Do-gooder environmentalism might sound like a costly luxury when many restaurants are struggling just to stay open, but for three-unit Sweetgreen in the Washington, D.C., area, it’s just part of doing business. And business is growing, the chain’s...
At first glance, the name Hooters doesn’t necessarily inspire words like family or loyalty. But as is usually the case, first appearances can be deceiving. Devoted fans of the 450-unit, Atlanta-based dinnerhouse chain already know as...
High-end steakhouses have been hit hard during this recession, as both consumers and businesses rein in their spending on big-ticket meals. In New York City, the pain has been particularly acute, as steakhouses watched Wall Street...
Operators of all kinds say the battle of running a restaurant is won or lost within a unit’s four walls.The number of customer transactions, the gross profit on each item, the cost control of food, labor and maintenance all play weighty roles in...
Most carnivores and omnivores have experienced at one time or another the feeling of being overcome by a sudden, intense desire to sink one’s teeth deep into a big, juicy hamburger. Five Guys Burgers and Fries has grown to 400 units by...
James Greco, chief executive of Bruegger’s Enterprises Inc., acknowledges that the Burlington, Vt.-based Bruegger’s Bagels’ concept has had to mend a hole or two in its growth plans over the past 26 years. However, he says, the...
Operators in the breakfast-and-lunch segment are finding that the “early to bed, early to rise” business model can make for happy employees and healthy returns—no matter the economy.With hours that contribute to workers’ quality of life, limited...
IT’S BEEN DUBBED THE GREAT RECESSION. It’s been characterized as a perfect storm. It’s been described as the worst operating environment that many restaurateurs can remember.Today’s economic setting—with its reduced consumer spending, diminished...
Chef-owner David Machado has been synonymous since 2003 with upscale neighborhood restaurants on the east side of Portland, Ore. But this month he returns to his downtown roots with the opening of Nel Centro in the 175-room Hotel Modera.Prior to...
McDonald’s Corp. is working a winning plan through its system of owner-operators, says Beaverton, Ore., franchisee Don Armstrong.The world’s largest hamburger chain, with more than 32,000 restaurants in 100 countries, posted a 4-percent profit...
