May 19, 2013
Industry News
Pizza Hut Takes on Interviewing, Twitter-Style

As social media has permanently changed companies’ communication and marketing practices, it has become increasingly important for brands to hire a social media guru who can manage multiple social media platforms in a professional, yet engaging way. And that’s exactly who Pizza Hut is seeking for its new social media...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pizza Hut, Pizza, Social Media, Human Resources
Industry News
Tropical Smoothie Has Food on the Brain

It’s one thing to revitalize a menu, upgrade unit décor, or take on a new marketing platform. But changing consumers’ perception of a brand entirely is a completely different story, and it’s one Tropical Smoothie Café is trying to tell. The 335-plus-unit chain used to be known as a real fruit smoothie–only...

Read Full Story // read more about: Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Beverage, Healthy Menus, Marketing, Menu Development, Sandwiches, Growth
Industry News
Uncle Ben's Introduces Original Converted Brand Rice

The Uncle Ben’s Brand introduces its improved Uncle Ben's Original Converted Brand Rice, delivering noticeably better taste, texture, and overall performance. As America’s number one brand, Uncle Ben's ensures the highest quality from start to finish. This includes the careful selection of its rice, using fewer than...

Read Full Story // read more about: Uncle Ben's, Menu Development, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
Industry News
American Idol Hopeful Serves Up Cool Treats at Rita's

Rita’s Italian Ice, the nation’s largest Italian Ice concept with over 625 outlets in 19 states, announces Lazaro Arbos, a Treat Team Member from Rita’s outlet in Naples, Florida, was chosen as a Top 20 finalist by American Idol 2013 (Season 12). Arbos earned a coveted spot on the popular singing competition’s Top...

Read Full Story // read more about: Rita's Italian Ice, Entertainment, Competition
Industry News
Shopping the Brand

Quick-service sushi concepts, from How Do You Roll? to Yo! Sushi, have taken off in the U.S., with Americans’ increasingly adventurous palates driving growth. And Genji Sushi, which first opened its doors in Philadelphia in 1997, is a quiet leader in the category, with 165 units. But Genji has a trick up its sleeve that’s...

Read Full Story // read more about: Genji Sushi, Operations, Growth
Industry News
US Foods Takes on Spring with New Product Line

US Foods introduced its new spring product line featuring regional favorites from across America. Taking diners on a culinary road trip across the country, the offerings include new burger items from famed New York butcher Pat LaFrieda; baked beans and bacon made with Kentucky bourbon; and a new twist on an American favorite, apple pie...

Read Full Story // read more about: Menu Development, Ingredients & Dayparts
Industry News
Corner Bakery Cafe Debuts New Turkey Monterey Panini

Just in time to help guests snap out of their long winter daze, Corner Bakery Cafe will debut the newest member of its signature grilled panini lineup, the Turkey Monterey Panini.

Read Full Story // read more about: Corner Bakery Cafe, Menu Development, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
Industry News
Fatburger Takes Over Downtown Los Angeles

Fatburger has announced the opening of its first location in downtown Los Angeles. The Hollywood burger chain maintains and upholds the unique culture that Lovie Yancey created when launching the brand 60 years ago. With an array of toppings and condiments to select from, each burger is grilled to order and topped with fresh...

Read Full Story // read more about: Fatburger, Burgers, Franchising, Growth
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
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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Burger King's new coffee beverages position the brand to compete with McDonalds.
Beverage
Coffee is King

Forget quick-serve mainstays like burgers and fries. These days, limited-service brands are looking to coffee to beef up business, and Burger King is the latest chain to get in on the action.

Burger King’s customers can now enjoy 10 new specialty drinks, including iced coffees in a...

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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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Secure quick serve restaurants improve sales and have high return on investment.
Back of House
Safety, Security, Sales

Traditionally, when quick serves plan security strategies, they address three main industry challenges: prevent shrinkage, guard against in-store and drive-thru robbery, and protect the company from fraudulent lawsuits. Operators need to carefully examine security solutions that will provide the...

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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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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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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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