America’s highway exits are littered with recognizable restaurants like Cracker Barrel, Denny’s and IHOP. But let’s face it: An awful lot of these so-called “casual dining” chains fail to deliver a tasty experience. Some are overpriced; others serve terrible food. So which of these chains are really a good deal? I set out to come… read more

Starbucks is opening up the doors of one its coffee farms to give the public a chance to see how it sources its beans. About 45 minutes from the Costa Rican capital of San Jose sits a nearly 600-acre coffee farm called Hacienda Alsacia. Starbucks purchased it in 2013, and has used it as a… read more

McDonald’s USA has begun its rollout of fresh beef that is cooked when ordered in all its Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers. The fresh beef is now available in approximately 3,500 restaurants and is set to be served in all participating restaurants in the contiguous United Stated by early May, the company said…. read more

The deal, at $4.05 per share, is 37% higher than Bravo Brio’s average price in the 90 days before the agreement. The Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo Brio owns Bravo Cucina Italiana and Brio Tuscan Grille. The two combined chains operate 110 locations in 32 states and generated $400 million in sales in 2017. The deal, expected… read more

Bloomin’ Brands and JANA Partners struck a deal heading into the casual-dining company’s annual meeting. The parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, announced Wednesday (February 28) that it has agreed to appoint Wendy A. Beck to its board of directors for a term ending at the… read more

Clabo S.p.a., the worldwide leading company in the business of the refrigerated display showcases for Gelateria, Confectioneries, Cafés and Hotel, listed on the AIM Italia segment of the Italian Stock Exchange, organized and managed by Borsa Italiana, informs that today has entered a preliminary binding agreement for the purchase of the 51% of the Class… read more

TriMark USA, LLC President & CEO, Jerry Hyman, announced the acquisition of Chefs’ Toys. Chefs’ Toys is an award winning, industry-leading foodservice equipment and supplies distributor in Southern California with seven superstores and a range of services including design, installation, construction and ecommerce. Chefs’ Toys President, Steve Dickler, and Vice President, Mike Krepistman, along with… read more

First, the good news: Food prices, with a few exceptions, have stabilized over the past few years. Now, the bad news: The price of pretty much everything else has gone up. “Food cost used to be your highest cost,” said Kelley Jones (left), president and COO of Hospitality Alliance, a restaurant consulting, operations and management… read more

Debt financing has become widely available to restaurant companies in recent years, and many operators have taken advantage of this source of capital to fund development.  This is a big difference compared with 30 years ago, when banks and other lenders shunned the industry and many companies had to grow within the limits of their cash… read more

More than a year after the company hinted at a limited-service spinoff, The Cheesecake Factory is making good on its word with plans to open a pilot fast casual later this year. The news came amid the casual-dining chain’s fourth-quarter earnings report Wednesday, February 21. As CEO and chairman of the board David Overton pointed… read more