June 19, 2013
Industry News
Mobile Makeover

Quick-service operators increasingly have the ability to target their customers right where they are. The industry’s use of mobile marketing has grown exponentially over the last two years, and marketers are projected to spend $1.2 billion on mobile display advertising (not including smartphone apps, mobile coupons, and other...

Read Full Story // read more about: Burger King, Subway, Marketing, Online & Remote Ordering, Consumer Trends, Ordering, Social Media, Promotions
Social Media
All the World’s Your Stage

In February, Taco Bell made the long-awaited announcement that it would soon launch the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, a follow-up to 2012’s fanfare-inducing and record-shattering Doritos Locos Taco. But it didn’t break the news through a press release or company statement. Instead, its nearly 10 million Facebook fans and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dunkin' Donuts, KFC, Subway, Taco Bell, Marketing, Consumer Trends, Promotions
Franchising
The Transformational Franchisee

Army and Air Force foodservice provider The Exchange has been serving U.S. military families since 1895 with meals in cafeteria lines and snack bars. It wasn’t until 1985, however, that it first signed a license agreement with a name-brand food franchisee—at the time, Burger King.

Read Full Story // read more about: Wing Zone, Back of House, Kitchen, In the Store
Emerging Concepts
Standout Store: Vivoli Il Gelato NY

Travel guide Frommer’s calls gelato a “Florentine institution” and “a craft taken seriously by all.” It also labels Vivoli as “the city’s institution.” Now, after more than eight decades serving its homemade gelato in Florence, Italy, Vivoli has finally hopped the Atlantic and set up...

Read Full Story // read more about: Vivoli Il Gelato, Desserts, Competition, Growth
Industry News
The Table Service Upgrade

The city of Winter Park, Florida, was in a quandary. Up-and-coming fast-casual concepts Firehouse Subs and BurgerFi wanted to move into the town’s upscale dining and shopping district, Park Avenue, but business owners and city officials were worried that the posh image would become tarnished with the addition of limited-service...

Read Full Story // read more about: BurgerFi, Firehouse Subs, Back of House, Legal, Training, Competition, In the Store, Consumer Trends, Ordering, Fast Casual
Industry News
Pizza Hut Canada Taps Into Roots With Poutine Pizza

In a Canadian first, Pizza Hut Canada is giving Canadians the chance to try their favorite foods in a new and unexpected way.  For a limited time, Pizza Hut Canada is offering a new pizza menu that features five fresh recipes inspired by Canada’s cultural diversity. They include the Asian BBQ and Creamy Butter Chicken Pizza. ...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pizza Hut, Menu Development, Pizza
Industry News
Cinnabon Debuts Line of Summer Drinks

Just in time for warm weather, Cinnabon is kicking off the season with a line-up of sweet summertime beverages, including one that pairs the bakery brand with delectable Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the first time. The refreshing and indulgent drinks are available now at participating Cinnabon bakeries.   The Sweet...

Read Full Story // read more about: Cinnabon, Desserts, Menu Innovations
Industry News
Pizza Ranch Delivers Pacific Tastes To The Midwest

This summer, Pizza Ranch is bringing the taste of the Pacific to the Midwest with the launch of two new Hawaiian-inspired menu items: the Meaty Tahiti Pizza and Aloha Salad. Both items are available for a limited time only. “Our new Meaty Tahiti Pizza and Aloha Salad are packed with unique and bold tastes,” says Nancy...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pizza Ranch, Menu Development, Pizza
Industry News
Villa Enterprises Continues Growth in U.S.

Villa Enterprises Management Ltd. Inc., a global multi-concept restaurant franchisor, announced the opening of several locations in Arizona and New York. As Villa Enterprises continues to expand its presence in outlet shopping malls nationwide, the...

Read Full Story // read more about: Green Leaf's/Bananas, Villa Italian Kitchen, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Pei Wei Brings Tastes of Summer to Menu

To celebrate the fresh, lighter tastes of summer, Pei Wei Asian Diner is introducing two new lettuce wraps: Thai Chicken and Korean Steak. These limited-time offerings will be available from June 3 until the end of August, providing a great summertime complement to the Traditional Chicken...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pei Wei, Menu Innovations
Industry News
Fazoli's Introduces Summer Lottery Game

Fazoli’s has partnered with Coke to offer its guests a chance to win great prizes, plus the chance to win $50,000, making this summer a whole lotta fun. The Fazoli’s Italian Lotto Game features instant cash and food prizes when guests upsize to any medium size drink. Peel & Win...

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Promotions
Industry News
Costa Vida Going Strong After 10 Years of Business

A decade after launching its Baja-inspired fresh Mexican grill concept, Costa Vida will open its 50th restaurant in Vernal, Utah, on June 17, 2013.

 

With 49 locations already open and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, Franchising, Growth, Expansion
Industry News
Date Code Genie Makes Labeling More Efficient

The “Date Code Genie,” a fully automated, hi-tech date-code labeling system for use in the foodservice industry, will launch this summer at the Western Foodservice and Hospitality Expo in Los Angeles, August 18 to 20. See the Date Code Genie system in...

Read Full Story // read more about: Food Safety, Technology
Industry News
Huddle House Hires New COO

Following three consecutive years of company sales growth and the successful launch of a new contemporary restaurant prototype, Huddle House announced today it has hired Tyrone Counts as chief operating officer. Huddle House, which is re-energizing itself at age 49 with menu optimization,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Huddle House, Human Resources
Industry News
NRA and WFF Join Forces to Develop Industry Leaders

In its ongoing efforts to address the growing demands of the restaurant and foodservice industry, the National Restaurant Association announced a new partnership with the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) to develop the next generation of...

Read Full Story // read more about: Executive Insights
Industry News
WFF Partners with MGM for Conference

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) is entering a partnership with The MGM Resorts Foundation, the non-profit foundation driven by employees of MGM Resorts International, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, to present the Seventh Annual Women...

Read Full Story // read more about: Training, Executive Insights, Women in Foodservice
Food Safety
The Low Down on High Chair Cleanliness

The high chairs you keep on hand for your youngest customers are a welcome convenience for their moms and dads. But ensuring that high chair surfaces are cleaned and sanitized is often overlooked even in quick-service restaurants that employ the most disciplined hygiene procedures.

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The Boston Fire Department was treated to free meals at Firehouse Subs.
Charitable Giving
Nurturing Boston

As soon as he learned about the April 15th Boston bombings, Dave Tucci, the New England area representative for Firehouse Subs’ DMA, called the Firehouse franchisee closest to the bombings.

Tucci was relieved to find out that all employees at Firehouse’s Copley Square location...

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Five to Seven will invest in healthy and sustainble fast food brands globally.
Finance
Good Food for All

Five to Seven, a new restaurant funding initiative launched in May by foodservice industry veterans Brad Blum and John Vincent, has goodness at its core and as its goal. “Good food for the planet” is the initiative’s tagline, as Blum and Vincent want “good food”...

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Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
Point Of Sale
How to Prevent Credit Card Fraud

Every merchant that accepts credit and debit cards is required to be compliant with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS), whose next set of standards will be released in October 2013. Yet despite these compliance requirements, the food and beverage industry had the...

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Beverage
Ensure Ice Safety by Cleaning Frequently, Handling Properly

When it comes to ice, the Food and Drug Administration is crystal clear: Ice is considered a food—and it must be as safe as drinking water. The rule applies whether the ice is to be consumed or placed in contact with food or beverages to cool them.

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McAlisters Deli franchisee says casual dining experience helps in quick service.
Sandwiches
What You Can Learn from Casual Dining

David Blackburn has been in the foodservice business his entire adult life. Since 1979, the McAlister’s Deli franchisee has cataloged more than 25 years of experience in the casual-dining sector, spending 16 of those as regional vice president of operations at O’Charley’s....

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Corner Bakery's new menu items use fresh ingredients to offer premium quality.
Breakfast
The Corner of Innovation

In a push to distinguish itself from growing competition in the fast-casual bakery-café space, Corner Bakery Café is doubling down on menu innovation.

The 22-year-old, Dallas-based chain recently leveraged its high-quality kitchen equipment and capabilities, as well as more than 40 fresh...

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A Wing Zone franchisee changed his cooking equipment to get better results.
Back of House
The Transformational Franchisee

Army and Air Force foodservice provider The Exchange has been serving U.S. military families since 1895 with meals in cafeteria lines and snack bars. It wasn’t until 1985, however, that it first signed a license agreement with a name-brand food franchisee—at the time, Burger King.

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Superfoods like blueberries offer nutritional and flavorful menu potential.
Healthy Menus
Wonder Food

Look, up on the table! It’s a burdock. It’s a plantain. It’s … superfood!

Although there’s nothing really super-heroic about eating nutrition-rich fruits and vegetables, the foods give customers an opportunity to pursue healthier options at a time when many...

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Industry News
Cintas Partner Receives RFMA's Vendor of the Year Award

Cintas Corporation, a leader in fire-protection services, announced that Annaji Sailer, a Cintas employee-partner, has received the prestigious “Vendor of the Year” award from the Restaurant Facility Management Association (RFMA).

Sailer works for Dunnwell, a division of Cintas Fire Protection, and has been a RFMA member for nearly five years, dedicating herself to advancing the restaurant facility management profession and women within the industry.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Women in Foodservice
Tap Into the Network

More women enter the foodservice industry every year, and they’re being met with a growing wealth of experience and support from which they can draw. A number of networking and leadership development groups have taken on the task of providing stronger gender diversity at all levels of the industry, and are ensuring that more growth opportunities exist for women.

Read Full Story // read more about: Dairy Queen, Meatheads, Wendy's, Growth, Human Resources
Industry News
WFF Partners Up with People Report

 

Read Full Story // read more about: Operations, Consumer Trends, Women in Foodservice, Technology
Industry News
Apply Now for Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l Awards

The application period for the fifth-annual Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) Legacy Awards is now open.

This year, six LDEI Legacy Awards will be given in three categories: Culinary, Wine, and Entrepreneurship.

Each Legacy Award offers a one-week workplace experience under the direction of highly successful, award-winning members of LDEI. The Legacy experience is a high-energy, labor-intensive, and career-expanding opportunity.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Women's Foodservice Forum Appoints New Board Members

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) is pleased to welcome three new members to its Board of Directors: Karen Bowman of Deloitte, Twila Day of Sysco, and Jack Sinclair of Walmart.

WFF Board member Marie Perry, of Brinker International, has joined the board’s Executive Committee in the role of treasurer, replacing the retiring Julie Swan, formerly of Sysco.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Industry News
NRA, NRAEF Name New Board Members and Officers

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced they have elected officers to their Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, respectively.

The officers began their one-year terms on January 1, 2013, and recently led their first board meetings.

In addition, the Association and the Educational Foundation have named several industry leaders to join their respective boards.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Industry News
WFF Meets with White House, Discusses Women Leaders

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013, the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) brought over 30 women executives from the foodservice industry to the White House to forge a strategic alliance between key business leaders and White House initiatives.

Read Full Story // read more about: Back of House, Back Office, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
WFF Hits Capitol Hill for White House Issues Briefing

On February 20, 2013, Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) board chair Lorna Donatone and president and CEO Fritzi Woods led a delegation of more than 30 foodservice executives to Washington to participate in the organization’s first White House issues briefing. 

The visit marks WFF’s continued efforts to elevate the mission, purpose, and goals of the organization: to advance women leaders. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice