On the menu: Local is good, but fresh is better

An industry expert examines which buzzwords resonate best with customers.  

Innovative flavors continue to drive restaurant traffic, reports Technomic

October 21, 2009

Consumers are interested in expanding their palates when dining out and want to patronize restaurants that offer innovative flavors. A new study from Technomic…

FreshBerry to open at two Oklahoma universities

October 21, 2009

Beautiful Brands International has announced it has signed two franchise agreements to open FreshBerry frozen yogurt cafés on or near the campuses of the…

Chipotle wants to convert to single-stock class

October 21, 2009

According to an article in the Denver Business Journal, Chipotle will ask its shareholders to agree to single class of common-stock conversion.   The…

Peter Wright named as The Counter's new SVP of franchise sales

October 21, 2009

The Counter has announced that Peter Wright joins the corporate team as senior vice president of franchise sales.   Wright will be responsible for managing…

New blog to discuss restaurant sustainability

October 20, 2009

Sustainable Foodservice Consulting, publisher of the Web site, sustainablefoodservice.com, has announced the launch of its new blog, The Sustainable Shift…

Abundant Brands acquires Bajio Mexican Grill

October 20, 2009

American Fork, Utah-based Abundant Brands has acquired the fast casual concept Bajio Mexican Grill from Franchise Brands, a subsidiary of Doctor's Associates…

Smashburger to open in Addison, Texas

October 20, 2009

Smashburger has announced its plans to open in November the first Dallas-area location as part of its franchise agreement with BIGG Capital Holdings. The…

Mobile search data shows differences in retail tastes

October 20, 2009

Starbucks or McDonald's? Wal-Mart or Best Buy? According to research conducted by Boston-based uLocate Communications, iPhone users are eight times more likely…

Zagat releases restaurant trends report

October 20, 2009

The results of Zagat's 2010 America's Top Restaurants survey were released today on ZAGAT.com, covering thousands of eateries across 45 U.S. markets. In the…

Chipotle plans solar power initiative

October 19, 2009

Chipotle Mexican Grill has announced its plan to partner with Houston-based Standard Renewable Energy (SRE) to install solar panels on approximately 7…

Smashburger launches new Colorado menu

October 19, 2009

Denver-based Smashburger is showing its Colorado pride with the introduction of an all-new menu that takes inspiration from the state's flavors and comfort…

Top 10 brand and marketing trends for 2010

A new definition of value and growing consumer expectations are among the things brands and retailers will need to watch for.

Rubio's receives $80 million buyout offer

October 18, 2009

Rubio's Restaurants Inc. said it received an unsolicited offer from an investor group to buy the company for about $80 million.   The company said the group…

Wahoo's Fish Taco opens second college location

October 18, 2009

Wahoo's Fish Taco has opened a new franchise location at the University of California, Irvine, at the student center. Menu items include the Maui Bowl, Banzai…

Merchant Warehouse, Aldelo partnership addresses PCI compliance

October 18, 2009

Merchant Warehouse has announced a new partnership with POS software provider Aldelo designed to help hospitality organizations address the Payment Card…

Former Caribou Coffee CEO joins Boardwalk Burgers & Fries

October 18, 2009

Michael J. Coles, former chairman & CEO of Caribou Coffee, has joined a group of investors involved with Boardwalk Fresh Burger and Fries, which will open…

How Kogi BBQ got fired up

by Paul Barron — EVP, NWA

In this video interview, Kogi brand manager Mike Prasad talks about how the company used social media to launch the business.

LightSensations' easy-change-out light solution

Augustine Gallegos from the Commerce, Calif.-based company demonstrates the features of its ladderless stem fixture and recessed can light for QSRweb.co at the…

Truitt Bros. features farm-to-table pumpkin pie mix

October 15, 2009

A lackluster pie pumpkin harvest for two years running has meant a short supply of pumpkin puree and pie filling for a few producers in some parts of the…