Mild winter lifts U.S. restaurant visits

June 6, 2012

Motivated by mild winter weather, consumers increased their visits to restaurants and other commercial foodservice outlets by 1 percent in the first quarter of…

Moe's Southwest Grill heads to Big Apple

June 6, 2012

Moe’s Southwest Grill opened its newest location at the Angola Travel Plaza in New York on June 1. The move to offer travelers along the New York Thruway marks…

Starbucks to acquire La Boulange bakery for $100 million

June 4, 2012

Starbucks Corp. has entered into an agreement to acquire Bay Bread, LLC and the La Boulange bakery brand for $100 million in cash and expects the acquisition…

Cosi stock falls below Nasdaq requirement

June 3, 2012

Così Inc. has announced that it has received notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market indicating that, for the last 3…

Beautiful Brands sets record in 2012 first quarter

June 3, 2012

Beautiful Brands International (BBI) has reported record franchise unit sales and store openings of its franchised brands for the first quarter of 2012. This…

Wyatt Hurt joins MOOYAH team as senior director, operations

June 3, 2012

MOOYAH Burgers Fries & Shakes has announced that it has hired Wyatt Hurt to leads its operational team.

Penn Station franchisees victims of data breach

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

June 3, 2012

Penn Station, Inc. and some of its franchisees have learned of unauthorized access to credit and debit card information in certain franchisee-owned Penn…

CEO: Pie Five will 'change the way people think of pizza'

Pizza Inn's sister concept celebrates first anniversary as part of the growing fast casual space.

Restaurants serve up a path to success — Part 1

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

Have you taken a look at the 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast? If you don't have a copy, you'll want to get one. If you have a copy and haven't read it…

Sandwich sales, segment on the rise

June 1, 2012

More consumers report purchasing sandwiches away from home today compared to just two years ago. According to market research firm Technomic, this increase is…

Dickey's Barbecue to launch diversity program

May 31, 2012

Dickey's Barbecue is introducing a new program aimed at increasing opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. 

Blair Taylor named Starbucks chief community officer

May 31, 2012

Starbucks Coffee Company has announced that it has appointed Blair Taylor as chief community officer. Taylor currently serves as president and CEO of the Los…

NRA's restaurant industry outlook remains positive

May 30, 2012

The outlook for the restaurant industry remained positive for the coming months, as the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI…

Five Guys Arkansas deploys MobileCamViewer

May 30, 2012

The director of surveillance operations at several Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurants in Arkansas has deployed the MobileCamViewer mobile surveillance app…

Caribou Coffee reaches global expansion milestone

May 30, 2012

Caribou Coffee Company, Inc. has officially opened its 100th international operating location. The 100th international Caribou coffeehouse is located in…

A case for growing catering revenue

by Erle Dardick — CEO, Monkeymedia

Years ago, I enjoyed watching old episodes of “Perry Mason.” The drama that occurred in his courtroom really taught me that life is short and often there is a…

Chipotle makes $10,000 donation to California State Parks Foundation

May 29, 2012

Chipotle Mexican Grill will donate $100,000 to support the California State Parks Foundation’s (CSPF) fundraising efforts following a $22 million budget cut to…

Eat or be eaten: Three steps to restaurant nirvana

To have a concept that resonates with customers, every aspect of its development must come together to create a clear, concise experience.

Pat & Oscar's rebrand: Name, locations changed

May 28, 2012

Nine former Pat & Oscar's restaurants in San Diego and Orange counties are getting a brand-new look, feel, menu and name: "O's American Kitchen."

Panda Express extends evening hours

May 28, 2012

To celebrate its extended evening summer hours, participating Panda Express street locations are giving away a free single serving of Orange Chicken on June …