June 18, 2013
Emerging Concepts

Prior to purchasing Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina from its founder in 2011, CEO Phil Friedman spent 11 years expanding McAlister’s Deli from 27 to 300 units. These days, he and Salsarita’s president and COO Larry Reinstein are looking to grow the fresh-Mex concept. And grow it has, with a double-digit percentage growth in...

Menu Innovations

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 keeping in stride, and many have ventured beyond...

Ingredients & Dayparts

No longer is local sourcing just a utopian ideal. It’s a practice coming to life and continually gaining momentum in foodservice, with the number of local ingredients on menus growing by 73 percent over the last four years, according to market research firm Mintel. But, at its most basic level, it’s a tale of two industries....

Denise Lee Yohn: QSR’s Marketing Guru

Q: I've got a solid logo and look for my business, an ad campaign that works pretty reliably, and a good following on Facebook. What can I do to take my brand to the next level? A: Try this: Imagine your brand as a source of light. In an ideal world, the light of your brand would shine brightly and directly on your...

Industry News

This past fall (August 30-December 31, 2012), Dole challenged schools nationwide to create videos that promote healthy eating and incorporate fruit consumption in a school foodservice setting. Packaged Foods LLC is pleased to announce the grand prize winner of this 2nd annual DOLE Fruit Flash Mob contest is Indian River High School...

Industry News

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 fruits and vegetables delivered daily to its...

Industry News

Frozen-yogurt chain TCBY may be the category leader—ahead of brands like Pinkberry, Red Mango, and Menchie’s with nearly 18 percent market share, according to an October 2012 report from IBISWorld—but it refuses to get too comfortable in its place out front. In fact, following several major moves over the last few...

Industry News

New research from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) shows that more than one-quarter of American adults will celebrate Mother’s Day by dining out, and nearly one in 10 will rely on restaurant takeout or delivery for their special Mother’s Day meal. Overall, the NRA projects that 80 million American adults will enjoy...

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...

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...

Five to Seven will invest in healthy and sustainble fast food brands globally.
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”...

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...

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...

A new tool from GS1 U.S. will help operators protect their 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...

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....

A Wing Zone franchisee changed his cooking equipment to get better results.
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.

New fast food brands like Live Basil first start as innovative business ideas.
Birth of a Brand

It always starts with a simple idea.

For Brian Bailey at Ichor Restaurant Group, it began with the idea that Ohioans needed better barbecue. Six years after that idea initially took hold, Old Carolina Barbecue opened the doors to its first unit, in Canton, Ohio. The company later opened...

 
Industry News

Liquid Nutrition is proud to announce the appointment of Anna Datri to the role of vice president marketing.

With more than 20 years of experience across various types of retailers, Datri brings a wide range of merchandising and marketing expertise to Liquid Nutrition.

Her track record includes developing innovative programs for various brands, such as Teaopia, Second Cup, and Laura Secord. 

Industry News

Concessions International (CI), a leading concessionaire with food and beverage outlets in major airports in the U.S. and Virgin Islands, announced the appointment of Donata Russell Major to the role of chief executive, effective immediately.

Major, who previously served as the company’s vice chairman and has been a principal factor in the company’s growth, has worked in a variety of jobs during her 28-year career at the Atlanta-based concessionaire.

Industry News

Kathleen Wood, renowned restaurant industry consultant and co-owner of Suzy’s Swirl, has been invited to join a delegation from the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) to participate in the organization’s first White House issues briefing. 

Industry News

Anchor Packaging,one of the largest thermoformers in North America, is pleased to announce the appointment of Marilyn Stapleton to the newly created position of director of corporate advertising and public relations.

Stapleton joins Anchor from Dart/Solo, where she served as product manager, take-out packaging since 2010.

Industry News

Doc Popcorn, the largest popcorn retailer in the world, announces that Renee Israel, co-founder and CMO of Doc Popcorn, has received the Enterprising Women of the Year Award for 2013 from Enterprising Women magazine.

Women in Foodservice

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 well,” says America Corrales Bortin, cofounder of America’s Taco Shop in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Industry News

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. 

Industry News

Penn Station East Coast Subs, the fast-casual restaurant known for its Philadelphia Cheesesteak Sub sandwich served hot and made-to-order on freshly baked French bread, will open its first Northern Virginia restaurant in early February in the Haymarket Village Center.

Penn Station will bring 40 new jobs to Haymarket with this store opening. The owner is Anna Prendergast, whose second Penn Station location is already under construction in Fairfax, Virginia, and will open in March.