The fast-casual is creating the Chipotle Creator Class, using TikTok to promote the program, with plans to “redefine the traditionally transactional relationship” between a brand and influencers . . . . Chipotle is Rethinking its Relationship with Digital Influencers Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has been an innovator in its use of TikTok for several years,… read more
Struggling fast-casual chain PizzaRev has been sold to multi-concept operator Amergent Hospitality Group for $1.1 million, the company announced. Five years ago, PizzaRev had 44 locations. It has since closed all but 12 units—three company-owned stores and nine franchised locations. Amergent purchased them for $100,000 in cash and a secured convertible promissory note for $1… read more
Darden Restaurants is helping Feeding America add refrigerated trucks for 10 member food banks to support mobile pantry programs and food distribution in communities with the highest need. Through a $2 million grant from the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation, and support from partners Penske Truck Leasing and Lineage Logistics, each food bank will receive a 26-foot… read more
Maggiano’s Little Italy was founded 30 years ago by Lettuce Entertain You’s Richard Melman, and since that time, the chain has not only won awards but has been praised for its atmosphere in the dining and banquet rooms. Brand President Steve Provost says the company convinced itself that it was the rare, timeless restaurant concept…. read more
The pandemic has forced schools to adapt in countless ways, including reinventing meal programs to ensure students have access to nutritious food whether they are learning from the classroom or the kitchen table. Last school year, as teachers transitioned to online instruction, school foodservice operators just as quickly shifted to serving grab-and-go meals and even… read more
Yum Brands’ CEO: Culture Is What Will Get You Through a Tight Labor Market That labor crisis, by the way, has yielded an all-time high quit rate for restaurant workers. It has also driven operators to hike their wages in response, and average pay in the industry is now above $15 an hour for the first… read more
Auntie Anne’s has long been a staple in malls and airports across the U.S. The smell of warm, salty pretzels enticed travelers and shoppers alike from the brand’s storefront and kiosk locations for more than 30 years. But what about the customers craving a doughy snack who aren’t traveling or strolling through the mall? Where… read more
The newest subscription service isn’t to stream TV shows or movies. It’s for Taco Bell’s tacos. Customers with the Taco Lover’s Pass can order one crunchy taco, soft taco, spicy potato soft taco, or Doritos Locos taco per day for 30 days straight on the chain’s app. The cost of the pass ranges from $5… read more
General Managers Make a Median Base Salary of $90,129 Including Bonuses, says Black Box Intelligence Report The median hourly wage in limited-service restaurants was up 10% in the second quarter year-over-year, and up 6% among full-service line cooks, according to a Black Box Intelligence webinar. Hourly workers in limited-service restaurants made a median of $11… read more
The Denver City Council is set to vote on a new grant program that could make city and county restaurant owners eligible for $10,000 and workers up to $1,500. The council will vote on a $1 million grant to the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Colorado Restaurant Association, and $500,000 to the… read more