Mortgage woes suppress traffic at casual-dining restaurants

Sep 17, 2007

The midweek Fourth of July holiday and the subprime mortgage crisis dealt a blow to guest traffic at casual dinnerhouses in July, but operators still were expected to post better results than they had the year earlier.Estimated same-store sales...

Famous Dave’s completes third 1M share repurchase

Sep 14, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS Famous Dave’s of America Inc., the operator or franchisor of 153 namesake barbeque restaurants, completed this month the repurchase of 1 million of its outstanding shares, funded through working capital and cash flow, the company said...

Brinker, HMSHost ink deal for 26 restaurants

Sep 13, 2007

DALLAS Brinker International Inc. has signed an agreement with HMSHost Corp. to develop 26 restaurants over the next five years. The restaurants will be in airports and toll-road locations and include the Brinker brands of Chili's Grill &...

Metromedia vets form restaurant-focused private-equity firm

Sep 12, 2007

PLANO Texas A group of restaurant veterans led by Mark Bromberg, president and chief executive of management and consulting firm Apex Restaurant Group and the former chairman of Metromedia Restaurant Group, have formed a private-equity fund...

Puck’s catering deal stirs up new wave of Vegas developments

Sep 10, 2007

LAS VEGAS —Yet another wave of high-profile dining developments is forming along the glitzy Strip here as more big-budget construction projects take shape, including a $3 billion megaresort that has signed Wolfgang Puck to an exclusive...

Applebee’s draws protests over breastfeeding policy

Sep 10, 2007

HARRISBURG Pa. Nearly 2,000 people, including mothers breastfeeding their babies, gathered outside 97 Applebee’s restaurants in 44 states on Saturday to protest the chain's policy on breastfeeding within its dining rooms, according to Birth...

Nahkunst named COO of Max & Erma’s

Sep 10, 2007

COLUMBUS Ohio Max & Erma’s, a casual-dining operator and franchisor, has named BJ's and The Cheesecake Factory veteran Michael Nahkunst to succeed Jim Howenstein as chief operating officer. Howenstein is vacating the post after two years to...

Friday’s new menu expands 3-course options

Sep 10, 2007

CARROLLTON Texas T.G.I. Friday’s, the 888-unit division of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, has introduced a redesigned menu that features new items and expands the chain’s three-course, fixed-price offerings. Friday’s three-course menu...

Five Applebee’s directors plan to oppose buyout by IHOP

Sep 07, 2007

OVERLAND PARK Kan. Five of the 14 directors at Applebee’s International Inc. plan to cast votes representing a 5 percent collective stake in the company against the pending $2.1 billion buyout proposal from pancake specialist IHOP Corp. because of...

Avado Brands files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy

Sep 06, 2007

MADISON Ga. Avado Brands Inc., parent company of the 91-unit Don Pablo’s and 22-unit Hops Grill & Brewery casual-dining chains, said Thursday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and will seek to sell its assets. This is...