FOCUS Brands names Gary Bales chief concept officer

January 18, 2011

FOCUS Brands Inc. has announced that Gary Bales has been named chief concept officer in addition to his role as president of Carvel. Bales will now oversee…

Greenz inks first franchise deal

January 18, 2011

Beautiful Brands International has signed an agreement with Larry Koehler and Casie Caldwell of Greenz Salads for the first Greenz Salads franchise. The new…

Panda Express returns Firecracker Chicken LTO

January 18, 2011

Panda Express, the nation’s leader in Asian dining experiences, kicks off the 2011 Chinese New Year holiday by bringing back a special menu item for a limited…

Starbucks takes mobile payments national

January 18, 2011

Starbucks Corp. has announced the launch of mobile payment in all U.S. company-operated stores. The launch allows customers to pay for in-store purchases with…

bd’s Mongolian Grill returns Fun Fresh Food promo

January 17, 2011

bd’s Mongolian Grill is bringing back its popular Fun Fresh Food promotion now through March 6.

Manhattan Bagel makes New Year menu additions

January 17, 2011

Manhattan Bagel has announced that its popping off the New Year with new pretzel bagel poppers and a new line of breakfast bagel thin sandwiches.

ParTech’s president passes away

January 17, 2011

Ed Soladay, president of ParTech Inc., PAR Technology Corporation’s largest wholly owned subsidiary, has died unexpectedly.

Yogurt Mountain opens first Georgia unit

January 17, 2011

Yogurt Mountain LLC has opened a new store in Duluth, its first footprint in Georgia. A grand opening event will be held from 2-6 p.m. Jan. 22 in which…

Genghis Grill joint venture brings units to the Southeast

January 17, 2011

Genghis Grill has signed on franchisee group, JNE (Jordan, Nicholas, Elliott) Mongolian LLC, to lead the Tampa, Fla., market and Chris Carroll, an existing…

EXIT41 names Chet Barnard CEO

January 17, 2011

Exit41, a provider of social ordering solutions for the restaurant industry, has announced the appointment of seasoned business executive Chet Barnard as its…

Caribou Coffee expands breakfast platform

January 17, 2011

Just a year after introducing handcrafted oatmeal in stores, Caribou Coffee is rolling out hot breakfast sandwiches in coffeehouses across the country. Caribou…

Red Mango opens centennial location

January 17, 2011

Red Mango will salute its 100th store opening with a nationwide celebration featuring the introduction of its decadent Dark Chocolate frozen yogurt and special…

Starbucks super sizes coffee lineup

January 17, 2011

Starbucks Corp. is unveiling a new cup size that will take beverage consumption to stratospheric heights. The company's new "Trenta" will be able to hold 91…

Smashburger to offer Vegas burger nationwide

January 16, 2011

Smashburger is bringing its Sin City Smashburger nationwide as up until now, the burger was found only on Las Vegas restaurant menus.  The Sin City Smashburger…

Zoës Kitchen names new COO

January 16, 2011

Zoës Kitchen has announced the appointment of Kevin Miles to chief operating officer, a new position for the company.

The Loop unveils Tomato Bisque pizza

January 16, 2011

It’s not often a pizza is inspired by a soup, but that’s exactly the impetus behind The Loop Pizza Grill's newest creation. The Tomato Bisque pizza was…

Fatz Cafe raises $475,000 in 2010

January 16, 2011

Fatz Cafe raised more than $477,748 in 2010 through its Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser program. The funds will benefit local communities in North Carolina, South…

McAlister's Deli returns 5 Under 500

January 16, 2011

McAlister’s Deli is helping its guests stick to their New Year's resolutions by bringing back a popular promotion.

Fast casual menu additions get spicy infusion

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

January 16, 2011

Fast casual restaurants across all menu categories are rolling out new items focused on spicier flavors, a trend that has been growing for the last 10 years.

Consumers looking for differentiation, value

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

January 13, 2011

A new study by Chicago-based Technomic shows that even as consumers are expected to loosen their purse strings in 2011, finding a good value from the casual…