Port City Java same-store sales rise 12% in Feb.

March 9, 2006

WILMINGTON, N.C.—Port City Java Coffeehouse Cafes announced its comparable same-store corporate sales for Feb. increased 12.2 percent. According to a news…

Bruegger's assists Feed the Children

March 9, 2006

BURLINGTON, Vt. — With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner and the luck of the Irish in the air, Bruegger's bakeries nationwide are gearing up for their…

Panera system-wide sales up 7.9%

March 8, 2006

ST LOUIS — Panera Bread Co. reported Wednesday its system-wide bakery-café sales increased 7.9 percent for the five weeks ended Feb. 28.   The St.

Starbucks settles labor dispute

March 7, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO — Starbucks Corp. has entered into an informal settlement agreement with the National Labor Relations Board to resolve complaints filed by the…

Atlanta Bread sues former head chef

March 6, 2006

Associated Press: Atlanta Bread Company International Inc. has sued its former head chef, claiming he stole the menu and store designs for a new restaurant…

Seattle's Best to open on Marine facility

March 5, 2006

Stars & Stripes: Seattle's Best Coffee will open a store at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.   The goal is to "create a relaxing, European-style coffee…

Starbucks to serve breakfast sandwiches

March 5, 2006

SEATTLE — Starbucks announced its creating a breakfast menu. In its hometown cafes, Starbucks tested toasty egg and cheese sandwiches three years ago. …

Experts create the first virtual brand

Camp Out Grill is not real. For now, it's a virtual brand.

Wendy's may sell Baja Fresh

March 2, 2006

Wendy's International Inc. said it would consider selling its Baja Fresh Mexican Grill chain and speed up the spinoff of its Tim Hortons coffee-and-doughnut…

Starbucks reports 8% same-store increase

March 2, 2006

SEATTLE — Starbucks reported an 8 percent jump in same-store sales for February amid an overall revenue bounce of 25 percent to $468 million. The cafe chain…

Caribou Coffee and Starbucks undergo new promotion campaigns

March 2, 2006

The Caribou Coffee Company has launched "Wake Up and Smell the Music," its first national multi-media advertising campaign. The company's partner in the…

Starbucks VP quits

March 1, 2006

Starbucks Corp. vice president Don MacKinnon resigned for personal reasons March 2, the company said. MacKinnon joined the company in 1999 after Starbucks…

McDonald's upscales coffee

February 28, 2006

McDonald's will roll out premium coffee at its 13,000 U.S. stores in 2006. The company said the premium coffee uses higher-quality beans — and is pricier for…

NRA: 30 months of consecutive growth

February 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The outlook for the restaurant industry continued to improve in January, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of…

Chipotle's IPO success influences fast-casual growth

by Julie Sturgeon — independent journalist, CEOEditor, Inc.

Fast-casual restaurants as a whole are racking up impressive numbers, but are they enough to sustain Wall Street's appetite?

Panera removes trans fats

February 23, 2006

Richmond Heights, MO—Panera Bread announced it has voluntarily removed trans fat from its menu. All Panera Bread menu items will be free of trans fat by the…

Starbucks signs deal with East Coast grocer

February 22, 2006

Starbucks signed a five-year deal with Giant Food supermarkets. The grocery chain operates in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C.   According to a news…

New World's 2005 revenue increases 4.1%

February 22, 2006

GOLDEN, Colo.—New World Restaurant Group Inc. announced improved financial results for its 2005 fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Jan. 3, 2006.   Revenue…

Panera Bread to add 5 metro stores in Denver

February 22, 2006

DENVER — Panera Bread plans to open five more restaurants in metro Denver in 2006.   Ken Rosenthal of the Denver area owns Breads of the World. He also helped…

Baker Bros expands in Texas

February 22, 2006

DALLAS— Baker Bros American Deli, a fast-casual concept headquartered here, has executed an area development agreement with Independence Franchising of Texas…