Success in the restaurant world, as with any industry, requires a depth of knowledge across a breadth of spheres and specialties. I’ve always envisioned the complexities of the restaurant business model as a three-dimensional Venn diagram encompassing the economics of food, real estate, and hospitality, with overlapping affinities of cooking, culture, and consumer. A jumbo-sized… read more
Global Foodservice News
Power Soak Completes Unified Brands Family on KCL
Orlando, FL – KCL, the industry leader in foodservice design technologies, announces that Unified Brands has expanded its line on KCL to include Power Soak ware-washing systems. Power Soak joins Avtec, CapKold, Groen, and Randell to complete the Unified Brands family. The expanded library of CAD blocks, Revit families, and spec sheets is live on… read more
QUIZNOS UPGRADES ITS MENU AND STORE DESIGN TO KEEP UP IN THE COMPETITIVE SANDWICH MARKET
It must be prime season for sub chains to upgrade their menus, as tiny Quiznos just joined giant Subway in a rollout of new items. Earlier this month, the newest of Quiznos 255 U.S. locations, a unit in Hobbs, N.M., launched an expanded menu with globally inspired flavors. The restaurant also updated its equipment, adding flat… read more
Portillo’s Beef Bus Whets Appetites Ahead of Texas Opening
Portillo’s Inc. will be entering the Texas market in the fourth quarter, but as it breaks ground on its first unit in the state it is building brand awareness and whetting the appetites of future customers with its Beef Bus. The Oak Brook, Ill.-based Portillo’s, which has 71 units and went public last year, uses the Beef… read more
Howard Schultz Gives Some Hints About Starbucks’ Future
Starbucks’ Interim CEO Howard Schultz on Monday hinted at potentially significant changes as part of a strategy to “reinvent” the coffee giant, declaring that “this is the next chapter of Starbucks” while listing several “bold ideas” that will guide the chain’s future going forward. But he was scant on the details, simply promising that they… read more
7 Ways to Improve Your Customers’ Takeout Experience
Restaurant takeout has been around for decades, but it has recently surged in popularity thanks to food delivery apps like DoorDash and the sudden outbreak of COVID-19. More people are ordering meals to go, and restaurants must provide a better takeout experience to maximize their profits and maintain a solid reputation. Here are seven ways… read more
Dave & Buster’s Opens Coca-Cola Market with Automated Checkout
Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc. announced that the company is testing checkout-free convenience store technology at its Hollywood, Fla. Location. The Game & Go micro-market has opened in partnership with Zippin, which is providing the checkout-free technology, and Coca-Cola, which is providing the beverages. “Innovation is critical in the entertainment business and our new Game… read more
Global Foodservice News – July 1, 2022 Edition
In addition to double-digit sales growth, the eatermtainment chain set new marks for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and net income . . . Dave & Buster’s Comeback Reaches Record Level In the summer of 2020, it seemed as if the eatertainment industry was headed for disaster. With dining rooms closed and no one heading out to… read more
Specialty Food Industry Still Growing with many Start-ups
The specialty food industry is still growing and winning new startups, many of whom enthusiastically told their stories earlier this month at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City. The show was back in person for the first time since 2019, showing off the latest in new and innovative foods and beverages. The specialty food category… read more
Wingstop is making a push in Canada.
The Dallas-based chicken wing chain is planning to open its first location in Toronto this month, with a planned grand opening set for June 29 that will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and beatboxing. It will be the first of 100 locations planned for the country, making it a key element in Wingstop’s international push. “Our… read more