May 19, 2013
In the Store
Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Customers are constantly complaining about employees bickering with one another, serve times and incorrect orders are growing every day, and three of your best employees have quit in the last month. All of these problems have one thing in common: They can be the result of a staff that isn’t working together as an effective team. ...

Read Full Story // read more about: Jamba Juice, Moe's Southwest Grill, Human Resources
In the Store
New Kind of Marketing

With marketing and advertising proving more challenging for quick-serve restaurants in the age of social and digital media, some brands are looking to a retail-based approach to get their name out: merchandising. “I think merchandise is an excellent idea,” says Jonathan Raduns, food-merchandising consultant at National...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dickey's, Freddy's, Jeni's, Sloan's, Marketing, Promotions
Women in Foodservice
Mother Knows Best

No longer do women have to choose between a career and motherhood. But finding time to work and have a successful foodservice career—while also raising kids and staying in tune with a busy family—can be a daunting challenge. “The restaurants are very important to us, but my family is very important to me, as...

Read Full Story // read more about: America's Taco Shop, Doc Popcorn, PBandU, In the Store, Human Resources
Alan Philips: Trends to Watch
Choose to Be Special

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been spending time in London taking in the local food scene. My last trip led me to the incredible Borough Market. For those of you who don’t know, this outdoor food bazaar offers a spectacular mélange of the best food in Europe. Local farmers and artisanal producers sell their products;...

Read Full Story // read more about: The Meatball Shop, Menu Development, Competition, In the Store, Growth
Industry News
CKE Puts Fried Aside with Charbroiled Fish Sandwich

Carl's Jr. and Hardee's announced the addition of the Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich to their menus. The sister brands are the first national fast-food chains to offer a charbroiled fish sandwich, not battered and deep fried, on the menu. At only 420 calories, the new sandwich offers guests a healthier meal option. ...

Read Full Story // read more about: Carl's Jr., Hardee's, Marketing, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Industry News
Taco Bell and Lorena Garcia Team Up for New Steak Items

Taco Bell is introducing a new steak to all menu items, including the Cantina Bell Steak Burrito, priced at $4.99. As part of Taco Bell's commitment to quality and listening to customers, the new steak is the latest menu item to Cantina Bell, which was launched nationally in 2012. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Taco Bell, Menu Development, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Pinkberry Triples the Sweetness with Valentine's Day Collection

This February, frozen-yogurt brand Pinkberry will debut its Valentine's Day collection, featuring some of its most decadent flavors: Salted Caramel, Coconut (which is returning from the Flavor Vault starting February 1), and Chocolate Hazelnut. If Pinkberry guests purchase five items from the Valentine's Day Collection with...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pinkberry, Desserts, Loyalty, Sustainability
Industry News
Dickey's Gets Heated with New Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Dickey's, a barbecue franchise known for its slow-smoke barbecue, is adding a new limited-time-only Spicy Chicken Sandwich to its menu. "We take our time in developing new menu items to make sure they offer something unique and exciting to our customers," says Roland Dickey, Jr., president and CEO. "I can't wait...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dickey's, Sandwiches, Menu Innovations, Promotions
Industry News
Salsarita's Signs on for 3 in KY; Acquires 5 in NC

Salsarita’s, the Fresh Mexican Cantina with locations across the country, has announced a development agreement that will bring three new restaurants to Lexington, Kentucky, by the end of 2016 as it expands nationally through franchising.

Long-time local residents Bill and Holli...

Read Full Story // read more about: Salsarita's, Franchising, Growth, Fast Casual
Industry News
Huddle House Offers $25K to Operators Who Remodel

Huddle House is offering a $25,000 financial incentive to the first 100 franchisees who commit to a remodel by July 31, 2014.

Franchisees would use $20,000 of the incentive to offset the costs of the remodel, with the remaining $5,000 to be used for local marketing efforts.

Should...

Read Full Story // read more about: Huddle House, Design, Finance, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Natural Low/No-Calorie Sweeteners Use Increases

The arrival of natural low/no-calorie sweeteners has met an eager audience. Use of these products has doubled in the past six years as consumers have become more familiar with them.   

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Food & Beverage, Health
Industry News
Capriotti's Stays Up Late at Newest Arizona Unit

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop has announced its newest restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, which will stay open until 3 a.m. on weekends for late night Caps cravings.

The Scottsdale restaurant will offer another spot for Capriotti’s fans to enjoy the award-winning subs. To...

Read Full Story // read more about: Capriotti's, Sandwiches, Growth
Industry News
Marketing Experts Gather for NRA Show Panel

Duke Marketing, a full-service marketing communications firm specializing in multiunit restaurants, retail, and foodservice operations, announced chief executive Linda Duke will moderate a panel of three Marketing Executive Group (MEG) board members at the upcoming National Restaurant...

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing
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
Industry News
Sonic Bolsters Franchise Team with New Hires

Sonic announced the expansion of its franchise development team with two additions to its management team: Bob Franke, senior vice president of franchise sales and international development, and Thomas Kessler, senior director of franchise sales. The move reinforces Sonic’s commitment to...

Read Full Story // read more about: Sonic, Burgers, Franchising, Human Resources
Industry News
Togo's Hopes to Take Arizona By Storm

Togo’s, a “West Coast Original” since 1971 serving up big, made-to-order sandwiches stuffed with fresh ingredients, announced it is accelerating its growth plans for Arizona.

The San Jose, California–based sandwich chain aims to develop an additional 25 new...

Read Full Story // read more about: Togo's, Sandwiches, Franchising, Growth
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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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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Operators must protect their quick serve business from credit card fraud.
Back of House
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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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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Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey is innovativing the POS space with Square.
Point Of Sale
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...

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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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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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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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