Electrolux Professional and Middleby Corp. (NASDAQ: MIDD) are said to be bidding about $1.2B for Welbillt’s (NYSE:WBT) Manitowoc ice business as part of Ali Group’s attempt to gain regulatory approval for its planned purchase of Welbilt. Electrolux and Middleby are on the shortlist of bidders for the ice-making unit, according to traders, who cited a… read more
Amazon has a policy of including an empty chair in its headquarters meetings to represent the customer. The Cheesecake Factory prefers a flesh and blood representation in the person of its CEO, David Overton. Any item on the polished-casual chain’s voluminous menu is there because Overton liked it, a gauge that has proven eerily accurate… read more
Nothing in Wyman Roberts’ 30 years in the hospitality industry had prepared him for March 2020. Sure, the CEO of Chili’s and Maggiano’s parent Brinker International had dealt with hurricanes and other isolated incidents with difficult aftermaths. But those chapters had a clear beginning and end. Two years ago, there was no precedent or playbook… read more
Pizza Hut’s new Spicy Lovers Pizza launches Thursday nationwide, tempting heat seekers with layers of fiery toppings. The limited-time offer includes three bold pizza variations: Spicy Double Pepperoni, Spicy Hawaiian Chicken, and Spicy Veggie. The heat starts with the sauce. A spicy marinara, kicked up a notch with the addition of hot seasonings, covers the… read more
Red Lobster announced the hiring of industry veteran Patty Trevino as chief marketing officer, a newly created position intended to refine the brand’s message and elevate customer engagement. As part of her role, she will be responsible for unifying and leading marketing, communications, customer experience and loyalty, and culinary operations. In recent months, the seafood… read more
Tiffany Derry is known for her duck-fat-fried chicken, but her real mission is to make restaurant ownership possible in underserved communities. Derry’s own background is in fine dining: She earned a culinary degree at the Art Institute of Houston and then cooked abroad in Europe, Latin America, and Asia before working in a number of… read more
The remnants of the Skippers Seafood & Chowder fast-food chain, a one-time favorite of the Pacific Northwest, have been acquired by the regional foodservice and c-store distributor Harbor Wholesale from Starway Restaurants LLC. The price and other terms of the deal were not revealed. Harbor President Richard Jensen said his company intends to “further develop… read more
Noodles & Company is quite bullish on its prospects in California. The fast-casual recently named Warner Foods, an operator of more than 150 Jack in the Box, Black Bear Diner, and Panera locations, its exclusive franchisee partner for the entire Golden State. As part of the agreement, not only will the franchisee develop 40 new… read more
The burger giant on Thursday said it plans to expand its McPlant test to some 600 locations in the San Francisco and Dallas-Fort Worth areas starting Feb. 14. The move is designed to give the company a better sense of consumer demand for the product. “After planting the seed with a small-scale McPlant test in… read more
Los Angeles-based franchise operator Tasty Chick’n LLC has completed the acquisition of 90 KFC units across eight states, the company said. Tasty Chick’n is part of the restaurant management company Tasty Restaurant Group, which is affiliated with private-equity firm Triton Pacific Capital Partners. The restaurant group manages close to 370 quick-service restaurants on behalf of… read more