May 24, 2013
Industry News
NRA's Scott DeFife Named Top Lobbyist by "CEO Update"

National Restaurant Association (NRA) executive vice president of policy and government affairs Scott DeFife has been named a “Top Lobbyist” by Washington-based news publication CEO Update.

The publication featured a select group of lobbyists for their major victories...

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Industry News
Micros Helps Launch Quality-Assurance Platform

Recognizing the need for an all-in-one quality-assurance platform, ABC Research Laboratories evaluated the market and selected a partnership with MICROS Supply Chain to provide the end-to-end technology that would allow quality-assurance teams to instantly track compliance at every point along a...

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Industry News
Southern Pride Unveils Two New Commercial Smokers

Southern Pride, a creator of commercial smokers, introduces the MLR-150 gas-fired, wood-burning rotisserie smoker, a commercial kitchen/competition-ready rotisserie smoker in a compact model. 

The MLR-150 received the Kansas City Barbecue Society’s Seal of Approval by offering...

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Industry News
Long John Silver's Names Chief Food Innovation Officer

Long John Silver’s, the world’s largest quick service seafood company, has named Marie Zhang as chief food innovation officer.  Zhang will be responsible for menu innovation, new product development, commercialization, food safety, product quality, and management of the company...

Read Full Story // read more about: Long John Silver's, Back Office, Operations
Industry News
Toppers Boosts System-Wide Sales by 40% in Q1

Despite the crowded pizza category, Toppers Pizza is taking its share of the more than $40 billion pie.

System-wide sales increased by more than 40 percent for both company-owned and franchised units in the first quarter of 2013, and same-store sales for company units were up 13.59...

Read Full Story // read more about: Toppers Pizza, Finance, Marketing, Pizza, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Charleys "Steaks" Its Claim in Poland

Charleys, known for its Charley’s Grilled Subs and Charleys Philly Steaks concepts, recently opened its first Charleys Philly Steaks in Poland on March 22.

The new restaurant is located in the country’s capital, Warsaw, at the Blue City Mall.  

The new...

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Industry News
Kitchen Brains Announces New CEO, Singapore Office

Industry veteran Timothy Lane moved from longstanding board member of Kitchen Brains and assumed the role of CEO of Kitchen Brains. 



"As a board member, I’ve been actively involved in the business for many years," Lane says. "There is a lot of excitement around the...

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Industry News
Brad Kaemmer Takes Over as CEO at Tijuana Flats

Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. has named Brad Kaemmer as CEO of the fast-growing 93-unit Tex-Mex restaurant chain.

Kaemmer will assume leadership of the organization next month, reporting to Tijuana Flats chairman and co-owner J. Camp Fitch.



Following a brief transition period,...

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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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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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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.
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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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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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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Industry News
Mowi Wowi Franchisee Focuses on Environment, Sustainability

A Maui Wowi Hawaiian franchisee in Wimberly, Texas, has recently put sustainability at the forefront of her daily operations. Through her composting program, nothing goes to waste, and the local community benefits with beautiful gardens to enjoy all year long.

"Whether it's at an event or our store location, we always save the used coffee grounds and banana peels so that people who would like to use them as compost can easily come by and pick them up," says franchisee DuAnne Redus.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Green, Women in Foodservice, Sustainability
Industry News
Fazoli's Cathy Hull Recognized as Top Marketing Exec in 2012

Cathy Hull, Fazoli’s chief marketing officer, has been selected by the ranking committee of ExecRank as a “Top Private Company Marketing Executive” for 2012.

The rankings are the result of two years of research and feedback from evaluation committees and top chief marketing officers that yielded an algorithm for how to rank marketing executives based on their performance in 24 key areas.

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Marketing, Menu Development, Women in Foodservice, Outside Insights
Industry News
Katherine Schieffelin Joins NRAEF as SVP

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced that Katherine Speyer Schieffelin has joined the foundation as senior vice president and chief development officer.

Schieffelin brings more than a decade of experience in management, fundraising, and campaign planning to the NRAEF and will aid in the foundation’s mission to enhance the industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement, and the promotion of career opportunities. 

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Industry News
Industry Recruiting Co. Earns WBENC Accreditation

Patrice Rice, CEO and founder of Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruiting—which helps thousands of managerial candidates find rewarding jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry—announced that Patrice & Associates has earned accreditation from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

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Industry News
Maui Wowi Franchisee Raises $1,200 for Make-A-Wish

An Illinois franchisee of Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies recently donated more than $1200 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation as part of the Ultimate Gymnastics Tournament that was held November 30–December 2, 2012 at Harper College.

The 13th-annual Ultimate Wish Classic has raised more than $400,000 for the charitable foundation.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Charitable Giving, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Maui Wowi Surfs into Southern California

Maui Wowi Hawaiian, a tropical island-themed franchise concept serving fresh Hawaiian-grown coffee and all-natural smoothies, embodies the Aloha spirit and laidback lifestyle that its newest franchise operator has lived and breathed all her life.

Maui Wowi welcomes Pa 'Akai Ventures, operated by Jenna Roberts, to join the company's growing West Coast presence as a new franchisee in El Cajon, California, near San Diego.

Read Full Story // read more about: Maui Wowi, Beverage, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
NRA President Recognized for Healthy-Living Initiatives

National Restaurant Association (NRA) president and CEO Dawn Sweeney has been recognized by the Campaign to End Obesity for her work in helping inspire and guide the foodservice industry’s nutrition initiatives.

Sweeney, in recognition of her efforts, received the award at a December 6 awards gala at Discovery Channel Worldwide headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. 

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Industry News
Barberitos Makes its Way to Cary, North Carolina

Barberitos Franchising Inc. announces the opening of its 31st restaurant location in Cary, North Carolina. The new store will open in February 2013.

Read Full Story // read more about: Barberitos, Operations, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth, Expansion