Minimum wage, maximum impact

With the Senate passing its own version of a bill to increase minimum wage, where the issue will land is anybody's guess.

LA push to ban trans fat hits wall

January 29, 2007

Los Angeles Times: A campaign by Los Angeles County to ban the use of trans fat in restaurants suffered a setback Friday when legal advisors told public…

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…

Renamed Doc Green's expands menu

January 28, 2007

ATLANTA — Doc Green's Salads & Grill, formerly Doc Green's Gourmet Salads, has adopted a new moniker to reflect its additional menu options, which include…

Food Network officials say ad glitch unintentional

January 25, 2007

FORBES: Food Network officials said that a brief flash of the McDonald's Corp. logo was a technical error and not an attempt at subliminal advertising. During…

Starbucks plans to offer mp3 downloads

January 25, 2007

BLOOMBERG: Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. plans to begin offering downloads for portable music players sometime this year, Starbucks Entertainment president…

HyperActive Tech, Zaxby's partner

January 25, 2007

PITTSBURGH — Zaxby's Franchising Inc., a fast casual restaurant chain with more than 350 locations throughout the southeastern United States, has named…

Wingstop gears up for Super Bowl Sunday

January 24, 2007

DALLAS – The chicken-wing-only chain Wingstop estimates it will sell more than 3 million chicken wings Feb. 4, Super Bowl Sunday.   According to a news…

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…

Freebirds World Burrito launches TV ad campaign

January 23, 2007

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Freebirds World Burrito, a fast casual restaurant known for its Monster burritos, announced the launch of their newest advertising…

Panera marks trans-fat-free anniversary

January 22, 2007

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo. — February marks the one-year anniversary of Panera Bread's voluntary removal of trans fat from its bakery-cafe menu on a national…

New World moves corporate headquarters

January 22, 2007

GOLDEN, Colo. — New World Restaurant Group Inc. announced Jan. 23 that it will relocate its corporate headquarters to Lakewood, Colo.   The move will take…

Starbucks sued over religious symbol

January 22, 2007

Religion News Service: A former Starbucks barista in Hillsboro, Ore., has sued the coffee giant, saying it discriminated against her based on her Wiccan…

Building brand loyalty

Fast casuals are looking to loyalty programs to boost revenue and increase repeat traffic.

Raving Brands, Coca-Cola NA sign long-term beverage deal

January 21, 2007

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola North America and Raving Brands have signed a long-term beverage marketing agreement for five Raving Brands concepts – Shane's Rib Shack…

Bruegger's announces California, South Carolina expansions

January 18, 2007

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Bruegger's Enterprises Inc. has signed new agreements with two new franchise groups to develop 15 Bruegger's bakery-cafés over the next…

Freebirds to collect for Habitat for Humanity

January 17, 2007

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — Freebirds World Burrito, the Texas-based fast casual known for its Monster burritos, announced a four-week fund-raising campaign to…

Starbucks switches to hormone-free milk

January 16, 2007

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Starbucks Coffee Co. said Tuesday that it has stopped using dairy products with Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone, or rBGH, in…

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…

Franchisee files $12M suit against Atlanta Bread Company

January 14, 2007

Atlanta Business Journal: A year ago, Sean Lupton-Smith was one of the most successful franchisees of Atlanta Bread Company International Inc. Today…