Most Recent Stories - QSR magazine

June 20, 2013

Franchising

Paul Hironimus turned 80 years old in January. Like so many other franchisees, Hironimus, a Long Beach City College graduate, began his professional career outside the quick-service industry, serving as a draftsman in Los Angeles. Nine years after graduating, in the early ’60s, Hironimus took an interest in Wienerschnitzel, which...

Read Full Story // read more about: Wienerschnitzel, Back of House, In the Store, Promotions

Promotions

Focus On the Values

Panera Bread’s “Live Consciously, Eat Deliciously” platform, which launched in late February after nearly a year of testing and research, is a first for the brand. Rather than touting Panera’s products, it focuses on the concept’s philosophy. “We really wanted to talk more about why we exist as a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Panera Bread, Marketing, Social Media

Industry News

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, just one mile away from the first blast, were...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dunkin' Donuts, Firehouse Subs, McDonald's, Panera Bread, Charitable Giving, In the Store

Industry News

DQ Takes a Walk on the Light Side with New Smoothies

For any brand—quick service or not—being a pioneer is often the ultimate dream. And this week, Dairy Queen is making this dream a reality as it becomes the first quick-service restaurant in the industry to offer light smoothies. The new product line comes as part of the national rollout of Orange Julius Premium Fruit...

Read Full Story // read more about: Dairy Queen, Beverage, Healthy Menus, Menu Development

Industry News

Bruster's Gives Fans a Taste of What's to Come

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, ranked No. 10 out of 100 limited-service restaurants nationwide by premier consulting firm WD Partners, has introduced the first of three new spring flavors. Freshly made Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, with ribbons of raspberry sauce and creamy chocolate cheesecake ice cream, is the latest indulgence to...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bruster's, Desserts, Menu Development

Panera CEO Bill Moreton Steps Down

In this newscast: Chick-fil-A introduces a trio of new salads and salad dressings; Ignite Restaurant Group purchases Macaroni Grill; Panera CEO and president Bill Moreton steps down; and more.

Industry News

Destroyed Freddy's Gets Back on Its Feet in Joplin, MO

Nearly two years after a devastating F5 tornado ravaged Freddy’s, the restaurant is returning to Joplin, Missouri. The new, freestanding location is about one mile south of the former site. The official grand opening is Sunday, May 5, and the crew has been training for the past several days.

Read Full Story // read more about: Freddy's, Burgers, Growth

Industry News

Arby's Channels the Spirit of Hawaii For LTO Sandwich Duo

Arby’s announced a new twist to the classic Roast Beef sandwich. For a limited time only, Arby’s is partnering with the iconic King’s Hawaiian brand to introduce two new sandwiches to its menu:

Read Full Story // read more about: Arby's

Fast casual brands attract customers with alcoholic beverage programs

Menu Innovations

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Blaze Pizza, Chipotle, Freebirds, Fresh to Order, Starbucks, Uncle Maddio's, Beverage, Menu Development, Competition, Consumer Trends, Ingredients & Dayparts

Superfoods like blueberries offer nutritional and flavorful menu potential.

Menu Innovations

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bowl of Heaven, Freshii, Just Salad, Red Mango, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Health, Ingredients & Dayparts

Industry News

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...

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Little Greek, Live Basil, Old Carolina Barbecue Company, Back of House, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Competition, In the Store, Growth

Ice cream brands are increasing innovation to take business back from fro yo.

Consumer Trends

Can Ice Cream Survive?

They seemed to pop up almost overnight. In strip malls and on street corners across the country, frozen-yogurt shops suddenly offered an exciting new option for America’s collective sweet tooth, teasing at healthfulness and innovating with self service and customization. Once concentrated...

Read Full Story // read more about: Baskin-Robbins, Cold Stone Creamery, Jeni's, Sloan's, Desserts, Competition, Menu Innovations, Ingredients & Dayparts

Quick service brands are using big data to streamline and improve business.

Operations

Get a Grip on Big Data

Franchisees, C-suite executives, and marketing experts in the limited-service industry have likely all come across the term big data in some form or another over the last couple of years.

But unless their background or interests lie in analytics or statistics, they probably shrugged it...

Read Full Story // read more about: Haute Dogs & Fries, Jamba Juice, Back of House, Back Office, In the Store, Consumer Trends

Wrap concept BSkis in Chapel Hill successfully delivers food to campus students.

Industry News

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Burger King hopes its new delivery service will be a great profit-driver for the chain, as the company is banking on customers to put in large orders for office lunches, birthday parties, and other gatherings in the select cities where the service is offered.

But it may not be the only...

Read Full Story // read more about: Burger King, McDonald's, [B]Ski's, Back of House, Online & Remote Ordering, Consumer Trends

Industry News

Toppers Boosts System-Wide Sales by 40% in Q1

Despite the crowded pizza category, Toppers Pizza is taking its share of the more than $40 billion pie.

System-wide sales increased by more than 40 percent for both company-owned and franchised units in the first quarter of 2013, and same-store sales for company units were up 13.59...

Read Full Story // read more about: Toppers Pizza, Finance, Marketing, Pizza, Franchising, Growth

Costa Vida offers fresh Mexican ingredients in a laid back fast casual setting.

Emerging Concepts

One to Watch: Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill

A decade ago, JD and Sarah Gardner returned home to Utah from a trip to Cabo San Lucas, inspired by the surfing culture and local cuisine of the Baja Peninsula Coast. Soon after, the pair opened Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill.

Read Full Story // read more about: Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, In the Store, Franchising, Growth

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...

Beverage

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.

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.

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”...

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....

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...

Food Safety

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.

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...

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...

Industry News

New Mobile App from WFF Offers Leadership Tools

Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) has launched a mobile application that offers easy, portable access to WFF tools and information. The app, called WFF Access, serves as a navigable mobile version of the organization’s website. Some key features of the app include WFF event schedules and social media feeds. The app also provides a central hub for connecting with other members based on similar interests, job function, or industry.

Read Full Story // read more about: Equipment, Women in Foodservice, Technology

Industry News

Edible Arrangements Adds New Faces to Its E-Commerce Team

Edible Arrangements announced three new additions to its e-commerce team to support the company’s online and social media expansion efforts.

With rapidly increasing sales, and more than 50 percent of orders placed through the Edible Arrangementswebsite, the company has tripled the size of its e-commerce team since 2010.

In addition, the company has launched an aggressive social media strategy, such as a recent, highly popular Facebook promotion to help launch the new Edible Arrangements Make Today a Little Sweeter collection.

Read Full Story // read more about: Edible Arrangements, Online & Remote Ordering, Women in Foodservice, Growth

Women in Foodservice

R&D Finds Its Feminine Side

Though research and development used to be an old boys’ club in the limited-service industry, the tables are slowly starting to turn.

As quick serves and fast casuals expand their gender horizons both in the C-suite and beyond, more women are leading R&D efforts and bringing their unique viewpoint to the menu-creation process.

Read Full Story // read more about: Noodles & Company, Popeyes, Zaxby's, Menu Development, Consumer Trends, Menu Innovations

Industry News

HMSHost Gets Nominated for Operator Innovation Awards

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations, Women in Foodservice

Industry News

With Unprecedented Growth, WFF Launches New Campaign

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources

Industry News

Concessions Int'l Names New VP of Business Development

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Women in Foodservice, Human Resources

Industry News

Women's Foodservice Forum Returns to White House

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Operations, Women in Foodservice