Flynn Restaurant Group L.P. has acquired 368 Arby’s from U.S. Beef Corp., expanding its casual-dining and quick-service portfolio of franchised concepts to $2.3 billion in annual sales, the company said. The acquisition by San Francisco-based Flynn’s wholly owned RB American Group LLC brings the parent company’s restaurant total to 1,245 in 33 states, including locations… read more

With Americans love for chicken on the rise, Charleys wanted to cash in. Since its founding more than 30 years ago, Charleys Philly Steaks has expanded along a robust non-traditional path. Is there one in every major mall in America? The reality is probably not that far off. In September, the chain, started in 1986,… read more

Only three restaurant companies were included in Glassdoor’s list of the 100 best places to work in 2019: In-N-Out Burger, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. In-N-Out was the standout, finishing No. 3 in the ranking of companies with at least 1,000 employers, behind Bain & Co., the former owner of Domino’s… read more

While product recalls in the bakery and snack industries are most often due to undeclared allergens or the detection of pathogens like Salmonella or E. coli, there have been food safety issues related to packaging. For example, a package that is not secure in some way can lead to food safety hazards ranging from spoilage to sabotage. Dan… read more

Chicago-based Parker Restaurant Group is planning a national expansion of its female-focused concept The Hampton Social, a move designed to quadruple the group in size to 21 restaurants within the next three years. Currently with five units in Chicago — though one restaurant is closed temporarily for a relocation — Parker Restaurant Group operates three… read more

A new automated pizza-making robot prototype that cooks pizzas on the way to customers’ homes is set to be unveiled Tuesday at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual automotive specialty products show in Las Vegas. The mobile pizza factory, residing in the bed of a zero-emission Toyota Tundra pickup, will get its debut during Toyota’s presentation at… read more

Fires in California raged on Monday leaving devastated communities in their path, as they destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses including locations of several quick-service chains in Northern California. As of Monday, the Woolsey fire near the posh community of Malibu, Calif., had scorched 91,572 acres and was only 20 percent contained, according to state… read more

Dear Loyal Readers: Here it is the middle of October, fall is officially here and here in Chicago we have had our first frost. Baseball is still trying to figure out who will play in the World Series (not as interested as my Cubs went quietly into the night) but my Bears are looking up…. read more

Chick-fil-A’s new test locations won’t have a drive thru or dining room. Chick-fil-A has no issue driving customers into its restaurants and through its drive thru. In fact, QSR’s 2018 Drive-through Study showed six or more cars crowding the lane 40 percent of the time. And the 2,200-plus-unit brand’s average-unit volumes of $4.1 million are tops… read more

Changes in how consumers search for and acquire consumer packaged goods are forcing companies like the J.M. Smucker Co., Orrville, Ohio, to rethink how they develop and market new products. Smucker, in particular, is investing in its brand building model in an effort to become more granular and agile. “…We enjoy strong positions in great… read more