June 20, 2013

Kevin Hardy

Ice cream brands are increasing innovation to take business back from fro yo.
Can Ice Cream Survive?
June 2013

Old favorites, new strategies keeping ice cream alive as fro-yo explodes.
Subway's Global Challenge helps young leaders learn more about the business.
Subway’s Virtual Reality

New store simulation game could be a promising franchise tool.
Sub Zero Ice Cream and Yogurt uses liquid nitrogen to freeze its desserts.
Science: The Next Big Ingredient

High-tech cooking methods trickle into limited-service restaurants.
Are You Ready for EMV?

Though 2013 has just begun, restaurant operators should keep at least one eye on 2015, when new credit card standards will begin to reshape how most customers pay for goods and services.

By October 2015, all restaurants and other merchants will be subjected to new Europay, Mastercard, and...

Beating the Bad Guys
December 2012

You might consider it a wake-up call. A data-hacking scheme recently targeted more than 100 Subway stores and stole more than $10 million from customer credit cards, putting the threat of data breaches back in the national spotlight and giving restaurants even more reason to pay attention to...

The Fifth Meal

The breakfast and post-dinner dayparts have proved to be successful business extensions for many quick serves the last few years.

Now, some operators are testing another daypart: brunch.

Florida-based fast casual Salsa Fiesta added a brunch offering to its fresh, made-to-order...

How to Heat Up Fro Yo

Frozen-yogurt brands, like other frozen-dessert concepts before them, are staring down the harsh reality of slower sales during colder months. They’re also facing stiff competition from dozens of similar brands growing across the U.S.

Some fro-yo chains, however, are finding ways to...

The Problem with China

Last year, you could find a dozen Auntie Anne’s pretzel stores in China. This year, you won’t find any.

After wading through one of the world’s biggest bureaucracies, all the while facing fierce competition and various cultural barriers, Wen-Szu Lin and his business...

Krystal Flies South

Brand heritage is important, but Krystal president and CEO Doug Pendergast was thinking about practicality when he decided earlier this month to move the hamburger chain’s headquarters from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Atlanta.

The move, which is scheduled to take place by early 2013...

The Drive-Thru Fixer-Upper
October 2012

On a recent visit to shop his competition, operator Thom Crosby saw disappointment after disappointment in the drive thru. Bad customer service while placing and paying for his order, poorly dressed employees, and backed-up cars plagued operation after operation.

But to Crosby, the...

What Comedy Can Do For You

Wahoo’s Fish Taco has always had a flare for the unusual. From the menu to the décor, the brand fuses fun and quirky characteristics with a cool atmosphere and image.

Cracking the NFL

Now that football teams across the country are facing off in the NFL’s 2012 season, which kicked off last week, many quick serves are beginning a gridiron contest of their own.

Marketing and advertising efforts designed around the NFL are an increasingly hot commodity in the...

The Heavyweight

Multiunit franchising is becoming a common practice in the quick-service industry, but one Charley’s Grilled Subs franchisee wants to take it to the next level.

Mario Contreras wants to own 10 percent of his company’s entire system.

High and Dry

It’s clear that one of the most severe droughts in the nation’s history will affect food costs, but just how much and exactly when still remain to be seen.

While restaurants have grown accustomed to absorbing food-price swings, operators say this summer’s drought may...

The Pizza Prodigy
August 2012

They like to say they’re “purposefully simple.”

But to Papa Murphy’s executives, the saying is more than just lip service. It’s a way of life and business for the growing company that has paved its own route to success in the pizza segment.

Let the Games Begin
July 2012

Visually, the five interlocking rings that have become synonymous with the Olympic Games are fairly simple, but they deliver an iconic message. They speak to thrilling competition, achievement at the highest level, and the pride and patriotism of nations. The rings have come to be one of the...

The Handheld Quick Serve

It seems one quick-serve company may have found a way to beat the age-old challenge of being in more than one place at a time.

With the launch of two custom smartphone apps, owners and corporate officials at Edible Arrangements will be able to keep virtual watch over multiple stores at...

The Great Spin-Off
June 2012

The seasoning of the food, impeccable service, crisp table linens—every detail counts in fine dining, as chefs and managers seek to create a memorable experience alongside a savory meal.

That same strategy is now playing out in the quick-serve arena, where fine-dining operators are...

The Tennessee Titan

Most businessmen study the leaders of their industry to gather tips on growth strategies. But many national quick-service chains are seeking advice from a regional burger chain populating rural towns in East Tennessee.

And the advice they’re getting seems to be working.

Pal...

The Evolution of Checkers/Rally’s

Checkers/Rally’s, the nation’s largest double drive-thru chain, unveiled a new store prototype that updates the look of the building and loses the iconic second drive-thru window in favor of a covered seating area.

...

Love is in the Air

While most people may associate Valentine’s Day with upscale restaurants and fine wines, dozens of quick-serve promotions, ranging from heart-shaped doughnuts to couples’ specials, are giving operators hope that they won’t be stood up this February 14.

By targeting...