Barry McGowan has been CEO at Fogo de Chão since December 2018 and was a big part of the steakhouse chain’s effort to market to Millennials, but fine dining has taken a huge hit during COVID-19, and Fogo de Chão is no exception. The Plano, Texas-based fine-dining chain focused around churrascaria currently has 57 units… read more

U.S. Representatives ask Federal Trade Commission to Probe Third-Party Delivery Operators, Franchisors U.S. Representatives from three states also ask the FTC to take a closer look at franchisor/franchisee relationships; Grubhub says their mission is to drive orders to restaurants. Congressional leaders from Washington state, Illinois, and Pennsylvania took aim at third-party delivery operators this week,… read more

Before the pandemic, New York City’s Times Square was bustling with office workers, theatergoers, and tourists. But pandemic restrictions have FORCED Bradway to go dark and dining rooms to remain closed. New York City has banned indoor dining since March and plans to start allowing indoor dining at up to only 25 percent capacity at… read more

Despite economic challenges, hundreds of thousands of startups are launching across the country. The number of business applications filed in the United States in the week ended Aug. 29 exceeded 101,600, up 62% over the prior-year period, according to US Census Bureau data. Drexel Food Lab, a product development and culinary innovation center at Philadelphia-based… read more

Casual dining giants like Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse have been squeezing quite a bit of juice out of this channel since the early 2000s. No doubt the casual dining segment has had the curbside market cornered, offering a convenient and speedy occasion for fast food-fatigued consumers. However, Covid-19 has changed that. Curbside is now everywhere as restaurants,… read more

Corner Bakery Café was founded in 1991. With a heightened number of office closures due to COVID-19 sagging traffic, Corner Bakery Café tapped DLA Piper as restructuring counsel, Debtwire, citing two sources familiar with the situation, reported. The fast-casual engaged Stifel as its investment banker to explore strategic alternatives, one of the sources added. This… read more

Sam Wong remembers hearing about the chicken concept Pollo Campero nearly 20 years ago. He was told that customers were waiting hours just to get into the restaurant. At first, Wong wasn’t buying the hype. So he drove 65 miles to Los Angeles to get a firsthand impression. As it turns out, the hyperbole was… read more

Restaurants in Florida can resume dine-in service at pre-pandemic levels under an executive order drafted Friday by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Virtually all other COVID-related operating restrictions on restaurants and bars in the state are also lifted. The changes take effect upon DeSantis’ signing of the executive order, which he promised during a press conference. DeSantis… read more

The Melting Pot fondue chain has begun the development of a new concept it describes as “flex-casual,” making it the latest full-service chain to try a blend of fast-casual and full-service elements. Called Melting Pot Social, the new venture will feature menu and service options that go beyond the typical offerings of a Melting Pot…. read more