June 19, 2013
Industry News

Pinkberry cut the ribbon on its 200 th location on July 13, in San Francisco’s Union Square shopping plaza. The unit is the chain’s first in San Francisco and also happens to be its first co-location with a Macy’s department store. “One reason we feel our partnership works so well is because the Macy’s...

Promotions

Visually, the five interlocking rings that have become synonymous with the Olympic Games are fairly simple, but they deliver an iconic message. They speak to thrilling competition, achievement at the highest level, and the pride and patriotism of nations. The rings have come to be one of the world’s most recognizable...

Industry News

By now, thanks to menu labeling laws in states like New York and California, slapping a calorie count on menuboards is old hat for many brands. But one brand has taken it a leap further. Last month, Pret A Manger—a sandwich chain with stores in markets like New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.—began adding saturated fat,...

Industry News

The dust has settled on the Supreme Court’s decision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), and operators have had time to digest the upholding of President Obama’s health care reform. Many of them, though, are still trying to figure out what happens next and how the new health care model will affect their...

Industry News

Last month Pizza Patrón ran “Pizza Por Favor,” a campaign offering a free large pepperoni pizza to every customer that ordered in Spanish. The campaign stirred a firestorm of media attention and public reaction, resulting in lines of hundreds wrapped around each of the company’s locations. Today, the chain released...

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Read Full Story // read more about: QSR 50, Growth
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Read Full Story // read more about: Sandwiches, QSR 50, Growth
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Read Full Story // read more about: QSR 50, Growth
Ensure Ice Safety by Cleaning Frequently, Handling Properly

When it comes to ice, the Food and Drug Administration is crystal clear: Ice is considered a food—and it must be as safe as drinking water. The rule applies whether the ice is to be consumed or placed in contact with food or beverages to cool them.

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 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.

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...

The Low Down on High Chair Cleanliness

The high chairs you keep on hand for your youngest customers are a welcome convenience for their moms and dads. But ensuring that high chair surfaces are cleaned and sanitized is often overlooked even in quick-service restaurants that employ the most disciplined hygiene procedures.

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”...

Superfoods like blueberries offer nutritional and flavorful menu potential.
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...

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....