Boston Market exec goes 'Undercover' to study operations

The chain's chief brand officer discusses her appearance on "Undercover Boss" and the restaurant's recent rebranding efforts.

Restaurant traffic declines in December, but outlook is up

January 31, 2013

Due in large part to softer same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) declined in…

Anthony Bourdain named a featured speaker for NRA Show

January 30, 2013

Anthony Bourdain — best known for his Emmy Award-winning series "No Reservations" and new programs "The Taste" on ABC and "Parts Unknown" on CNN — has been…

Report: Majority of consumers now use mobile food ordering tools

January 29, 2013

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence, in partnership with Viggle, have released the "Mealtime Goes Mobile…

Catering company ramps up momentum with expanded restaurant network

January 29, 2013

Phoodeez, a Boston-based company that specializes in partnering with those in need of catering with restaurants, has launched its Frequent Phoodeez program and…

Smashburger debuts restaurant makeover

The chain celebrated its 200th opening this month by debuting a new interior design.

Starbucks announces profitable Q1

January 24, 2013

Starbucks Corp. today reported during an investor relations call that the company ended Q1 with strong comparable store sales growth in the U.S. and Americas…

McAlister's Frank Paci planning for growth in 2013

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

High-quality food and service have propelled the brand's growth.

Women's Foodservice Forum sets restaurant tour date

January 22, 2013

Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) announced the schedule of its Women Making Their Mark Tour which takes place during the Annual Leadership Development…

LYFE Kitchen names director of franchise development

January 22, 2013

LYFE Kitchen Restaurant has named Stacy Soderstrom as director of franchise development. Soderstrom will lead the charge of recruiting franchisee candidates to…

Restaurants with engaged employees rank high in customer satisfaction

January 21, 2013

Restaurants with the most engaged employees experience exponentially righer customer satisfaction ratings, according to research from management consulting…

Fast casual pizza concept Project Pie set to expand in seven markets

January 21, 2013

Project Pie founder and CEO James Markham has announced plans to expand his fast casual pizza concept into multiple new markets within the next year, starting…

Yelp to include restaurant health inspection scores

January 18, 2013

San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, chairman of the US Conference of Mayors Technology and Innovation Task Force, and Yelp CEO and co-founder Jeremy Stoppelman…

Starbucks shift supervisors demanding pay raises in Boston

January 18, 2013

Shift supervisors at Starbucks cafes in Boston are demanding pay raises after a recent Massachusetts court decision banned them from sharing in tip pools.

Former Rubio's exec named CEO of Boneheads

January 18, 2013

Boneheads Grilled Fish & Piri Piri Chicken, a six-unit Atlanta-based fast casual restaurant chain known for its signature Piri-Piri Chicken and fresh…

Pancheros awards inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award

January 17, 2013

Pancheros has named Joe Ward as its first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ward is a franchisee of two locations in the Des Moines, Iowa, area.

Wingstop reports 9th consecutive year of same-store sales jump

January 17, 2013

In 2012, Wingstop opened 57 new restaurants and achieved a record ninth consecutive year of same-store sales increases. The 550-unit concept's same-store sales…

Jamba Juice lays out growth, product plans for 2013

January 17, 2013

Jamba Juice Company has released its "BLEND" Plan 3.0, outlining strategic priorities and initiatives for 2013 that will position the company for growth and…

PayPal brings digital wallet to NCR's restaurant merchants

This deal is of particular importance for PayPal because of the scope of NCR's point-of-sale footprint across the restaurant industry.

McAlister's Deli franchisee becomes fully employee-owned

January 16, 2013

The Saxton Group has sold its stock to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, becoming one of the largest 100-percent employee-owned companies in the restaurant…