May 21, 2013
Denise Lee Yohn: QSR’s Marketing Guru
How to Succeed in a New Market

Q: You've got a popular concept with a few locations in one market, and you're looking to expand into a new market. What's the best way to do so? A: Expanding into a new market can be both risky and rewarding, but there are a few ways you can increase your odds of success.

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing, Growth
Industry News
A Victor Emerges in the Battle of the Pita Pits

Pita Pit was doing NCAA bracket-style competitions before they were even popular—this year, that is. In November, the healthy pita chain kicked off the Battle of the Pita Pits contest, which pitted fans across the nation against one another for a chance to win free pitas by showing loyalty to their favorite Pita Pit location.

Read Full Story // read more about: Pita Pit, Healthy Menus, Marketing, Social Media
Industry News
Concessions Int'l Names New VP of Business Development

Atlanta-based Concessions International (CI), a leading foodservice concessionaire with operations in airports across the United States,announced the promotion of LeMonica Hakeem to vice president of business development. Hakeem has worked in a variety of roles within CI and sister company HJ Russell & Company over the past 12...

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
McDonald's Wraps Up Newest Permanent Menu Item

McDonald's is adding a new chicken offering to its menu, the new Premium McWrap, which will roll out to restaurants nationwide. The new tortilla-wrapped entree features fresh vegetables, grilled or crispy chicken breast, and signature sauces like seasoned rice vinegar, sweet chili, or creamy garlic. The wrap is served in a handheld...

Read Full Story // read more about: McDonald's, Menu Development
Promotions
Buzzwords, Defined

In the last several years, as consumers have become savvier and more educated about the food they eat, words like fresh , local , and artisanal have become the norm in the foodservice industry. But with many companies throwing these terms around seemingly at will to try to differentiate their brand and resonate with customers,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Charley's, Chipotle, Subway, Marketing, Competition, Consumer Trends
Health
Healthy Is Hip

The spotlight on healthy eating is growing brighter, and now even the youngest eaters are taking notice. A recent study by children’s research firm KidSay and The Marketing Store Worldwide (TMSW) showed the majority of children ages 5–11 think they are healthy eaters, with more than 80 percent of kids saying healthy eating...

Read Full Story // read more about: Subway, Healthy Menus, Promotions
Alan Philips: Trends to Watch
The Great Juice Rush of 2013

There is gold in them fruits. Once upon a time long ago, in 1996, Doug Green happened upon a storefront in New York’s East Village. He was young, passionate, spiritual, and committed to his dreams of owning a super-high-quality juice bar. That year he opened Liquiteria and became the original “juice-apreneur,” a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Liquiteria, Organic Avenue, Beverage, Menu Innovations, Ingredients & Dayparts
Industry News
Tropical Smoothie Café Gets 'Tanked' on Animal Planet

Tropical Smoothie Café in Tampa, Florida, will be the backdrop for Animal Planet’s hit reality television program, "Tanked," as the show returns with new episodes beginning Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. "Tanked," an Animal Planet original series, highlights the most outrageous builds each week for those...

Read Full Story // read more about: Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Entertainment, In the Store
Industry News
Tropical Smoothie Café Rides Waves of Growth

After opening 40 franchise locations and signing 41 new franchise agreements in 2012, Tropical Smoothie Café is accelerating expansion in 2013 with plans to open 40 new cafés this year across the U.S.

The unrivaled brand position of “healthy food with a tropical twist” that...

Read Full Story // read more about: Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Beverage, Menu Innovations, Franchising, Growth
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. 

Read Full Story // read more about: WOW Cafe, Marketing, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey is innovativing the POS space with Square.
Industry News
Can Square Change POS Forever?

Jack Dorsey, who cofounded Twitter and Square, was raised by parents in the quick-service industry. His father owned a pizza restaurant, and his mother ran a coffee shop.

It’s little surprise, then, that Dorsey’s latest initiative with Square is to broaden its use within quick...

Read Full Story // read more about: Little Muenster, Kiosk, Online & Remote Ordering, Point Of Sale, In the Store, Consumer Trends, Ordering
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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Panera Bread, Sandwiches, Human Resources
Corner Bakery's new menu items use fresh ingredients to offer premium quality.
Industry News
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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Corner Bakery Cafe, Breakfast, Competition, Consumer Trends, Menu Innovations, Fast Casual
Industry News
Penn Station East Coast Subs Offers Free Fresh-Cut Fries

As a special thank you to its loyal customers and neighbors, Penn Station East Coast Subs is offering a free small order of its fresh-cut fries to anyone who dines in participating locations on Wednesday, April 24. Penn Station’s fresh-cut fries are a customer favorite, freshly hand-cut...

Read Full Story // read more about: Penn Station East Coast Subs, Menu Development, Sandwiches, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
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...

Read Full Story // read more about: McAlister's Deli, Finance, Sandwiches, Growth
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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Krystal, Burgers, Finance, Growth
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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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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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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Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
Back of House
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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Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey is innovativing the POS space with Square.
Point Of Sale
Can Square Change POS Forever?

Jack Dorsey, who cofounded Twitter and Square, was raised by parents in the quick-service industry. His father owned a pizza restaurant, and his mother ran a coffee shop.

It’s little surprise, then, that Dorsey’s latest initiative with Square is to broaden its use within quick...

See More
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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