Restaurant industry outlook improves slightly

The NRA's comprehensive index of restaurant activity registered in October its first gain in three months.

Fast Casual seeks Top 100 nominations for 2009 movers and shakers

November 23, 2009

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — FastCasual.com is calling for nominations for its annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. The ideal nomination will be a restaurant brand…

Brands gear up for holiday catering opportunities

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

Fast casual concepts look to strengthen fourth quarter results by boosting their year-end catering sales.

Fast Casual seeks Top 100 nominations for 2009 movers and shakers

by

November 23, 2009

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — FastCasual.com is calling for nominations for its annual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. The ideal nomination will be a restaurant brand…

Brands gear up for holiday catering opportunities

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

Fast casual concepts look to strengthen fourth quarter results by boosting their year-end catering sales.

Differentiation, focused positioning drive strong sandwich sector

November 10, 2009

The Top 100 limited-service sandwich chains grew sales in 2008 by 8.6 percent to $20.3 billion, according to restaurant industry consulting group Technomic. …

Technomic report predicts alcohol sales falling in 2010

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

Alcohol sales at casual- and fine-dining chains are expected to be slim in 2010, giving some fast casual operators a golden opportunity.

Reports detail call to restaurants to double fresh produce use

November 1, 2009

Two newly published reports have documented the discussions of a supply chain-wide executive think tank's recent call to double the use of fresh produce in…

American Airlines to serve Ben & Jerry's sundaes

October 27, 2009

Ben & Jerry's is the latest brand to find a home for some of its products on airline carriers. Starting Nov. 1, American Airlines will serve new Ben &…

Innovative flavors continue to drive restaurant traffic, reports Technomic

October 21, 2009

Consumers are interested in expanding their palates when dining out and want to patronize restaurants that offer innovative flavors. A new study from Technomic…

FreshBerry to open at two Oklahoma universities

October 21, 2009

Beautiful Brands International has announced it has signed two franchise agreements to open FreshBerry frozen yogurt cafés on or near the campuses of the…

Mobile search data shows differences in retail tastes

October 20, 2009

Starbucks or McDonald's? Wal-Mart or Best Buy? According to research conducted by Boston-based uLocate Communications, iPhone users are eight times more likely…

Zagat releases restaurant trends report

October 20, 2009

The results of Zagat's 2010 America's Top Restaurants survey were released today on ZAGAT.com, covering thousands of eateries across 45 U.S. markets. In the…

Top 10 brand and marketing trends for 2010

A new definition of value and growing consumer expectations are among the things brands and retailers will need to watch for.

How Kogi BBQ got fired up

by Paul Barron — EVP, NWA

In this video interview, Kogi brand manager Mike Prasad talks about how the company used social media to launch the business.

Coca-Cola adding flexible tea brewer

October 7, 2009

Coca-Cola Co. continues to develop innovative products for restaurateurs, starting with the field test of its self-service 100-plus flavor Freestyle soft…

Burger industry posts solid gains in 2009

October 7, 2009

Domestic sales for the limited-service hamburger industry grew by a healthy 4.1 percent in 2008 to $64 billion, outperforming the total limited-service…

Ones to watch: Obikà Mozzarella Bar

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

The concept, open in Manhattan's IBM Atrium, highlights varieties of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP.

Food trucks fuel concept growth

by Cary Stemle — Free-lance reporter, N/A

How restaurants throughout the industry are expanding their footprint through meals on wheels.

The Fast Casual Alliance moves under NRA umbrella

by Valerie Killifer — senior editor, NetWorld Alliance

A newly formed industry council will serve as the NRA's model for future collaborations.