Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. announced that Richard H. Lynch (Dick), a member of its Board of Directors, has been appointed as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Interim CEO, Rob Doran, will continue to serve as a member of Granite City’s Board of Directors. Lynch is a restaurant industry veteran who served as the… read more

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it has hired Scott Boatwright as chief restaurant officer, a position where he will work with the company’s senior restaurant leadership team to oversee restaurant operations for Chipotle’s nearly 2,300 North American restaurants. Boatwright comes to Chipotle from Arby’s Restaurant Group, where he served as senior vice president of operations…. read more

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated announced that Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer W. Douglas Benn will retire from the Company on July 7, 2017. He will be succeeded by Matthew Clark, who brings over 11 years of experience with the Company, most recently serving as Senior Vice President, Finance and Strategy.  “On behalf of… read more

LoneStar Restaurant Supply, a division of ABC Hotel and Restaurant Supply, Inc., announced the promotion of Drew Mallett to Corporate Chef and appointment of industry veteran Ken Harrison as Business Development Manager. Drew Mallett is based out of the South Central Region of Texas and brings a unique combination of corporate and culinary experience. He… read more

Denny’s has named Michael Furlow, an industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, as its new CIO and senior vice president of information technology. The move comes as Spartanburg, S.C.-based Denny’s puts more attention towards maximizing tech strategies. “Technology is critical to restaurants today, and Michael will be a welcome and instrumental member of… read more

Yum! Brands, Inc. announced that Christopher M. Connor was elected to its Board of Directors at the Company’s annual meeting of shareholders. “Chris’ executive leadership and global retail experience make him a strong addition to the Yum! Brands Board,” said Robert Walter, Non-Executive Chairman of Yum! Brands. “We are thrilled to have Chris join us… read more

March 1, 2017   The Owner of Burger King is Buying Popeyes for $1.8 Billion Restaurant Brands International Inc. and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. announced that the companies have reached an agreement for RBI to acquire Popeyes for $79.00 per share in cash, or $1.8 billion. The acquisition of Popeyes will add a successful, highly… read more

Yum China Opens First Taco Bell in Shanghai Yum China Holdings Inc. and Taco Bell Corp. on Monday officially opened the first China unit of the Mexican-inspired brand in Shanghai. The restaurant debuted near Shanghai’s landmark Oriental Pearl Tower in the Lujiazui area, the city’s central business district. “Leveraging our deep insights into Chinese consumer preferences,… read more

The Legacy Companies to Acquire the West Bend Electrics Division of Focus The Legacy Products Companies (“Legacy”) and Focus Products Group International, LLC (“Focus”) announced today that they have entered into a letter of intent by which Legacy would acquire the West Bend Electrics division of Focus. Focus, founded in 2001, is a growth oriented… read more

David Novak: Leaders Must Recognize and Praise their Teams Recognition is the secret weapon to winning in the hospitality business, according to David Novak. The co-founder and former CEO of Yum! Brands Inc. is an evangelist for employee motivation through praise. He delivered a keynote speech at the recent MUFSO conference. “Every leader casts a shadow,”… read more