Maui Wowi extends Saudi Arabia presence

January 17, 2012

Maui Wowi Hawaiian, an international Hawaiian coffee and fresh fruit smoothie company, has announced further expansion in the Middle East, with the opening of…

Former Corner Bakery head joins Le Duff as co-CEO

January 17, 2012

Former Corner Bakery Cafe president Jim Vinz has been announced as the new co-CEO of Le Duff America Inc., parent company to Bruegger’s Bagels, La Madeleine…

Boloco presents at ICR Xchange

January 16, 2012

Boloco presented its operational outlook at this year’s 14th Annual ICR XChange Conference on Jan. 10, 2012. This is the third year that Boloco received an…

Muscle Maker opens in founder's hometown

January 15, 2012

Muscle Maker Grill has opened the doors to a restaurant in founder Rod Silva’s hometown of Newark, N.J., marking the chain's 45th location nationwide.

Fast Casual segment heads into Q1 with new store openings

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

Fast casual chains such as Baja Fresh, Fuddruckers and MOOYAH are among several concepts starting the New Year with new openings across the United States. The…

Veggie Grill expands beyond Calif. roots

January 12, 2012

Veggie Grill is about to open its first location outside of Southern California in Beaverton, Ore. Veggie Grill is able to move into the Portland, Ore., market…

Fresh To Order to build growth on 'fast fine' platform

January 12, 2012

New menu items, re-imaged restaurants, leadership changes and grand openings are just a few of the developments ahead that will drive growth for Fresh To Order…

Chipotle to open second ShopHouse

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

January 11, 2012

Steve Ells is looking to open a second ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen location near the original Washington, D.C., restaurant.

Quiznos expanding into the Philippines

January 10, 2012

Quiznos has announced a partnership with the ACA Group, the master franchise selected to launch the first Quiznos restaurants in the Philippines. The first…

Wingstop celebrates successful 2011

January 9, 2012

Wingstop celebrated a groundbreaking year in 2011 – opening 34 new restaurants, including its 500th location in Brooklyn, N.Y. – and reaching more than eight…

Putting a ribbon on the recession

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

Conventional wisdom (or at least the wisdom of the National Bureau of Economic Research) says that the Great Recession began in December of 2007 and ended in…

The top 5 reasons to franchise your business

by Harold Kestenbaum — Partner, Gordon & Rees, LLP

If you are an entrepreneur and you have one, two or even three operations, why should you be thinking about franchising? There are many reasons, but here are…

Saladworks signs deal for Tampa, Fla.

January 4, 2012

Saladworks has signed a three-store franchise agreement with Calvin and Felicia Rucker of Tampa Bay, Fla. The first store is set to open in mid-2012 with the…

Smashburger set to sizzle in Latin America

January 4, 2012

Smashburger has announced that it has partnered with international restaurateur Richard Eisenberg and his company, QSR International, in a growth initiative to…

Red Mango: 2011 was record year

January 4, 2012

Red Mango has announced that it had a record year for franchise development in 2011. The company awarded agreements for more than 70 new domestic locations…

Einstein Noah to present at ICR XChange

January 3, 2012

Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, operating primarily under the Einstein Bros. Bagels, Noah's New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel brands, has announced that it…

NPD: Global restaurant visits weak in Q3

January 3, 2012

Low consumer confidence and the stressed global economy were reflected in weak foodservice traffic numbers in most countries around the world in the quarter…

2012: The five fast casual executives to watch

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

For restaurant operators throughout the industry, 2011 had its fair share of highs and lows. While the industry rebounded slightly from the challenges present…

Foumami Asian Sandwich Bar

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

Foumami Asian Sandwich Bar opened in 2010 in Boston's Financial District. The restaurant was founded by third-genereration restaurateur Michael Wang, whose…

How Do You Roll? rolls into Phoenix

December 28, 2011

Austin, Texas-based How Do You Roll? has opened its first location outside of the Texas market, where the chain has seven units in operation. The newest unit…