Restaurants continued to increase at historically high rates in February as operators continued using their pricing power to offset higher costs for food and labor. Overall food-away-from-home prices increased 4% in February, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was the lowest rate since August, but it’s also coming on a… read more
– by Ainsley Lawrence Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer with an interest in the way business, technology, and education intersect with the personal. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book. Landing your first job is difficult. You don’t have any prior experience on your resume,… read more
The National Restaurant Association and its 52 affiliates said time is needed for ERTC requests to be processed . . . . Restaurant Associations ask IRS for Grace Time Because of Tax-Help The National Restaurant Association and all 52 of its state-level affiliates have asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to adjust its tax collection… read more
The Cheesecake Factory’s Q4 sales were tracking 10.6 percent better than 2019 as the third week of December approached. By the time the period ended on December 28, however, the casual chain dropped to 7.7 percent, illustrating the omicron effect in a rapid window. The brand incurred $3.8 million of incremental costs related to COVID… read more
Carrols Restaurant Group Inc., the large Burger King, and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchisee has named Paulo Pena as CEO to succeed Daniel Accordino, the company announced Tuesday. Syracuse, N.Y.-based Carrols, which operates 1,028 Burger Kings in 23 states and 65 Popeyes units in seven states, said Pena, left, would assume the CEO position on April… read more
Foodservice sales are projected to accelerate as restaurant traffic rebounds, but at-home eating habits formed during the pandemic are here to stay, according to Acosta’s 2022 trend predictions. Retail innovations to support e-commerce and upgrades to the in-store shopping experience are also among the top predictions for this year. The pandemic has changed the way… read more
Subway said that its sales performance improved steadily throughout 2021, sending its average unit volumes to their highest level since 2014. The company would not provide the exact number. But according to Restaurant Business sister company Technomic, average unit volumes in 2014 were $446,000. They would fall to $425,000 the next year. That suggests the… read more
The doughnut chain is planning to open what it calls “dark shops” for delivery orders to the U.S. and Mexico this year after testing the idea in the U.K. Krispy Kreme, the brand that lured customers to its stores with a “hot doughnuts now” neon light, now hopes to get customers to order by going… read more
To kick off 2022, Turning Point Restaurants is doing exactly what its name suggests—reaching a crucial juncture in its history. The breakfast, brunch, and lunch concept was founded by Kirk Ruoff in 1998 after he purchased a 12-table restaurant in Little Silver, New Jersey, where he took orders, washed dishes, and cooked food. The chain… read more
Anyone with concerns about the state of restaurant franchising should spend a little time with Greg Flynn. The founder, chair, and CEO of San Francisco-based Flynn Restaurant Group is pretty optimistic about the future of restaurant franchising. “Omicron is going to fade. There’s immense savings rates. There’s still pent-up demand,” he said. “I still think… read more