Recent News

Carl’s Jr. joins Seattle burger wars

Burger chain Carl’s Jr. plans to bring its trademark smiling yellow star to the Seattle area next year. Owned by Carpinteria’s CKE Restaurants Inc., Carl’s has only a handful of restaurants now in Washington, all on the eastern side of the state.

McDonald’s to Close Jamaica Restaurants

There will be no more Big Macs in Jamaica. McDonald’s Corp., the world’s largest fast-food company, said Thursday that it will suspend business and close its eight restaurants in Jamaica later this month.

Krispy Kreme Sued by California Franchisee

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., which is grappling with declining sales, accounting problems and numerous government probes, said Thursday it has been served with a lawsuit filed by a franchisee in Southern California, the Associated Press reports.

El Pollo Loco to Be Sold

American Securities Capital Partners, L.P. sale of El Pollo Loco to Trimaran Capital Partners is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2005.

Making Sense of HACCP

It’s appropriate that Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) was developed by NASA to keep astronauts from coming down with foodborne illness in outer space because sometimes it really does seem like rocket science. But Mary Anne Hogue, vice president of food safety services for The Steritech Group, helped put it in layman’s terms in a presentation at the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers show.

2005 NAFEM Show Comes to a Close

As the 2005 North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) show comes to a close, Deirdre Flynn, executive vice president of NAFEM, says she believes this year’s show was a success.

Innovations in Antimicrobials Provide Another Tool to Improve Food Safety

According to a FDA report, 21.9 percent of quick-service restaurants were cited for contaminated equipment and 31.2 percent for poor personal hygiene in 2004, and the Centers For Disease Control estimates an average of 40 million cases of food poisoning per year in the United States. All that leads to a whole lot of lawsuits for the industry. But, according to the presenters of Technology Tools to Improve Food Safety, a panel discussion at the 2005 North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers, innovation in antimicrobials has the potential to help make inroads in terms of eliminating this problem.

RFID Allows Operators to Keep Tabs on Products to Ensure Integrity

RFID is rapidly gaining ground in the manufacturing and distributing world, where the technology is being used to track inventory through the placement of RFID tags on boxes and pallets. The tags can be programmed with information about shipment quantity and can even be used to ensure product integrity by keeping tabs on temperature changes from the dock to the final destination.

Frymaster Educates NAFEM Show Patrons on the Techniques for Fit Frying

There’s no doubt that consumers today are looking for healthier menu options, but on the other hand, fried items, like chicken nuggets and French fries, remain strong-selling staples at quick-service restaurants. Frymaster, a leading manufacturer of commercial foodservice equipment, is providing operators with a way to address this dichotomy by educating visitors to the North American Association of Food Manufacturers show about the tenets of “Fit Frying.”

NAFEM Exhibitors: Move Toward Integrated Kitchens Picking Up Speed

The concept of an “integrated kitchen” has long been talked about in the quick-service restaurant industry, but according to exhibitors at the 2005 North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers trade show, that vision is finally starting to become a reality.

Digital Menuboards Provide a Moving Picture of the Future

Visitors at the 2005 North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers trade show are treated to so many innovative products that it’s difficult to focus on any specific one, but exhibitors of digital menuboards seemed to have little trouble garnering a crowd.

Chipotle to Go Public

McDonald’s announces an IPO of minority interest in Chipotle planned for first quarter 2006.

Jack in the Box Cancels JBX Test

Rather than focus on its fast-casual JBX brand, Jack in the Box, Inc. plans to concentrate its efforts on growing the Jack in the Box brand into a national chain.

Wendy’s President Quits

Wendy’s International Inc. President Tom Mueller suddenly resigned from the troubled fast-food chain Monday in what analysts believe signals sluggish sales and waning support within the Wendy’s franchise community, MarketWatch.com reported today.