May 22, 2013
Marc Halperin: Resident F&B Expert
Tweaking Fresh

Menu-development professionals for fast-food chains have probably watched enviously as some of their fast-casual competitors have unveiled salads that are both too elaborate and too expensive to replicate at their concepts.

Read Full Story // read more about: Au Bon Pain, Cosi, Healthy Menus, Menu Innovations, Ingredients & Dayparts
Growth
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 Georgia and Alabama that highlighted its...

Read Full Story // read more about: Tin Drum, Finance, Competition
Operations
The Main Event

Everyone loves a party, especially when it’s hosted by their favorite restaurant brand. With in-store events, quick-service and fast-casual brands from every corner of the industry can drive traffic into stores, while also ensuring future revenue increases and guest loyalty by letting customers in on free or discounted products.

Read Full Story // read more about: Arby's, Auntie Anne's, Capriotti's, Haagen-Dazs, Moe's Southwest Grill, Marketing
Industry News
The King’s Evolution

Burger King made waves in 2012 when it overhauled its marketing and menu items in an effort to compete more directly with competitors like McDonald’s and Wendy’s. Turns out the brand wasn’t done with its evolution. In the last month, Burger King has refreshed its menu even further, a move that has included a new coffee...

Read Full Story // read more about: Burger King, Burgers, Menu Innovations, Promotions
Industry News
California Tortilla Seeking a New LTO, NCAA-Style

It's NCAA playoff season, and everyone’s got basketball fever--including California Tortilla. This year, the fast casual chain invites customers to get in on the action with the first annual Elito 8 Tournament: it’s up to Cal Tort fans to determine the next limited time offer, as eight possible menu items go head-to-head...

Read Full Story // read more about: California Tortilla, Menu Development, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations, Social Media, Promotions
Outside Insights
The Snack Attack

In 2012, consumer foot traffic in quick serves remained static during the three main dayparts. While the industry could be helped by an improving economy in 2013 and beyond, operators will benefit if they are able to increase sales between dayparts, which can be accomplished by establishing a robust snacking program.

Read Full Story // read more about: Menu Development, Consumer Trends, Ingredients & Dayparts
Industry News
Auntie Anne's Twists Its Way Into 25th Country

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels the 1,330-unit franchise made famous by its fresh, hand-rolled treats, entered its 25 th country earlier this year after opening a milestone unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The opening signifies the execution of a master franchise agreement with K&H Vietnam Co. to open 30 units in the country...

Read Full Story // read more about: Auntie Anne's, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Atlanta Bread Serves Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Coffee

Atlanta Bread has announced that it will be switching all of its cafes' caffeinated espresso beans to Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business, and consumer behavior.  "We are making a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Atlanta Bread, Beverage, Green, Menu Development
Small portions give customers control over health, values, and variety.
Menu Innovations
Small Portions a Big Idea

Small portions are very big these days.

Many 2013 trend predictions determined that small plates and snacking are expected to be popular among chefs and restaurant operators this year. While diners are still eating during the traditional meal times—breakfast, lunch, and dinner...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pei Wei, Qdoba, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Wendy's, White Castle, Wow Bao, Menu Development, Consumer Trends, Health, Ingredients & Dayparts
Restaurant operators learn valuable tips at restaurant industry's largest show.
Industry News
2013 NRA Show Guide
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Read Full Story // read more about: Cosi, Competition, Growth
NRA CEO Dawn Sweeney helps protect restaurant operators interests.
Executive Insights
The Advocate

The most powerful woman in the restaurant industry isn’t intimidating, nor is she larger than life. She isn’t cold, tight-lipped, terse, or abrasive. She doesn’t talk down to you. She doesn’t double-book you and cancel at the last second.

Certainly one might expect...

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Competition, Women in Foodservice, Growth
Industry News
At Chick-fil-A, Old Salads Just Don't Cut It

Chick-fil-A isn’t one to back down from a challenge—even one that’s self-imposed. That’s why, despite the fact that customers weren’t complaining about current salad offerings, the chicken chain decided to scrap its salad lineup in favor of three brand new options...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chick-fil-A, Digital Signage & Menuboards, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Operations
Food production systems like hydroponics help restaurants use more local goods.
Ingredients & Dayparts
Can Quick Serves Save the World?

No longer is local sourcing just a utopian ideal. It’s a practice coming to life and continually gaining momentum in foodservice, with the number of local ingredients on menus growing by 73 percent over the last four years, according to market research firm Mintel.

But, at its most...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chipotle, Mad Greens, Sloco, Green, In the Store, Consumer Trends, Menu Innovations
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay provides strong example of smart restaurant growth.
Alan Philips: Trends to Watch
Be Like Bobby

My idea of “inclusive exclusivity” started in a boardroom many years ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I was making a presentation to a group of executives at the Borgata Hotel, Casino, & Spa to explain how they could import the feel of New York’s hottest nightclubs and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bobby's Burger Palace, Burgers, Growth
Industry News
Dunkin' Donuts Grows Healthy Menu With Turkey Sausage

Helping guests greet the warm weather with more smart choices, Dunkin’ Donuts announced a permanent addition to its DDSMART menu: the Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich.

A breakfast sandwich option under 400 calories, the new sandwich features a fried egg topped with turkey sausage...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dunkin' Donuts, Breakfast, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Restaurant operators can promote their brand using restaurant review websites.
Denise Lee Yohn: QSR’s Marketing Guru
From Negative to Positive

Q: What's the right way to handle a negative online review?

A: If you're like most restaurateurs, you're a perfectionist. So a negative review on Yelp...

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing, Competition, Consumer Trends, Promotions
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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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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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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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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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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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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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...

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