May 24, 2013
Competition

Adam Goldman entered the Dunkin’ Donuts system in 2010, purchasing a pair of stores in Paterson, New Jersey, that included a forgotten downtown spot. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Goldman raised the downtown unit’s prospects with an unrelenting focus on fresh product and high-level customer service. Today, Goldman’s...

Industry News

Leading foodservice equipment innovator and manufacturer Henny Penny Corporation has launched a new advertising campaign to spotlight the company’s equipment solutions, as well as the positive effects they can have on a restaurant’s bottom line. Dubbed the “Better Solutions” campaign and created by nationally...

Read Full Story // read more about: Equipment, Marketing
Industry News

This year, the first-class industry publications, GVmanager and 24 Stunden Gastlichkeit , once again awarded the best in the industry with the BEST of Market 2013 at the Internorga fair in Hamburg on behalf of their readers. More than 2,200 decision makers from the hotel, gastronomy, and catering industries again put Rational in...

Industry News

Pineapple is the newest star in the Pollo Tropical kitchens, as the brand introduces its Tangy Pineapple Chicken Wrap and Tangy Pineapple Chicken Salad. The Tangy Pineapple Chicken Wrap features pineapple grilled with olive oil, cumin, and a hint of black pepper; marinated then flame-grilled chicken breast; Monterey Jack Cheese and...

Industry News

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 town that sees a lot of traffic from...

Marc Halperin: Resident F&B Expert

For decades, the value proposition in quick-serve circles was pretty easy to capture in a catchphrase: More Is Better. Give those 18–34-year-old guys bigger burgers, burritos, sandwiches, and pizzas; super-size the drinks and sides; pile the toppings high; ladle on the extras, and you had a surefire formula for success.

Industry News

Capture the delicious heritage of wild Alaska cod with new merchandising materials from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). Inspired by the tradition of Alaska's fisheries, this vintage-inspired creative evokes the energy and dedication that have been passed down for generations in Alaska's fishing communities and...

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Menu Innovations

Small portions are very big these days. Many 2013 trend predictions determined that small plates and snacking are expected to be popular among chefs and restaurant operators this year. While diners are still eating during the traditional meal times—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—they are eating less at those times, opting...

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...

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....

Fast casual brands attract customers with alcoholic beverage programs
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...

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...

Women leaders like Flatbread Grill's owners successfully launch new brands.
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...

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...

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...

 
Industry News

Global restaurateur HMSHosthas been selected as a finalist for the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2013 Operator Innovations Awards.

HMSHost is one of three finalists in both the food safety and the menu development categories vying for a chance at being named the top innovator in each category, and potentially the overall Innovator of the Year.

The NRA is the leading restaurant industry organization in the United States, and this is the second consecutive year for the Operator Innovations Awards.

Industry News

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.

Industry News

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.

Industry News

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. 

Industry News

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.

Industry News

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.

Women in Foodservice

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.