First Green Beans Worldcafé to open in U.S.

February 27, 2007

FAIRFIELD, Calif. — Green Beans Coffee is opening its first domestic location March 5 in Fairfield, Calif., near Travis Air Force Base.   Green Beans first…

Noah's Bagels adds fair trade coffee

February 27, 2007

GOLDEN, Colo. — Noah's Bagels, a subsidiary of New World Restaurant Group Inc, is introducing Tribeca Blend, the brand's first certified organic and fair…

Starbucks sets its sights on India

February 25, 2007

ChannelNewsAsia: Starbucks is in talks to open its first location in India by the end of the year, according to officials from the coffee giant. India, the…

Starbucks stepping up African coffee purchases

February 15, 2007

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Starbucks is planning to double the amount of coffee it buys from East African countries over the next two years and fund aid…

Starbucks dropping trans fat from China outlets

February 7, 2007

Arab Times: Starbucks Corp. plans to eliminate food items containing trans fat from its outlets in China within the next six months, the company said. The…

Starbucks making inroads into Russia

January 28, 2007

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: Kuwait-based retailer M.H. Alshaya Co. plans to open 10 Starbucks Corp. stores in Russia this year, CEO Mohammed Alshaya announced…

Starbucks under fire in China

January 24, 2007

ASIA TIMES: Controversy over the Starbucks outlet in the Forbidden City gains new steam as calls to close the six-year-old outlet grow. However, not everyone…

Cosi signs Middle East expansion deal

January 23, 2007

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Cosi Inc. has signed a deal with United Arab Emirates-based Al Tayer Group to develop Cosi restaurants in Middle Eastern markets. Under its…

Starbucks to open India location

January 15, 2007

International Herald Tribune (India): Starbucks has plans to open its first location in India by the end of 2007. The Seattle-based coffee company will…

Au Bon Pain plans Japanese expansion

January 15, 2007

BOSTON — Au Bon Pain announced it signed a master franchise agreement with Japan-based REINS International Inc. REINS' portfolio includes restaurants…

Samurai Sam's opens in El Salvador

November 19, 2006

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Samurai Sam's Teriyaki Grill opened two franchised locations in the capital city of San Salvador.   Samurai Sam's is a fast-casual Asian…

Au Bon Pain to open 200 units

November 15, 2006

BOSTON — Au Bon Pain said it will add 200 units to the chain through expansion into Kuwait and Thailand.   The company has signed master franchise agreements…

Democrats take the House

There's a slew of restaurant-related issues that will be impacted by the 2006 election.

Indian Bread Co. owner earns prestigious entrepreneur award

October 24, 2006

India Post News Service: When Nandini Mukherjee opened a fast-casual Indian café in Manhattan, called Indian Bread Co. serving a variety of sandwiches and…

Starbucks buys out Beijing and Tianjin shareholders

October 23, 2006

BEIJING — Starbucks Corporation announced that it has acquired from H&Q Asia Pacific and other shareholders equity ownership of High Grown Investment…

Canadian fast casual launches Web contest

October 9, 2006

CALGARY, Canada — Joey's Only, a Canada-based seafood fast casual, is launching its first national online consumer contest. The macro Web site, where…

Fast-casual restaurant uses self-service kiosks to attract tourists

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Bytes, an England fast casual, sets itself apart from the 200 restaurants in this tourist trap.    

Restaurant operators are not prepared for a terrorist attack, experts say

Five years after 9/11, restaurants may be one of the country's most vulnerable targets.

McCurry Restaurant ordered to lose the "Mc" for trademark purposes

September 6, 2006

The Star: A Malaysian restaurant operator is feeling the heat for using the McDonald's "Mc" trademark for its business. The High Court has ordered McCurry…

Strange News: Hitler-themed restaurant receives few objections

August 23, 2006

Associated Press: When a restaurant called Hitler's Cross opened four days ago in a Bombay suburb, the city's small Jewish community was outraged, but there…