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.

Chef Bruno partners with Tri-Star Systems

March 8, 2006

MIAMI—Tri-Star Systems, creator of QSR Chick-N-Grill, announced Chef Bruno has joined the company to develop and franchise a new family-friendly Italian…

El Pollo Loco places new Spanish commercials

March 6, 2006

IRVINE, Calif.— El Pollo Loco Inc. unveiled the first of four new Spanish television commercials from its Hispanic advertising agency of record, Los…

Let's Dish! expands

March 5, 2006

MINNEAPOLIS — Let's Dish! announced a franchise area development agreement with Cherry Hill, N.J.-based LD Philly to franchise 11 Let's Dish! retail meal…

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…

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…

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?

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…

Success story: Camille's Sidewalk Café

February 22, 2006

How many people can say they work in peace and harmony with their spouse day in and day out? In the restaurant business, where stress and "Type A…

The truth behind organic and all-natural foods

Organic foods are a growing trend, but USDA fines restaurants up to $10,000 for misuse of the regulated term.

FC restaurant receives organic certification

February 14, 2006

LOS ANGELES — Organic to Go, an all-natural and organic cafe and corporate meal delivery service, is the first fast-casual restaurant and retailer to receive…

Einstein Brothers set up at Pearl Harbor

February 14, 2006

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Sailors and their families will be saying 'Aloha' to bagels this spring when Sodexho opens an Einstein Brothers on the Navy base at…