FreshBerry opens unit No. 40

June 21, 2012

Beautiful Brands International has announced the opening of its 40th FreshBerry Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt store. The new store, located in Charlotte, N.C., is…

Smashburger opens second Calgary location

June 21, 2012

Smashburger is opening its second location in Calgary, Canada, on June 27, following the May 2012 launch of its first-ever Canadian restaurant, also in Calgary.

Podcast highlights FastCasual.com Top 100, annual benchmark report

FastCasual.com launched its 2012 Top 100 Movers & Shakers in the company's first quarter, along with its annual Fast Casual State of the Industry Benchmark…

Feds charge a suspected major cyber thief

by Brad Cyprus — Chief of Security and Compliance, Vendor Safe Technologies

Everyone in retail can breathe a little easier today knowing that federal authorities have charged David Benjamin Schrooten, or as he is known in cyber space…

Seattle's Best expands commuter concept in NY

June 21, 2012

Seattle's Best Coffee, part of Starbucks Corporation, has announced that its commuter-centric concept menu will be featured in a new Brooklyn, N.Y., franchise…

Retail vs. restaurant competition heats up

June 21, 2012

The daily mealtime competition between restaurants and retailers has become more intense in the past two years, as economic conditions have affected…

Burger King, Cosi franchisee implements PCI security solution

June 21, 2012

C.R. Restaurant Inc., a multi-unit franchisee in the quick-serve and fast casual market, has implemented SecureConnect managed security solutions in all 30 of…

Start spreading the beverage news

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

The move by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to impose limitations on the size of sugar –based beverages permitted for sale in New York City (a 16-ounce limit…

Using customer feedback to give location-specific, actionable insight

Gleaning location-specific insight from online conversations is the key to driving positive reviews.

Chicago gets fourth Panera Cares cafe

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

June 20, 2012

Chicago is joining Dearborn, Mich., Clayton, Mo., and Portland, Ore., as cities featuring a Panera Cares Community Cafe. The company is turning its Chicago…

Veggie Grill names Debbie Porter director of marketing

June 20, 2012

Veggie Grill has announced that Debbie Porter has joined the team as the director of marketing.  Porter joins CEO Greg Dollarhyde and co-founders Kevin Boylan…

Red Mango, Texting Awareness Foundation team up for driver safety

June 20, 2012

Texting and driving is the No. 1 killer of teens in America, and Memorial Day through Labor Day are known as the 100 deadliest days of summer from critical…

Firehouse Subs pork & slaw sandwich launches nationally

June 20, 2012

Based on consumer demand, Firehouse Subs has announced the national launch of its King's Hawaiian Pork & Slaw sandwich. The sandwich will be available for…

Food allergies hit more city kids

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Food allergies and special dining needs are rising, so it's important for restaurants to learn how to cater to this growing demographic.

The next steps of a soon-to-franchise restaurant company

by Harold Kestenbaum — Partner, Gordon & Rees, LLP

In my last blog, I discussed what to do once you decide to franchise your restaurant. Now that you've taken those next steps, where do you go from here? The…

Seattle's Best crowdsources for 'next great coffee drink'

June 20, 2012

Seattle's Best Coffee, part of Starbucks Corporation, is teaming up with celebrity chef Jeff Mauro to launch the Red Cup Showdown – a coast-to-coast search at…

What Can Fast Casual Restaurants Learn From a Barbershop?

With music becoming an integral part of the brand and the dining experience for many concepts, Floyd’s 99 branding practices are applicable to the foodservice…

JJ's Red Hots plans first opening

June 19, 2012

JJ’s Red Hots will bring its handcrafted, chargrilled hot dogs and sausages to Charlotte, N.C.

Wingstop to fly into Oregon

June 19, 2012

Wingstop has announced that the 515-unit chain has signed a multi-unit development agreement to open 12 new restaurants throughout the state of Oregon.

Barberitos contest nets 187-pound weight loss

June 19, 2012

Barberitos launched its 2012 Healthy Campaign in January to promote weight loss and wellness. The campaign kicked off with an alternative healthy menu and a…