Private-equity firm the Halifax Group announced that they will be investing once again in Papa John’s largest franchisee, PJU Holdings, Inc. (Papa John’s United), which has 194 locations across 10 states. Halifax Group had previously invested in the Birmingham, Ala.-based franchisee from 2007 to 2013 and is now reinvesting a majority stake in the company… read more
News
Cheesecake Factory Ordered to Pay $125K for Misleading Investors
The SEC and The Cheesecake Factory reached a $125,000 settlement after the brand was accused of misleading investors about the condition of the company early into the COVID pandemic. In filings dated March 23 and April 3, The Cheesecake Factory said units were “operating sustainably,” but the SEC described the messaging as “materially false and misleading.”… read more
McDonald’s Corp. Names Tiffanie Boyd U.S. Chief People Officer
McDonald’s Corp. named Tiffanie Boyd to the role of U.S. Chief People Officer, the company announced Monday. Boyd, who comes to the chain from General Mills, starts Jan. 4. She is among several new executive hires made under Chris Kempczinski, who was named president and CEO last year when Steve Easterbrook was abruptly fired. Kempczinski… read more
KFC to Sell Chicken in Replica ‘Holiday Buckets’ from the 60’s/70’s
Fried chicken in an old bucket from the ‘60s? Where do we sign up? In what would seem to be an ongoing global quest to conflate Colonel Sanders with Santa Claus, KFC has announced that restaurants in the U.S. will be serving up fried chicken in replicas of its “iconic” holiday-themed buckets from 1966 and… read more
Pizza Hut partners with Beyond Meat on two new Pizzas
Pizza Hut has joined forces with Beyond Meat, Inc. to develop two new pizzas featuring plant-based sausage. The collaboration will make plant-based meat pizzas “more widely available to the masses,” the Yum! Brands, Inc. subsidiary said. New Beyond Pan Pizzas were co-created by the Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat culinary teams to mimic the taste… read more
Famous Dave’s to Acquire Granite City Food and Brewery
BBQ Holdings Inc., the parent company of Famous Dave’s, announced Thursday a purchase agreement to acquire the assets of craft beer chain Granite City Food and Brewery. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move is BBQ Holdings’ first foray outside of the barbecue sector. Its other two brands are the recently created Clark… read more
Wendy’s Breakfast Nabs new Customers as Pandemic Pushes Consumers to Break Habits
The coronavirus pandemic has upset consumers’ usual breakfast habits, leading fast-food Wendy’s has become the rare restaurant company to lure customers to its restaurants for breakfast even during the coronavirus pandemic. In the last eight months, consumers broke their old breakfast habits and began eating the early morning meal at home, spurred on by office… read more
Red Robin Same-Store Sales at the Casual-Dining Restaurant Decreased 25.1% for the Quarter
Though Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is experiencing same-store sales improvements in recent months, the casual-dining chain is still struggling with plunging visits due to dine-in restrictions tied to COVID-19. Same-store sales for the quarter ended Oct. 4, decreased 25.1% driven by a 24.6% decrease in guest traffic. Average check declined by 0.5%, driven, in part,… read more
Arby’s Enters Mexico, and Pandemic Pushes new U.S. Customers to try its Sandwiches
Arby’s is privately owned by Inspire Brands, which is backed by private equity firm Roark Capital. Its sister chains include Jimmy John’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and Sonic. Arby’s first Mexican restaurant opens Thursday in Guadalajara, with another location in the country slated to start serving customers early next year. Key Spot Group, a division of… read more
5 Ways Office Space is Going to Change in the Future
– Jack Vale is a writer with HappyWriters.co If you started working from home in March, just as news of the COVID-19 pandemic spread in the United States, and you continue to be a digital employee, then you have spent nearly half a year sheltering at home. Some of us have found a new-found freedom… read more