May 24, 2013
Industry News
Togo's Reels In Fan-Favorite Lemon Pepper Tuna

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Togo's, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Industry News
Del Monte Takes on Spring Break with 'Beach Bash Dash'

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Entertainment, Healthy Menus, Marketing, Food & Beverage, Health
Promotions
Get in the Game

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?

Read Full Story // read more about: Chick-fil-A, Kona Ice, Mooyah, Wingstop, Marketing
Industry News
The Debt-Free Debate

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Firehouse Subs, Tin Drum, Finance, Franchising, Growth
Taco Bell Gets Loco with Cool Ranch Taco

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
Kick the Stress Out

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
Industry News
Frontline International Launches Revitalized Website

Frontline International—whose Smart Oil Management systems help foodservice establishments protect their brands, monitor their cooking oil usage, and get more value out of their fresh and waste cooking oil—announces the launch of its newly revamped website at www.frontlineii.com .

Read Full Story // read more about: Equipment
Industry News
Barberitos Hits Cary, NC, in Early March

Barberitos announced that it will be opening two new locations as March 2013 rolls around, one of which is in Cary, North Carolina. This will be the 32 nd Barberitos location to open its doors. The Cary Barberitos will be opened at the beginning of March by Parker and Glynda McConville. The store is located in the Waverly Place...

Read Full Story // read more about: Barberitos, Franchising, Growth, Fast Casual
Industry News
Cold Stone Keeps Int'l Momentum Going

The Cold Stone Creamery brand continues to pave its way internationally with its newest locations in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The brand, which has spread to 20 countries, is teaming up with a variety of master partners in order to expand the ice cream concept into key strategic markets...

Read Full Story // read more about: Cold Stone Creamery, Desserts, Franchising, Growth
Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
Outside Insights
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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Back of House, Point Of Sale, Security, In the Store, Ordering
Industry News
Consumer's Restaurant Spending Increased 7% in April

First Data Corporation, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, released its First Data SpendTrend analysis for April 2–29, 2013, compared to April 3–30, 2012.

SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Finance, Consumer Trends
Industry News
Sublime Doughnuts Open Up Shop for Franchising

Sublime Doughnuts, Atlanta’s award-winning doughnut shop, announced plans to open franchise opportunities for interested investors.

Sublime Doughnuts is owned by Culinary Institute of America graduate Kamal Grant. Grant opened Sublime Doughnuts in 2008 in the eclectic West Midtown...

Read Full Story // read more about: Sublime Doughnuts, Desserts, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Street Taco Trio Makes Its Debut at California Tortilla

The fans spoke, and California Tortilla listened. Street Tacos edged out the competition to win March’s Elito 8 Tournament; now they’re available at California Tortilla locations nationwide starting Monday, May 20.

For a limited time only, customers can get all the ...

Read Full Story // read more about: California Tortilla, Menu Development, Promotions
Industry News
Oklahoma Sonic Unit Makes Ordering a Breeze for Truckers

Sonic Drive-In in Valliant, Oklahoma, wants people to know, “Truckers Welcome!”

This message scrolls across a large banner in front of the drive-in, and local franchisees, Tommy and Julie Dorries, have gone to great lengths to deliver a unique experience for truck drivers in a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Sonic, Beverage, Design, Digital Signage & Menuboards
Industry News
Baskin-Robbins Sherbet Shows Up on Freezer Aisles

Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, announced the launch of a new line of shelf-stable, sherbet-flavored freezer bars, which are rolling out at major national retailers this spring.

Baskin-Robbins’ Sherbet Flavored Freezer Bars are the first...

Read Full Story // read more about: Baskin-Robbins, Desserts, Menu Development
Industry News
Dairy Queen Delivers Choco Peanut Butter Brownie

The Dairy Queen system is serving up a new, decadent Choco Peanut Butter Brownie as the featured Blizzard of the Month for May.

A smooth blend of peanut butter, choco chunks, and brownie pieces tumbled with DQsignature creamy vanilla soft serve, Choco Peanut Butter Brownieis available...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dairy Queen, Desserts, Menu Development
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...

See More
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...

See More
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...

See More
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...

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....

See More
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...

See More
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...

See More
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...

See More
 
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 forces are what Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF), a leadership development organization, attributes to its unprecedented demand and what provides the basis of its latest campaign.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
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 years, most recently as interim director of business development.

She was instrumental in CI being awarded its Atlanta airport contract and three additional locations in its Denver and Dallas/Fort Worth operations.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Women's Foodservice Forum Returns to White House

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) returns to the White House to honor extraordinary women veterans who are making a difference in communities across the country. The event is part of the White House Champions of Change, which brings individuals to the White House to share their ideas for winning the future. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Operations, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Starbucks Recruits Sharon Rothstein as Global CMO

Starbucks Coffee Company announced it has appointed Sharon Rothstein as global chief marketing officer.

Rothstein was previously senior vice president of marketing at innovative specialty beauty retailer Sephora.

Read Full Story // read more about: Starbucks, Beverage, Marketing, Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Cintas Partner Receives RFMA's Vendor of the Year Award

Cintas Corporation, a leader in fire-protection services, announced that Annaji Sailer, a Cintas employee-partner, has received the prestigious “Vendor of the Year” award from the Restaurant Facility Management Association (RFMA).

Sailer works for Dunnwell, a division of Cintas Fire Protection, and has been a RFMA member for nearly five years, dedicating herself to advancing the restaurant facility management profession and women within the industry.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Women in Foodservice
Tap Into the Network

More women enter the foodservice industry every year, and they’re being met with a growing wealth of experience and support from which they can draw. A number of networking and leadership development groups have taken on the task of providing stronger gender diversity at all levels of the industry, and are ensuring that more growth opportunities exist for women.

Read Full Story // read more about: Dairy Queen, Meatheads, Wendy's, Growth, Human Resources
Industry News
WFF Partners Up with People Report

 

Read Full Story // read more about: Operations, Consumer Trends, Women in Foodservice, Technology
Industry News
Apply Now for Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l Awards

The application period for the fifth-annual Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) Legacy Awards is now open.

This year, six LDEI Legacy Awards will be given in three categories: Culinary, Wine, and Entrepreneurship.

Each Legacy Award offers a one-week workplace experience under the direction of highly successful, award-winning members of LDEI. The Legacy experience is a high-energy, labor-intensive, and career-expanding opportunity.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice