Consumers seeking a stylish and exceptionally functional single-serve beverage system that makes a variety of coffee, espresso, and tea beverages need not look further than their local The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf store. The Southern California–based specialty coffee and tea company introduced the biggest innovation in its 50-year history, the CBTL System, which combines […]
McDonald's Corporation announced that it saw positive results for the fourth quarter, including a global comparable sales increase of 5 percent. "During 2010, we continued our efforts toward becoming our customers' favorite place and way to eat and drink – and customers rewarded us by visiting our restaurants more often," CEO Jim Skinner says. "As a […]
Domino’s Pizza is striving to be a part of the solution when it comes to promoting healthy, active lifestyles for young people—highlighted by the launch of its Domino’s Smart Slice school lunch pizza. Domino’s Smart Slice is a white whole-wheat, reduced fat, and reduced sodium pizza that is baked fresh and delivered to schools. Domino’s […]
The Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) issued its 2010 Annual Report, which chronicles the CHR’s multifaceted efforts to promote and share top-level research-based knowledge with the hospitality industry. The report lists the Center’s many roundtables, webcasts, and publications, as well as its participation in numerous industry conferences. “This was a busy year,” says Professor […]
First Data Corporation, a global provider in electronic commerce and payment processing, released its First Data SpendTrend analysis for the full month of December 2010 compared to December 2009. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending via credit, signature debit, PIN debit, and EBT cards at U.S. merchant locations. December’s same-store dollar volume growth was 6.5 percent […]
A new report from global business-advisory firm AlixPartners shows that 2011 may see a mixed bag of results for restaurant operators. According to the AlixPartners study, consumers expect to pay an average of $12.90 per meal at restaurants in 2011, down 5 percent from what they paid in the last year. However, 57 percent of […]
Chop’t, a fast-casual salad concept, experienced a 20 percent spike in lunch sales the first week of January. The company sees a similar sales boost after other holidays, including Thanksgiving and on Mondays, when weekend indulgence turns to waistline repentance. Chop’t is the perfect New Year’s Resolution Diet destination, say Tony Shure and Colin McCabe, […]
In an effort to draw more traffic from the 50-and-older demographic, Denny’s launched a promotional campaign last year that gives a 20 percent discount to anybody who shows his or her AARP card between 4 and 10 p.m. any day of the week. Early results of the campaign, which were recently released by the company, […]
Tyson Food Service released the newest edition of Tyson’s Insights and Discovery newsletter containing “Understanding Today’s Foodservice Consumer,” which helps to unlock the latest consumer-centric insights into foodservice-related trends. The newsletter was produced in collaboration with market research firm Technomic. Though the economic situation continues to weigh heavily on most consumers, it is still possible for […]
A recent survey of the top emerging restaurant markets in the U.S. conducted by QSR magazine and Pitney Bowes Business Insight ranked the top 40 cities for expansion. The Growth 40 listed the top large, medium, and small markets for expansion in the New Year, finding Buffalo, NY, to be the best large city for […]
As the country began dragging itself from economic turmoil in 2010, which dishes and drinks did savvy food marketers and restaurant operators introduce to satisfy consumer needs? According to the Culinary Trend Mapping Report, a bi-monthly journal from Packaged Facts and the Center for Culinary Development (CCD), overall themes included Back to the Basics, Artisan […]
While spirits barely edged out beer as the most popular alcoholic beverage enjoyed by consumers between this year, the market has hardly fallen flat. According to latest research from Mintel, domestic beer is the clear favorite, followed by imported varieties; but 33 percent of all beer drinkers are drinking less imported beer because they’re drinking […]
Tender Greens, a Southern California–based quick-serve chain that offers an array of organic and healthy items, recently launched a Meatless Monday campaign in hopes of capitalizing on a growing vegetarian trend among quick-serve consumers. “We can reach out to our vegetarian customers in which we say ‘Mondays, it’s all about you,’” says Erik Oberholtzer, cofounder […]
First Data Corporation, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, released its First Data SpendTrend Mid-Month Flash analysis for the first half of December 2010 compared to the same period in December 2009. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending via credit, signature debit, PIN debit, and EBT cards at U.S. merchant locations In early […]
With continued high unemployment across the U.S., restaurant traffic remains down -1 percent in the third calendar quarter of 2010, but positive signs point to restaurant traffic growth in the last calendar quarter of 2010 and in 2011, according to foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. NPD forecasts traffic to grow […]
Consuming fructose from added sugars at levels in the average American diet does not lead to weight gain or an increased risk for heart disease when part of a weight-stable diet, according to new data presented today at the American Heart Association's (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2010. The results mark the first time researchers have measured […]
With Thanksgiving behind us and seasonal festivities just around the corner, consumers are in the mood to celebrate. As a result, latest research from leading market intelligence provider Mintel finds that restaurant chains are responding to consumer demand by spicing up their menus with fall and winter offerings. In 2009, food and beverage menu items featuring familiar […]
Media measurement technology firm General Sentiment released its newest brand analysis, the Fall 2010 Fast Food Industry Report. The report highlights the brands that made the most significant media impact online between September and November. Despite declining nearly 20 percent since the summer, Starbucks still topped General Sentiment’s Impact Value rankings, more than doubling the […]
Whether you call them French fries, chips, or frites, whether they come thick-cut, crinkled, straight, or curly, fries are a staple of the American diet, most notably at quick-serve restaurants. The taste of McDonald's French fries has played a critical role in the chain's success. Fries are more profitable than hamburgers. The secret to McDonald’s […]
‘Tis the season for giving back, and companies should be prepared to lead the charge. Nearly nine in 10 consumers (89 percent) want companies to support causes this holiday season, and 78 percent want to be personally engaged in these efforts. Getting a jump on their shopping, half (49 percent) of Americans say they have […]
Although it is increasingly clear that kids influence meal purchases, what isn’t so well-known is where, what, how, and when youths and teens want to eat. A new survey of youngsters ages five to 15 reveals that kids’ favorite places to eat are home, quick-service restaurants, and school. According to research conducted by Chicago-based Y-Pulse […]
Transaction growth was 9.2 percent in September; up from August’s growth of 8.3 percent.
China leads international foodservice growth with a 13 percent improvement, which is attributed to fast food.
NPD Group research shows that c-store sales were up 11 percent in Q2 of 2010, and one expert says quick serves should take notice.
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