May 23, 2013
Industry News
KFC Debuts New Original Recipe Boneless

When nearly four in five servings of fried chicken in the U.S. are served “off the bone” – strips, bites, and filets – what’s the most famous fried chicken restaurant in the world to do? For KFC, the answer was simple: Get rid of the bones.

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Industry News
Seattle's Best Taps Into $4.3B Blended Beverage Industry

Seattle’s Best Coffee, a division of Starbucks Corporation, partnered with food manufacturer Inventure Foods Inc. to launch a first for the coffee industry: a blend-at-home frozen coffee beverage line. “The blended marketplace is huge and growing; it’s a $4.3 billion category,” says Jennifer Dimaris, vice...

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Industry News
Barberitos Brings Back Mango Salsa

Barberitos rolls out its warm-weather menu item: mango salsa. The sweet salsa made its debut last year and was a hit. It is commonly paired with the jerk tilapia available on Fridays, as well as Barberitos chicken. Mango salsa will be available throughout the summer at all Barberitos locations. Barberitos is a quick service restaurant...

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Menu Innovations
Tricks of the Local Trade

Given the option to serve products that are considered fresh, high quality, and superior in taste—products that consumers crave and feel a connection to—operators generally don’t have to think twice. That’s why many limited-service brands are jumping on board with the local-foods trend, opting to purchase many of...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chipotle, Farm Burger, Mad Greens, Mixt Greens, Split Bread, Sweetgreen, Menu Development, Competition, Consumer Trends, Sustainability, Ingredients & Dayparts
Emerging Concepts
One to Watch: Muscle Maker Grill

Rod Silva, founder of Muscle Maker Grill, says making America healthier requires diners increasing the number of healthy choices they make each day. And Muscle Maker Grill is helping them do just that. In fact, it’s difficult to make an unhealthy choice at a Muscle Maker Grill restaurant. There are no fryers on the premises; the...

Read Full Story // read more about: Muscle Maker Grill, Healthy Menus, Franchising, Growth, Health
Industry News
Guests Can Now "Dew" Lunch at Honey Dew Donuts

Honey Dew Donuts is no longer just a morning go-to for coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Now it’s also a lunch spot. The New England–based company is excited to announce its very first official lunch sandwich, Willow Tree Chicken Salad on a multi-grain croissant. Made to order, this hearty sandwich is full of fresh, all...

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Industry News
Rita’s Serves Up New Sundaes, Cookie Dough Cream Ice

Rita’s Italian Ice, the nation’s largest Italian Ice concept with over 625 outlets in 20 states, announces their newest Cool Treat, Sundaes with Unlimited Toppings. Also making its debut is the Cookie Dough Cream Ice, a flavor with chocolate chips and cookie dough pieces. Cookie Dough Cream Ice is available for a limited time...

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Industry News
Panda Express Rolls Out Samurai Surf & Turf

Panda Express introduces its newest premium entrée, Samurai Surf & Turf. Samurai Surf & Turf features premium marinated shrimp combined with Angus Top Sirloin, wok-seared, with sweet red bell peppers, string beans, and diced potatoes in a new zesty Samurai sauce. 

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Industry News
One Year After Acquisition, Krystal Keeps Growing

As Krystal marks its first year under the ownership of Argonne Capital Group, president and CEO Doug Pendergast is sharing significant milestones and changes that will pave the way for the iconic brand’s future success.

Pendergast says in just the nine months of 2012 following the...

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Industry News
WOW Café Expands its 'Wings' and Rebrands as American Grill

New Orleans’ favorite wing joint WOW Café has gotten a facelift and will roll out a new trade dress among locations across New Orleans and the U.S. 

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Industry News
Panera's Bill Moreton Steps Down; Shaich To Be Sole CEO

Panera Bread Company announced that president and co-CEO Bill Moreton will transition to executive vice chairman, due to a recognition of his need to spend increased amounts of time on a family matter.

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Industry News
McAlister's Grows 5 Percent in Q1 2013

McAlister's Deli, a leading fast-casual restaurant, announced a same-store sales increase of 5 percent during the first quarter of 2013. 

This marks the 11th straight quarter of positive sales growth. Comp sales were driven primarily by an increase in entrée...

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Industry News
Wendy's Celebrates National Salad Month

May is National Salad Month and no other quick service chain has more reason to celebrate salads than Wendy’s.

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Industry News
In a Victory for Gamers, Pizza Hut and Xbox Unite

The video game industry has a history of introducing dynamic duos. And now comes another: Xbox and Pizza Hut.

The two category giants have joined forces to launch a first-of-its-kind ordering app that allows users to purchase physical goods straight from the Xbox 360 video game and...

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Panera Bread markets company values in new promotional campaign.
Promotions
Focus On the Values

Panera Bread’s “Live Consciously, Eat Deliciously” platform, which launched in late February after nearly a year of testing and research, is a first for the brand. Rather than touting Panera’s products, it focuses on the concept’s philosophy.

“We really...

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Superfoods like quinoa give quick serve operators a strong marketing tool.
Marc Halperin: Resident F&B Expert
A Super Marketing Tool

Sit down and relax, Mr. and Mrs. Menu Developer. You look tense. Here, have a sip of this blueberry-kale-sun-dried-tomato-açai-green-tea-flaxseed smoothie I’ve just whipped up. It’s loaded with antioxidants, vitamin B, fiber, and lycopene. I think you’ll find it both...

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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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Superfoods like whole grains and oatmeal offer healthy menu alternative.
Healthy Menus
The Other Side of Super

Superfoods have swept the culinary world into a frenzy, enticing consumers with a taste of the exotic and courting them with nutrition and functionality, to the point where restaurants across the country are trying to stake a claim in this fledgling movement.

Quick-service restaurants are...

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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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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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Tin Drum Asia Cafe used equity firm investment to stay debt free in growth.
Finance
Striking Gold

Steven Chan’s business was at a crossroads last year. His Atlanta-based fast casual Tin Drum AsiaCafé launched in 2000, sold its first franchise in 2001, and was growing slowly due to Chan’s determination to keep it debt-free. At the beginning of 2012, Tin Drum had 10 franchises in...

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Fast casual brands attract customers with alcoholic beverage programs
Beverage
Buying into Booze

Fast-casual restaurants were once able to claim premium food, modern décor, and all-around upscale service as hallmarks of their category. But with more quick-service chains retooling in those areas to compete for post-recession consumers, fast casuals have been left to search for new ways to...

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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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Innovations like the Marinara Tower were featured on the NRA Show floor.
Back of House
Recapping the NRA Show

As the lights went out on the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show) in Chicago on Tuesday, there was plenty to consider about the future of the industry.

The show featured no shortage of technological advancements, not just in computing hardware...

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Roy Bergold: Tales from McDonald’s
The Kids’ Meal Compromise

Recently I was talking with Barry Klein, an old friend of mine who was one of the original advertising guys at McDonald’s. He is a marketing consultant now with a large interest in kids marketing. We were discussing the kids’ meal situation and the critics who claim these meals are responsible for our childhood obesity problems.

Barry has a heated position that I would like to share with you, and then I’ll share my comments as well.

Barry: Restaurant operators, which way will you go?

Read Full Story // read more about: McDonald's, Healthy Menus, Women in Foodservice, Promotions, Ingredients & Dayparts