growth
After opening three restaurants in six months, the founders of the fast-casual Stacked concept are focused on efficiency as they prepare for more strategic growth next year. Paul Motenko, founder of...
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OpenTable: Top restaurants of 2011
Online restaurant reservations website OpenTable Inc. has named the top 100 U.S. restaurants of the year based on more than 10 million user-submitted reviews of more than 12,000 restaurants. On the...
View ArticleDarden 2Q net falls 28% on soft sales
Darden Restaurants Inc. said disappointing sales at Olive Garden, as well as increased commodity costs, contributed to a 28-percent year-over-year decline in second-quarter profit. Management of the...
View ArticleA look inside BJ’s new grill format
Servers’ use of handheld tablets, open kitchens and a new thin-crust pizza could be in the future for BJ’s Restaurants Inc. locations nationwide if tests bear out at a new research-and-development...
View ArticleRita’s names Jonathan Fornaci president, CEO
Rita’s Franchise Co., parent company to the 550-unit Rita’s Italian Ice frozen confectionary snack chain, has named former Straw Hat Pizza executive Jonathan Fornaci president and chief executive, the...
View ArticleRestaurants list more 'healthy' menu items
As consumers get ready to make New Year’s resolutions to eat more healthful foods, restaurants are preparing to cater to those intentions, according to new MenuMonitor data from Chicago-based...
View ArticleCalif. food handler card law enforcement begins Jan. 1
The Jan. 1 deadline for enforcement of the new food handler card requirement in California is approaching and restaurant operators should be prepared for health inspectors to ask if their workers are...
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Top restaurant commercials of the year
The restaurant industry’s most effective advertisers broke out from the pack in 2011 with creative commercials that helped casual-dining, quick-service and pizza chains grab viewers’ attention,...
View ArticleCracker Barrel shareholders fend off Biglari board seat
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. said Tuesday its shareholders voted to elect all corporate-sponsored board members at its annual meeting, blocking activist investor Sardar Biglari’s attempt to...
View ArticleCaptain D’s buys Grandy’s
Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen said Monday it has acquired Grandy’s Country Cookin’, the Dallas-based breakfast, lunch and dinner chain, known for its homestyle comfort food. The 65-unit Grandy’s will...
View ArticleYear in Review: Top restaurant stock performers
The Nation's Restaurant News Restaurant Stock Index rose 22.6 percent in 2011, beating a 2.5-percent increase from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and decreases from the Nasdaq composite and the...
View ArticleLeDuff America co-CEO James Greco resigns
LeDuff America Inc., parent company to Bruegger’s Bagels, La Madeleine Country French Café, Timothy’s World Coffee and Brioche Doree, said Wednesday its co-chief executive, James Greco, would step down...
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A food writer's top menu trends for 2012
American consumers are no longer eating like they’re in crisis mode, as they get used to the new normal of economic uncertainty. Although generally cautious about spending money, consumers will splurge...
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A look at what's ahead in 2012
Looking ahead to 2012, the restaurant industry is sure to face a still-struggling economy, increased scrutiny from regulatory organizations and the always-changing preferences of consumers. Ever...
View ArticleQuiznos franchisees want debt deal closure
Quiznos franchisees said Thursday they were eager to see resolution of a reported debt restructuring deal that would bring in new ownership for the beleaguered sandwich chain. The Wall Street Journal...
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