May 23, 2013

Women in Foodservice

Industry News
Burger King Shakes Up Senior Management Team

Burger King Worldwide (BKW) announced an evolution of its senior management team as CEO Bernardo Hees and chief financial officer Daniel Schwartz assume new roles within the company. With a succession plan firmly in place, additional changes to BKW’s senior management team are a testament to the depth and breadth of the...

Read Full Story // read more about: Burger King, Burgers, Finance, Operations, Growth, Human Resources
Industry News
Not a Fan of Spicy Chicken? Bojangles' Has an Item for You

Bojangles’ has added a milder, Southern-flavored, 100 percent white meat boneless chicken product to its menu called Homestyle Tenders.  The new tenderloin filets have a one-of-a-kind flavor for fans looking for a milder option at Bojangles’.  Homestyle Tenders are now available for purchase at all company...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bojangles', Menu Development
Industry News
In a Search for Foodies, Ritter's Creates Unique Flavors

Inspired by consumers’ ever-increasing obsession with the story of their food and everything Food Network–related, Ritter’s Frozen Custard realized last summer that the time had come to spice up its menu and capture this growing market. And the chain wasn’t afraid to go outside of its comfort zone. Developing a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Ritter's, Desserts, Menu Development, Social Media
Industry News
A Quick-Serve Rebound?

In a sign that the economic landscape might finally be rebounding for quick serves, early results from Technomic’s upcoming “Top 500 Restaurant Chain” report reveal that the fastest-growing limited-service restaurant chains in the U.S. realized average sales increases of 22.3 percent between 2011 and 2012.

Read Full Story // read more about: Chipotle, Dickey's, Firehouse Subs
Industry News
McAlister's Gets Hearty and Healthy with New Menu Items

McAlister’s Deli, a leading fast-casual restaurant, is offering guests new limited-time menu items including sandwich grillers, a seasonal berry salad, and hearty pot roast. The menu runs April 8–June 30 and features:

Read Full Story // read more about: McAlister's Deli, Healthy Menus, Menu Development, Sandwiches
Consumer Trends
The Secret’s Out

Though not new, secret and hidden menus have taken hold in recent years as social media–savvy diners share off-the-menu experiences with potentially viral audiences. And today, more quick-service brands are finding that a secret menu can offer guests a fun and unique experience worth coming back for.

Read Full Story // read more about: Boloco, In-N-Out Burger, Panera Bread, Marketing, Competition, Menu Innovations, Promotions
Outside Insights
Planting the ‘Seeds’ of Marketing

The old adage “squeezing blood out of a turnip” may best describe how many marketers today feel when it comes to finding new ways to stretch their marketing budget dollars. Whether they slashed advertising media buys, reduced the number of new collateral materials, or scaled back on product launches, retailers were affected...

Read Full Story // read more about: Marketing
Outside Insights
3 Tips for Food Truck Insurance

There’s a food truck for every type of cuisine nowadays. Mobile eateries’ sudden rise in popularity has taken the country by storm, and just like other businesses, the trucks need to be insured, whether they’re operators’ main business or secondary source of income. From 2011 to 2012, Progressive saw a nearly 20...

Read Full Story // read more about: In the Store
Industry News
WFF Announces Keynote Speakers for Executive Summit

Women’s Foodservice Forum will host its annual Executive Summit, a gathering of restaurant and foodservice industry executives, July 29–31, 2013, at the JW Marriott in Chicago.

Exclusively for industry executives, WFF Executive Summit will feature interactive, business-...

Read Full Story // read more about: Training, Executive Insights
Industry News
Freshens Gets Sweet and Savory With New Crepe Options

Freshens relies heavily on customer research to keep its product offerings relevant and on trend with its customers.  

The Atlanta-based company conducted a series of focus groups to gain insight into flavor profiles that its loyal customer base was seeking for new crepe menu...

Read Full Story // read more about: Freshens, Desserts, Healthy Menus, Menu Development
Industry News
Gold Star Chili Partners Up with Local Fire Department

In a new series of television commercials, Gold Star Chili, The Flavor of Cincinnati, enlisted the aid of neighborhood firefighters to introduce Cincinnati-style chili lovers to the chain’s hotter menu options: Firehouse cheese coneys and 3, 4, and 5-Ways. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Gold Star Chili, Menu Development, Food & Beverage, Menu Innovations
Industry News
Mars Foodservice Turns Classic Candies Into New Desserts

MARS Foodservices helps operators take dessert sales to the next level with candy brands customers know and love.

According to Mintel, solid growth in classic desserts, such as ice cream, cake, pie, cheesecake, and cookies, contributed heavily to the overall increase in dessert menu items...

Read Full Story // read more about: Desserts, Menu Development
Industry News
McAlister's Names Franchisee of the Year

McAlister’s Deli, a leading fast-casual restaurant, awarded The Saxton Group and Southwest Deli with the Franchisee of the Year Award at its annual franchise conference in Las Vegas.

Led by Kelly Saxton, Dallas-based The Saxton Group owns and operates 53 McAlister’s...

Read Full Story // read more about: McAlister's Deli, Sandwiches, Franchising
Chipotle is improving the ingredients in its margarita beverage menu offering.
Industry News
Chipotle’s Margarita Makeover

Move over, rice and salsa; Chipotle will soon have agave nectar, lemon-lime juice, and Patron Silver tequila on its assembly line. The brand plans to bring premium margaritas to all locations with a liquor license—about 900 of them—beginning April 29.

QSR got a sneak...

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Industry News
DOLE Announces Winners of Fruit Flash Mob

Dole Packaged Foods is pleased to announce the grand-prize winner of the second annual DOLE Fruit Flash Mob contest is Indian River High School (Chesapeake, Virginia).

Last fall (August 30–December 31, 2012), Dole challenged schools nationwide to create videos that promote healthy...

Read Full Story // read more about: Healthy Menus, Marketing
Industry News
FROM THE FLOOR: Fazoli's to Launch New Concept

Fazoli’s is rolling out a new fast-casual concept focusing on modern Italian fare, CEO Carl Howard announced at the 2013 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

While Fazoli’s serves up tradition Italian dishes like pastas, pizzas, and submarinos,...

Read Full Story // read more about: Fazoli's, Franchising, Growth, Fast Casual
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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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...

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

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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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Innovations like the Marinara Tower were featured on the NRA Show floor.
Back of House
Recapping the NRA Show

As the lights went out on the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show) in Chicago on Tuesday, there was plenty to consider about the future of the industry.

The show featured no shortage of technological advancements, not just in computing hardware...

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