May 21, 2013
Industry News

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.

Industry News

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...

Industry News

Togo’s, a “West Coast Original” since 1971 serving up big, made-to-order sandwiches, is celebrating the return of its Lemon Pepper Tuna. Fans can get hooked once again on the melt and cold sandwich, available for a limited time through May 28 at all 250 Togo’s locations. Togo’s Lemon Pepper Tuna returns as...

Industry News

As part of its initiative to raise awareness among college students of the benefits of eating healthful, fresh, and fresh-cut produce, Del Monte Fresh will provide its first “Beach Bash Dash” competition during spring break from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 6-8 and March 11-13 in front of the Plaza Resort and Spa, 600 North...

Promotions

Imagine a market of 173 million potential customers. Seventy-eight million of them are female (often the primary decision-maker in the family), 61 million are college students, and 29 million have an income of more than $100,000. Seems like a no-brainer for operators, right?

Industry News

The past few years have not been the kindest to the $660.5 billion restaurant industry. Faced with frugal consumers, scarce credit, and rising food prices, operators suffered through lower sales and tighter margins. Adding to the pressure was last summer’s drought (the largest in the U.S. since the 1950s), which spiked the cost of...

In this newscast: Taco Bell launches Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, brown spirits are on the rise, Panera Bread lives consciously with new marketing platform, and more.

Executive Insights

Quick-service leaders have a lot on their plate, from running complex organizations and overseeing financials to being the voice and face of their concepts. But as they juggle these responsibilities and wade through the myriad daily decisions they need to make, something threatens to derail everything: stress.

Read Full Story // read more about: Fatburger, Pancheros
Tin Drum Asia Cafe used equity firm investment to stay debt free in 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...

Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
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...

Superfoods like whole grains and oatmeal offer healthy menu alternative.
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...

McAlisters Deli franchisee says casual dining experience helps in quick service.
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....

Secure quick serve restaurants improve sales and have high return on investment.
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...

Fast casual brands attract customers with alcoholic beverage programs
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...

The Boston Fire Department was treated to free meals at Firehouse Subs.
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...

Corner Bakery's new menu items use fresh ingredients to offer premium quality.
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...