Sept. comps rise 5.9% at Panera Bread

October 4, 2006

ST. LOUIS — Panera Bread Co. reported system-wide comparable bakery-cafe sales increased 5.9 percent for the four weeks ended Sept. 26, 2006. According to a…

Looming mushroom shortage will increase prices

Hard times for mushroom growers are tightening supplies and driving up prices for the U.S. restaurant industry.   Long-term supply excesses have depressed…

Le Petit Bistro inks 20-unit development deal

October 3, 2006

ATLANTA — Bistro Foods Inc., the Atlanta-based restaurant franchisor of the Le Petit Bistro concept, signed its first multiunit area development agreement…

Atlanta Bread Co. sued for discrimination

October 2, 2006

Florida Today: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Oct. 2 it filed employment discrimination suits against three franchise companies…

Starbucks to sell sandwiches all day in NYC

October 2, 2006

MarketWatch: Starbucks said it will begin offering several new food items all day long at its 200-plus New York metro-area locations. The items include four…

Freebirds World Burrito intros new menu and apparel line

October 2, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas — Freebirds World Burrito announced the release of a new menu and apparel line.   The re-vamped menus, printed on 100 percent recycled paper…

NRA says Restaurant Performance Index declined in August

October 1, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C. — The outlook for the restaurant industry softened somewhat in August, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of…

Moe's Southwest Grill launches fan video contest

October 1, 2006

ATLANTA — Fans of Moe's Southwest Grill have a chance to win burritos for life by creating videos centered on the theme, "A Moe's Burrito in Every Hand." …

NRA chair, Tinsley, says association drug plan possible.

In a Q&A, NRA chairman Ed Tinsley weighs in on smoking bans, death taxes and younger members.

NRA opposes minimum wage increase based on CPI

September 28, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C. — In November, voters in six states including Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio will decide whether to raise their…

Fast-food chains sued over grilled chicken claims CCF calls bogus

September 28, 2006

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is suing seven quick-service chains for serving what it calls carcinogenic grilled chicken.    The group…

Starbucks, Cooking.com partner to sell coffee online

September 28, 2006

SEATTLE — Starbucks and Santa Monica-based Cooking.com have joined forces to launch Starbucks at Home, a coffee auto-reorder subscription program made…

Wolfgang Puck pizzas headed for grocer's shelves

September 27, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS — Famed chef and restaurateur, Wolfgang Puck, has partnered with Schwan's Consumer Brands North America to launch a line of Wolfgang Puck…

Ex-Quizno's operator settles discrimination suit

September 27, 2006

Daily Breeze: The former owners of a Torrance, Calif., Quizno's will pay $5,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging they refused to give a black teenage girl a job…

New York to ban trans-fat use

September 27, 2006

Guardian Unlimited: New York is set to become the first city in the United States to ban all but tiny quantities of trans-fats from being used in its 24,00…

Restaurant operators need young workforce, experts say

At the Mid-Atlantic Expo, the NRA Chairman and the Restaurant Doctor say it's time to pass on the responsibility to your crew.

Firehouse Subs targets sports crowd with new promotion

September 26, 2006

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Firehouse Subs recently launched its Home Field Advantage (HFA) Sweepstakes promotion to provide a sports fan with an entertainment…

Schlotzsky's partners with Austin Film Festival

September 26, 2006

Austin Business Journal: The Austin Film Festival's Young Filmmakers Program and Schlotzsky's are partnering up to launch the first "Sandwich Your Story Into…

Fuddruckers finds new face for ad campaign

September 26, 2006

Group State: Ms. Bea is the national face of Fuddruckers restaurants, and she is completely surprised. Restaurant executives pulled Beatrice Shell — Ms. Bea…

Buffalo Wild Wings signs major CBS Sports advertising deal

September 25, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS — Buffalo Wild Wings signed its first national network advertising deal with CBS Sports.   According to a news release, the increase in national…