May 18, 2013
Industry News

Quick-serve menus may start taking cues from the science lab as operators increasingly experiment with high-tech cooking methods like molecular gastronomy. Molecular gastronomy, which blends technical food science and practical kitchen techniques, has been offered on exclusive fine-dining menus for more than two decades. Now, however,...

Industry News

For one young frozen-yogurt brand, age is just a number. Yooglers, an international self-serve fro-yo concept—which opened its first location in Madrid, Spain, in 2011—has set up its first stateside shop in New York City’s Union Square. And according to Manuel Fernandez, president of Otsu Group and Yooglers, Union...

Industry News

Charleys restaurants has introduced the Pepperoni Steak Bomb for a limited-time only, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Industry News

Continuing to expand and enhance its food packaging lines, Placon—a U.S. thermoformer of custom and stock food containers, retail and medical device packaging, and recycled PET materials—announced that it is rolling out its new anti-fog lid technology on its entire line of PET cold deli food packaging products. ...

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In the Store

Gordon Muir had an epiphany while looking through old photos of The Varsity, an Atlanta-based quick-serve chain established in 1928 by his grandfather Frank Gordy. In the photos, he saw in-store banners and buttons advertising the brand’s noncarbonated beverage, Varsity Orange. “And I thought, ‘Man, we’re not...

Industry News

For Ichor Restaurant Group cofounder and Ohio native Brian Bailey, the Midwestern version of barbecue he grew up with just didn’t stack up to the barbecue he had tasted elsewhere in the country. So Bailey, along with high school buddy Tim Hug, took matters in his own hands and, after several road trips touring barbecue restaurants...

Industry News

Since their debut as limited time offer items in 2011, the Sweet Chili Pizza and Cran-Tastic Salad instantly captured the hearts and palates of Pizza Ranch guests. When the promotion was done, guests were left wanting more and these menu items have not resurfaced on the menu until now.

Industry News

Last week, Pizza Hut announced that after "Hut" was heard on the gridiron during the Big Game in the Big Easy, it would conduct a massive giveaway of its next big pizza innovation. The drama ended early as TV viewers clearly heard the famous "Hut" during the second set of downs, unleashing a massive consumer event by...

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...

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....

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...

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...

Burger King's new coffee beverages position the brand to compete with McDonalds.
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...

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...

Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey is innovativing the POS space with Square.
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...