May 20, 2013
Industry News
As Pink Slime Looms, Chicken Mentions Increase on Menus

Beef may not be ‘what’s for dinner.’ After the recent report of mad cow disease in California, combined with the bad press that is already looming over the beef industry from pink slime, chicken might be making a resurgence on the foodservice scene, according to latest research from Mintel. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Menu Development, Consumer Trends, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations, Health
Industry News
Nutella Now Available in Foodservice

Ferrero, the maker of America’s number one selling branded hazelnut spread, Nutella, announces that the spread is now available in foodservice, helping chefs and operators highlight a beloved and delicious ingredient on breakfast and brunch menus. Featuring the simple tastes of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk, and a hint of...

Read Full Story // read more about: Desserts, Food & Beverage
Industry News
Krispy Kreme Gets Zesty with Summer Donuts, Drinks

Krispy Kreme adds some zest to its Fruit Stand Flavor summer treats with a new lemon and lime duo of doughnuts, including new Key Lime Kreme pie, and three new fruity blended beverages. The new Glazed Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing and Key Lime Kreme Pie doughnuts are available through July 8 at participating Krispy Kreme U.S....

Read Full Story // read more about: Krispy Kreme, Beverage, Desserts, Menu Development, Menu Innovations, Promotions
Industry News
OC Metro Magazine Honors Local Wingstop Owner

Orange County, California, Wingstop owner Danny Sonenshine was recently named to OC METRO magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 List. Each year, OC METRO magazine, Orange County’s premier business and lifestyle publication, selects a group of young professionals who have proven that they have what it takes to make...

Read Full Story // read more about: Wingstop, Entertainment, Human Resources
Industry News
Summer LTOs Heat Up Menus

Summer is fast approaching, and with it comes this summer’s crop of seasonal limited-time offers from quick-serve and fast-casual chains. From retro ice cream flavors to salad-sandwich combinations, brands are looking to attract customers with innovation this summer while hearkening back to tried-and-true favorites.

Read Full Story // read more about: Cold Stone Creamery, Daphne's California Greek, Smashburger, Marketing, Menu Innovations, Promotions
Industry News
Taco Bell Big Hitter Box Leverages MLB Sponsorship

Taco Bell’s food innovation experts are at it again. This time, they’ve found a way to put nachos into a burrito. On May 23, Taco Bell will launch the Beefy Nacho Burrito for 99¢, featuring seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese, cool sour cream, and Taco Bell’s new Queso Strips, all wrapped in a warm flour...

Read Full Story // read more about: Taco Bell, Entertainment, Marketing, Packaging, Promotions
Industry News
Great American Cookies Launches Food Truck

Great American Cookies , the national cookie bakery, will roll out its first cookie truck this week in Houston, Texas. The brand, which is is managed by GFG Management, LLC , a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group, is seeking to capitalize on the food truck trend as a non-traditional form of franchising.

Read Full Story // read more about: Great American Cookies, Desserts
Executive Insights
Top Movers & Shakers Under 30

What’s hot in foodservice? Ask the entrepreneurs of the Millennial generation. Their ideas reflect Gen Y values such as sustainability, nutrition, and charitable giving. Their dedication is unwavering. Mary Lemmer skipped her high school prom to go to the Northeast and research Italian water ice. Seth Priebatsch debuted his first...

Read Full Story // read more about: Freebirds World Burrito, Iorio's Gelateria, Mooyah, Sweetgreen, Burgers, Green, Loyalty, Online & Remote Ordering, Social Media, Women in Foodservice
Small portions give customers control over health, values, and variety.
Menu Innovations
Small Portions a Big Idea

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Pei Wei, Qdoba, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Wendy's, White Castle, Wow Bao, Menu Development, Consumer Trends, Health, Ingredients & Dayparts
Restaurant operators learn valuable tips at restaurant industry's largest show.
Industry News
2013 NRA Show Guide
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Read Full Story // read more about: Cosi, Competition, Growth
NRA CEO Dawn Sweeney helps protect restaurant operators interests.
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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Competition, Women in Foodservice, Growth
Industry News
At Chick-fil-A, Old Salads Just Don't Cut It

Chick-fil-A isn’t one to back down from a challenge—even one that’s self-imposed. That’s why, despite the fact that customers weren’t complaining about current salad offerings, the chicken chain decided to scrap its salad lineup in favor of three brand new options...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chick-fil-A, Digital Signage & Menuboards, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Operations
Food production systems like hydroponics help restaurants use more local goods.
Ingredients & Dayparts
Can Quick Serves Save the World?

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chipotle, Mad Greens, Sloco, Green, In the Store, Consumer Trends, Menu Innovations
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay provides strong example of smart restaurant growth.
Alan Philips: Trends to Watch
Be Like Bobby

My idea of “inclusive exclusivity” started in a boardroom many years ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I was making a presentation to a group of executives at the Borgata Hotel, Casino, & Spa to explain how they could import the feel of New York’s hottest nightclubs and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bobby's Burger Palace, Burgers, Growth
Industry News
Dunkin' Donuts Grows Healthy Menu With Turkey Sausage

Helping guests greet the warm weather with more smart choices, Dunkin’ Donuts announced a permanent addition to its DDSMART menu: the Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich.

A breakfast sandwich option under 400 calories, the new sandwich features a fried egg topped with turkey sausage...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dunkin' Donuts, Breakfast, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Restaurant operators can promote their brand using restaurant review websites.
Denise Lee Yohn: QSR’s Marketing Guru
From Negative to Positive

Q: What's the right way to handle a negative online review?

A: If you're like most restaurateurs, you're a perfectionist. So a negative review on Yelp...

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing, Competition, Consumer Trends, Promotions
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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