CARPINTERIA Calif. Carl’s Jr. —At a time when the intangible message of value is paramount in the quick-service world, one menu item stands out as the poster child for the ongoing struggle to find the...
ORLANDO Fla. Darden Restaurants Inc. capped off its June-ended fiscal year with increased sales and earnings from continuing operations, mostly helped by an additional operating week and new unit openings at Olive Garden, its largest and strongest...
NEW YORK Outback Steakhouse, Famous Dave’s and McCormick & Schmick’s. —Talk of casual dining’s demise has been greatly exaggerated, according to top executives from Restaurant operators...
NEW YORK NexCen Brands Inc. promoted David McDougall to the post of senior vice president of QSR operations for the franchising arm of the multi-brand franchisor. McDougall, a 30-year veteran of the foodservice industry, first joined...
LOUISVILLE Ky. Two unhappy customers are suing KFC and its parent company Yum! Brands Inc. over a free grilled chicken promotion last month. Customers James Asanuma and Veronica Mora filed a lawsuit June 17 in Los Angeles County Superior...
Operators looking for evidence that customer loyalty is more important than ever need look no further than Pam Felix, co-founder of California Tortilla. When she eats somewhere other than the 39-unit fast-casual chain she started, she’s looking...
Toppers Pizza, which began life in Wisconsin college towns, has created a cultlike following that now is helping it expand. Many customers ate Toppers’ pies while in school or working for the concept, making pizzas or delivering them to dorms. The...
Daniel J. Kim, a former investment banker with Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette in Los Angeles, was 30 years old when friends in South Korea approached him about the possibility of exporting their healthful frozen-yogurt concept, Red Mango, to the...
SAN CLEMENTE Calif. Pick Up Stix restaurants are offering a coupon for a free entrée with the purchase of another entrée in a deal available through July 15 at participating locations, officials announced Tuesday. The fast-casual chain...
