May 18, 2013

Women in Foodservice

Industry News
2012 QSR Drive-Thru Study

The drive-thru operation of a quick-service restaurant may seem relatively cut and dried, but operators aren’t resting on their laurels when it comes to their outdoor business. For many brands in the industry, the drive thru can account for anywhere between 50 and 70 percent of sales—no small number in a $200 billion...

Read Full Story // read more about: Bojangles', Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Krystal, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Drive Thru, In the Store
Ordering
The Drive-Thru Fixer-Upper

On a recent visit to shop his competition, operator Thom Crosby saw disappointment after disappointment in the drive thru. Bad customer service while placing and paying for his order, poorly dressed employees, and backed-up cars plagued operation after operation. But to Crosby, the experience was more than just a bad lunch. It...

Read Full Story // read more about: Checkers, Pal's Sudden Service, Rally's, Wing Zone, Drive Thru, In the Store
Emerging Concepts
One to Watch: Cheeseboy

Grilled cheese sandwiches have traditionally been made at home or at full-service diners. A few higher-end places have experimented with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches made with ingredients like watercress and Brie, and some sub shops offer toasting to melt their cheese. But generally, a simple, affordable grilled cheese in a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Cheeseboy, Sandwiches, Franchising, Growth, Fast Casual
Executive Insights
The Hands-On CEO

Setting strategic objectives, visiting stores, developing franchisee relationships, building a strong organization, mentoring tomorrow’s leaders—CEOs have a lot of responsibilities on their plate. But several chief executives manage to add one very helpful task to their to-do list: getting into the field.

Read Full Story // read more about: Firehouse Subs, Fresh to Order, Salsarita's, Franchising, Growth, Human Resources
Emerging Concepts
One to Watch: Cheba Hut Toasted Subs

Let’s just go ahead and put it out there: Cheba Hut is a hippie’s dream concept. Everything from menu items and sizes of sandwiches are described using what management refers to as “counter-culture” lingo.

Read Full Story // read more about: Cheba Hut, Sandwiches, Franchising, Growth
Franchising
It Takes Two in Franchising

For more than 33 years, franchisees Ken Gray and Larry Erdman have been successful business partners in the quick-serve industry. Having grown up together and attended the same high school and college, Gray and Erdman became master franchisees with Subway in 1979, a venture that spanned more than 25 years. The duo has since seen lasting...

Read Full Story // read more about: Philly's Best, Growth
Growth
On the Market

Stock market watchers have been observing a curious trend in 2012: the reintroduction of the restaurant IPO. “With the sagging economy over the past few years, we saw a lot of restaurant and other hospitality companies put their plans to go public on hold,” says Roger Pondel of PondelWilkinson Inc., a Los Angeles–based...

Read Full Story // read more about: 16 Handles, Burger King, Yogurtland, Finance
Human Resources
The Trust Factor

Now that social media has become a ubiquitous part of society, a simple click of a button from an unhappy customer can tarnish the reputation of any business. The same is just as true for a displeased or untrustworthy employee. As such, ensuring employee satisfaction, security, and training has never been more important.

Read Full Story // read more about: Jason's Deli, Pal's Sudden Service, Training, In the Store
Industry News
Chuck E. Cheese's Brings Family Fun to Panama

Every day, guests around the world gather at family entertainment leader Chuck E. Cheese’s stores to celebrate birthdays, special occasions, and family fun days with pizza, games, and prizes.

This year, families in Panama will get to experience the Chuck E. Cheese’s brand for...

Read Full Story // read more about: Chuck E. Cheese's, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
Del Taco to Offer Free Food Wednesdays

As Del Taco rolls out changes to their restaurants, the new Buck & Under and New Tastes menus continue to generate positive consumer buzz. The new menus made their system-wide debut with the overall brand relaunch on April 24.

Read Full Story // read more about: Del Taco, Marketing, In the Store, Food & Beverage, Promotions
Industry News
Salsarita's Welcomes Cinco de Mayo with 5-Day Celebration

Learn “the Secrets of Cinco” with Salsarita’s. The Fresh Mexican Cantina is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a five-day celebration full of food and special offers from Thursday, May 2 through Monday, May 6, at participating locations.

Read Full Story // read more about: Salsarita's, Marketing, Food & Beverage
Industry News
Burger 21 Builds Bigger Presence in Orlando, FL

Burger 21, a new better-burger franchise founded by the owners of The Melting Pot Restaurants, announced it is targeting additional areas in the greater Orlando market for future development in 2013.

Target cities include Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Winter Garden, Lake Mary, and...

Read Full Story // read more about: Burger 21, Burgers, Franchising, Growth, Fast Casual
Industry News
Satisfaction Up Among Foodservice Franchisees

According to the “2013 Guide to Today’s Top Franchises,” published annually by market research firm Franchise Business Review, franchisee satisfaction in foodservice is up over recent years.

Read Full Story // read more about: Auntie Anne's, Culver's, Firehouse Subs
Industry News
Qdoba Goes Home as Winner of NRA Kids' Recipe Challenge

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) announced the winners of the Kids Recipe Challenge, a new initiative showcasing restaurants’ culinary ingenuity for creating healthful menu options for children.

Created with founding partner McCormick For Chefs, the Food Away From Home...

Read Full Story // read more about: Qdoba, Healthy Menus
Industry News
Oklahoma Sonic Unit Makes Ordering a Breeze for Truckers

Sonic Drive-In in Valliant, Oklahoma, wants people to know, “Truckers Welcome!”

This message scrolls across a large banner in front of the drive-in, and local franchisees, Tommy and Julie Dorries, have gone to great lengths to deliver a unique experience for truck drivers in a...

Read Full Story // read more about: Sonic, Beverage, Design, Digital Signage & Menuboards
Industry News
3 Sustainable Seafood LTOs Join Rubio's Menu

As part of its continued efforts to offer guests high-quality coastal cuisine, Rubio’s Restaurants is introducing three new chef-crafted sustainable seafood items to its menu for a limited time. Today, Rubio’s fans and friends are invited to stop in and try the new Grilled...

Read Full Story // read more about: Rubio's, Menu Development, Sustainability, Fast Casual, Ingredients & Dayparts
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Women in Foodservice
Mother Knows Best

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: America's Taco Shop, Doc Popcorn, PBandU, In the Store, Human Resources
Industry News
Taco Bell and Lorena Garcia Team Up for New Steak Items

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. 

Read Full Story // read more about: Taco Bell, Menu Development, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Penn Station Subs Pulls into the Northern Virginia Station

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.

Read Full Story // read more about: Penn Station East Coast Subs, Sandwiches, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth
Industry News
SPIN! Pizza Touted by Local Missouri Publications

SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza has been named best pizza by two local publications in Missouri. Both Kansas City Magazine and 435 South Magazine have awarded SPIN! top honors in their annual “City’s Best” issues.

Kansas City Magazinereported that SPIN! was “far and away” the leader in its readers’ votes. The repeat awards join a raft of local and national awards that SPIN! has accrued for its food and environs since opening its first location in 2005.

Read Full Story // read more about: SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza, Design, Pizza, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Growth, Ingredients & Dayparts
Industry News
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Serves Up $1 Pulled-Pork Sandwiches

Dickey’s franchise owners Peggy and Joe Anicka have enjoyed serving the Commerce Township, Michigan, community slow, pit-smoked barbecue.

On Friday, January 25, Dickey's will be offering $1 Pulled Pork Big Barbecue sandwiches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in honor of its grand-opening celebration.

Read Full Story // read more about: Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Marketing, Women in Foodservice, Franchising, Promotions, Growth
Industry News
Cousins Subs Makes it Better with New Foundation

Cousins Subs restaurants has established The Make It Better Foundation to improve the welfare and quality of life in the communities Cousins Subs serves.

"Cousins Subs has a longstanding tradition of commitment to the communities we serve," says Christine Specht, president and COO at Cousins Subs. "We have supported a multitude of causes and organizations throughout our 40-year history. By establishing The Make It Better Foundation, we hope we can do even more."

Read Full Story // read more about: Cousins Subs, Charitable Giving, Sandwiches, Women in Foodservice
Industry News
Nancy Clark Joins Fiesta Restaurant Group as Chief People Officer

Fiesta Restaurant Group, the owner, operator, and franchisor of the Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana fast-casual restaurant brands, announced that Nancy Clark has joined the company as vice president, chief people officer, effective January 10, 2013.

Clark is a highly regarded human resources business leader with more than 15 years of experience at several high-profile and diverse organizations, including J.C. Penney Corporation, PepsiCo, and General Electric Company.

Read Full Story // read more about: Pollo Tropical, Taco Cabana, Women in Foodservice, Human Resources
Industry News
Industry Vet Sheri Miksa Takes the Reins at Boneheads

Boneheads Grilled Fish & Piri Piri Chicken, the popular six-unit Atlanta-based fast-casual restaurant chain known for its signature Piri-Piri Chicken and distinctively flavored fresh grilled seafood menu, hasnamed 25-year hospitality and restaurant industry veteran, Sheri Miksa, as its new CEO and president. 

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