May 25, 2013
Industry News
With Unprecedented Growth, WFF Launches New Campaign

The foodservice industry is expected to have its fourth straight year of growth, reaching sales in excess of $660 billion, according to the NRA Industry Forecast. The results of this growth are seen every day in headlines—the pressure for innovation, mergers and acquisitions, the struggle for talent recruitment and retention. These...

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Huddle House Puts on Fresh Face, Readies for Growth

The times are a changin' at family-dining chain Huddle House. With new CEO Michael Abt on board since October 2012, an updated design prototype, and a sharper focus on franchisee growth and profitability, the brand is ready to hit new heights in 2013 and beyond. To ensure its success, Abt says the brand will continue its long-time...

Read Full Story // read more about: Huddle House, Breakfast, Menu Development, Operations, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Finally! Wendy’s Debuts Flatbread

After two years of planning, trials, tests, retooling, and finding a vendor willing to spend millions on a new ingredient, Wendy’s is rolling out its latest offering: Flatbread Grilled Chicken Sandwiches. The Smoky Honey Mustard and Asiago Ranch limited-time offers hit stores nationwide this week in an effort to compete with...

Read Full Story // read more about: Wendy's, Burgers, Menu Innovations
Industry News
KFC Doubles Down in South Africa

KFC South Africa launched the iconic Double Down, the first all-meat burger with no roll. This launch follows the product’s introduction in other global markets, including North America, Asia, and Australia. The Double Down “man-meal” will be available in all of KFC’s 700 restaurants across South Africa until the...

Read Full Story // read more about: KFC, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Industry News
Pie Five Lands First Multiunit Agreement in Florida

Pie Five Pizza Co., a subsidiary of Pizza Inn Holdings, has awarded the first multiunit franchise agreement for Florida to develop 10 locations. The deal with one of Florida’s most successful entrepreneurs, L. Gale Lemerand, will introduce the fast-casual brand to the state with aggressive growth plans for the Orlando,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pie Five, Pizza, Franchising, Growth
Menu Innovations
Dressing Up

Not that long ago, consumers visited limited-service restaurants mostly for items such as burgers, fried chicken, french fries, and sandwiches. But in the past two decades, salads have become an integral part of quick-service and fast-casual menus, now showcased as a prominent entrée on many restaurants’ menuboards. “The...

Read Full Story // read more about: Corner Bakery Cafe, Saladworks, Sweetgreen, Tender Greens, Tossed, Wendy's, Healthy Menus, Ingredients & Dayparts
Franchising
Breaking Out in Captivity

January marked Rick Glitchen’s 20th year in the coffee business. Previously a lawyer, Glitchen started off in the quick-service industry with his brother, opening his own street-side café location in 1993. The duo ran their own units for more than two years before signing on with Seattle’s Best Coffee in 1996 and converting...

Read Full Story // read more about: Seattle's Best, Promotions, Growth
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
McD's Franchisees Make the Switch to Automated Oil Management

It took some time for McDonald’s area supervisor Andy Suckiel to embrace automated oil management for the two California franchises he oversees in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, California.

Now with four years of experience using Restaurant Technologies, Inc. (RTI) oil...

Read Full Story // read more about: McDonald's, Equipment, Food Safety
Industry News
Pollo Tropical Plays with Pineapple for Latest LTO

Pineapple is the newest star in the Pollo Tropical kitchens, as the brand introduces its Tangy Pineapple Chicken Wrap and Tangy Pineapple Chicken Salad.

The Tangy Pineapple Chicken Wrap features pineapple grilled with olive oil, cumin, and a hint of black pepper; marinated then flame-...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pollo Tropical, Menu Development
Industry News
Krispy Kreme Cashes In on Salted Caramel Craze

Krispy Kreme is getting in on the salted caramel trend with a unique sweet and savory, soft and crunchy doughnut treat.

From June 24 through September 1, Krispy Kreme’s limited-time caramel and chocolate offerings will feature hand-dipped and handcrafted doughnuts topped with smooth...

Read Full Story // read more about: Krispy Kreme, Desserts, Menu Development
Industry News
Jack in the Box Donates $325K to Big Brothers Big Sisters

The Jack in the Box Foundation announced a $325,000 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters, its primary charitable partner since 1998.

Monies for the donation were raised during the 23rd annual Jack in the Box Charity Golf Tournament, which was held April 26 in Indian Wells, California.

Read Full Story // read more about: Jack in the Box, Charitable Giving
Industry News
Coffee Away From Home Fuels Limited-Service Growth

New findings from a recent breakfast study show that coffee sales are on the rise nationally, and that customers’ increasingly having their morning cups of joe away from home continues to be a key driver in fueling growth for limited-service restaurants and cafés.  

The...

Read Full Story // read more about: Beverage, Consumer Trends, Growth
Industry News
Wingstop Soars High in Q1

Wingstop is off to another strong start in 2013, with same-store sales up 13 percent in the first quarter.

The 565-unit concept also opened 14 new restaurants and signed development agreements to result in an additional 70 locations, bringing the total pipeline of opening commitments to...

Read Full Story // read more about: Wingstop, Finance, Promotions
Industry News
Wixon Taps Into Its Southern Side for New Coating System

Wixon, a manufacturer of seasonings, flavors, and technologies for the food and beverage industry, now offers a proprietary Southern-Style Coating System, ideal for poultry.

The system features innovative technologies for blocking bitter notes from over-frying, and flavor systems that...

Read Full Story // read more about: Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
Tasti D Lite chair Jim Amos mentors young leaders to protect future of brand.
Executive Insights
Under the Wing

Early on in his career, Jim Amos, chairman and former CEO of Tasti D-Lite, would make it his mission to track down his mentor, a business leader who hated flying so much that he would drive his personal coach around the country to various meetings and engagements.

“I would call his...

Read Full Story // read more about: Jack in the Box, Tasti D-Lite, Human Resources
Women leaders like Flatbread Grill's owners successfully launch new brands.
Finance
Cleared for Launch

Starting any business can be a difficult prospect, but in an industry where men have historically outnumbered women, the roadblocks to doing so can be even more challenging when you’re female.

For many female foodservice entrepreneurs, being taken seriously as a business owner is...

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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