June 19, 2013
Industry News
Mark Wahlberg, Taco Bell Team Up to Help Kids Graduate

The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, in partnership with Get Schooled, announced the launch of Graduate for Mas, a program challenging teens to make a personal commitment to graduate high school. Actor and philanthropist Mark Wahlberg, who did not finish high school himself, also announced his support of the program.

Read Full Story // read more about: Taco Bell, Charitable Giving
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 highest percentage of data security...

Read Full Story // read more about: Back of House, Point Of Sale, Security, In the Store, Ordering
Outside Insights
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 greatest visibility into store activities...

Read Full Story // read more about: Back of House, Back Office, Security, In the Store
Industry News
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 serves.

Read Full Story // read more about: Little Muenster, Kiosk, Online & Remote Ordering, Point Of Sale, In the Store, Consumer Trends, Ordering
Industry News
Subway, Checkers Execs Back for More on "Undercover Boss"

One appearance on CBS’s hit show “Undercover Boss” just wasn’t enough for two quick-serve industry execs. That’s why Subway chief development officer Don Fertman and Checkers president and CEO Rick Silva are going back for round two this Friday. The “Epic Bosses” episode catches up with nine...

Read Full Story // read more about: Checkers, Subway, Operations, Sandwiches, Training, In the Store, Human Resources
Industry News
LiveWall Creates Vertical Gardens for Restaurants

Vertical gardens, or plants on walls, can offer a cost-effective opportunity for restaurants to improve nutrition, meal taste, and prestige.  By providing a convenient method for growing and harvesting produce, owners and managers can provide their chefs with low-cost fresh herbs and vegetables, which can enhance the quality and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Green, Healthy Menus
Industry News
Restaurant Equippers to Open Equipment Warehouse in Philly

Restaurant Equippers has announced plans to open its third warehouse store this summer to serve the Northeast region of the country.   The Columbus, Ohio–based company has begun construction on the 40,000-square-foot state-of-the-art store at The Point in Pennsauken, New Jersey.  Restaurant Equippers’ focus on...

Read Full Story // read more about: Equipment
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 freezer bar treat from Baskin-Robbins that...

Read Full Story // read more about: Baskin-Robbins, Desserts, Menu Development
Industry News
KFC Names Henny Penny Equipment Supplier of the Year

Henny Penny Corporation, a leading designer and manufacturer of foodservice equipment, has been named Equipment Supplier of the Year for 2012 by KFC. This is the third consecutive year that Henny Penny has earned this honor from the quick-serve giant, in recognition of the company’s...

Read Full Story // read more about: KFC, Equipment
Industry News
Quaker Steak & Lube Unleashes Ultimate Rider Giveaway

Quaker Steak & Lube is unleashing the Ultimate Rider Giveaway in conjunction with its “Best Weekly Bike Nite on the Planet”.

Through September 30, 2013, guests and fans can sign up for The Lube’s online sweepstakes. 

The Lube will be giving away three...

Read Full Story // read more about: Quaker Steak & Lube, Promotions
Industry News
Panda Express Stays Open Late for Summer Season

Summer hours are back at Panda Express. To celebrate the extended evening hours, participating Panda Express street locations are offering a free single serving of Orange Chicken on May 31 and June 21, the Summer Solstice, from 9 p.m. to close.

Panda’s extended evening hours will be...

Read Full Story // read more about: Panda Express, Operations, Promotions
Industry News
Farmer Brothers Relaunches Metropolitan Line

In its continuing misson to deliver the best-tasting coffees and teas to all parts of the marketplace, Farmer Bros. Co. is proud to announce the relaunch of its Metropolitan by Farmer Brothers product line, featuring three...

Read Full Story // read more about: Farmer Brothers, Beverage, Menu Innovations
Industry News
Wingstop Grows in Ohio, Signs Deal for Cincy

Wingstop is expanding in Ohio. The 570-unit chicken wing chain has signed a four-store development agreement to grow its presence throughout the Cincinnati area.

The agreement is with Los Pollos Hermanos LLC, a group comprised of longtime business partners and Cincinnati residents Maurice...

Read Full Story // read more about: Wingstop, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
NRA Show Attendee, Exhibitor Counts Up Over Last Year

The 94th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and 6th annual International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB), recently held at Chicago’s McCormick Place on May 18­–21, posted positive growth in both attendee and exhibitor numbers. As...

Read Full Story // read more about: In the Store, Consumer Trends, Growth
Industry News
Health Care, Data Security Key During Small Business Week

Small business operators from around the country are gathering this week for National Small Business Week, which kicks off today in Seattle, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.

The week-long event gives small business operators the chance to learn all about the biggest...

Read Full Story // read more about: Finance, Operations, Security, Technology
Industry News
USHFC Honors Guckenheimer Cafés with REAL Certification

The United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) announced that four Guckenheimer cafés are the first contract foodservice operations in the nation to achieve REAL Certification. The announcement, which concludes a six-month pilot program, was revealed at the first...

Read Full Story // read more about: Guckenheimer, Healthy Menus, Health
A Wing Zone franchisee changed his cooking equipment to get better results.
Back of House
The Transformational Franchisee

Army and Air Force foodservice provider The Exchange has been serving U.S. military families since 1895 with meals in cafeteria lines and snack bars. It wasn’t until 1985, however, that it first signed a license agreement with a name-brand food franchisee—at the time, Burger King.

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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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A new tool from GS1 U.S. will help operators protect their food safety.
Food Safety
Cracking the Food Safety Code

For years, barcode technology has been commonplace in the retail sector, where it’s used to gather information about products, sales, and even consumer trends at various transaction points. But now, due to a major standardization initiative and broadening food-safety concerns, the same...

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Five to Seven will invest in healthy and sustainble fast food brands globally.
Finance
Good Food for All

Five to Seven, a new restaurant funding initiative launched in May by foodservice industry veterans Brad Blum and John Vincent, has goodness at its core and as its goal. “Good food for the planet” is the initiative’s tagline, as Blum and Vincent want “good food”...

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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 blueberries offer nutritional and flavorful menu potential.
Healthy Menus
Wonder Food

Look, up on the table! It’s a burdock. It’s a plantain. It’s … superfood!

Although there’s nothing really super-heroic about eating nutrition-rich fruits and vegetables, the foods give customers an opportunity to pursue healthier options at a time when many...

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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
WFF Partners with MGM for Conference

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) is entering a partnership with The MGM Resorts Foundation, the non-profit foundation driven by employees of MGM Resorts International, one of the world’s leading hospitality companies, to present the Seventh Annual Women’s Leadership Conference. WFF and the MGM Resorts Foundation will collaborate on programming and content for the Foundation’s conference.

Read Full Story // read more about: Training, Executive Insights, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
WFF Provides New Perk for Members

After more than a year in development, Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) has launched its Leadership Library, a custom, best-in-class collection of books, articles, best-practices, and videos members will use to develop their leadership competencies.

 

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Women in Foodservice
All Fair in Foodservice?

The foodservice industry has come a long way since the days when it was dominated by men, with more than half of the restaurant talent pool now made up of women. From the front counter to the corner office, women are increasingly influencing the future of the industry.

Read Full Story // read more about: Cinnabon, New Miami Subs Grill, Human Resources
Industry News
WFF CEO Woods Earns Dallas Directors Award

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) president and CEO Fritzi Woods was recently recognized as an honoree of Dallas Business Journal’s 2013 Outstanding Directors Award. The Outstanding Directors Award program operates in conjunction with the National Association of Corporate Directors and is sponsored by Ernst & Young. The program honors directors from Dallas-based nonprofits and public and private companies.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice
Women in Foodservice
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 often the biggest challenge, says Arzu Esendemir, CEO and cofounder of Mediterranean fast casual Flatbread Grill in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.

Read Full Story // read more about: Flatbread Grill, Suzy's Swirl, Back of House, Finance, In the Store, Growth
Industry News
Passport Food Group Hires Duo of Execs, Opens New Facility

Passport Food Group announced the hiring of Jeffrey Taveres and Jim Debiase, two experienced sales executives.

Tavares joined Passport Food Group as the Asian market account manager, and will be responsible for supporting the Asian foodservice and retail customers in California, Arizona, and Nevada. He was most recently with the Asian sauce and ingredients company Lee Kum Kee.

Debiase joined the company as the Southern California territory sales manager, and will be responsible for supporting all non‐Asian foodservice accounts in Southern California.

Read Full Story // read more about: Food Safety, Women in Foodservice
Executive Insights
The Advocate

The most powerful woman in the restaurant industry isn’t intimidating, nor is she larger than life. She isn’t cold, tight-lipped, terse, or abrasive. She doesn’t talk down to you. She doesn’t double-book you and cancel at the last second.

Certainly one might expect such a person to be and do any number of those things; overseeing nearly 1 million members that collectively earn more than $650 billion in sales and represent 4 percent of the entire U.S. GDP isn’t a walk in the park.

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Competition, Women in Foodservice, Growth
Industry News
8 Lessons from WFF's Annual Leadership Conference

For the first time, QSR had the honor of attending the Women’s Foodservice Forum’s Annual Leadership Development Conference, held this year on April 14–17 in Orlando, Florida.

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing, Operations, Executive Insights, Women in Foodservice, Outside Insights