There’s no substitute for experience, especially in the restaurant industry. In the following special report, Nation’s Restaurant News asked seven successful restaurant executives to share their most powerful lessons from the school of hard knocks...

When asked why Papa Murphy’s International is accelerating growth at a time when many restaurant chains are cutting back on development, franchisees within the take-and-bake pizza chain have a simple answer: The franchise model works...

In March 2008, Milford, Conn.-based Subway shook up the sandwich segment with what began as a limited-time offer of any footlong sub for the shockingly low price of just $5. In a way, it was a return in focus to Subway’s once...

The challenges of walking the fine line between calculated risks and costly errors inspired lively discussion among a group of foodservice executives at a roundtable held at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center this spring.Moderator:ELLEN...

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, an 80-unit fast-casual chain based in Baton Rouge, La., sells fried chicken tenders. You can have fries, cole slaw, housemade Cane’s sauce, Texas toast and a drink with them. You can have them on a...

Dairy Queen, which will celebrate 70 years as a brand and 25 years of the Blizzard next year, has had time to get to know its customers. A major key to the 5,600-plus-unit chain’s success, said chief brand officer Michael Keller, has been Dairy...

Checkers Drive-In Restaurants is revving up its menu innovation engine to drive customers through the door and keep them coming back despite the stalled economy. The Tampa, Fla.-based company, which owns or franchises 836 Checkers and Rally...

Opening two units of an upscale casual-dining concept just as the national economy plunged into a recession was never the plan, says Bobby Fitzgerald, a co-founder of the three-unit White Chocolate Grill based in Scottsdale, Ariz. ...

Generation Y and Millennial customers have clamored for sustainable business practices and local food sourcing in the industry these past few years, but Burgerville has valued these approaches from the beginning. Jeff Harvey, the 39...

Recession-proof may be an impossible state to attain during this downturn, but Buffalo Wild Wings is proving to be at least recession-resistant. Dedicated sports fans, plentiful local marketing and happy, engaged employees are helping the 588-unit...