NASHVILLE Tenn. O'Charley's Inc. said that J. Harold "Jay" Allen has joined the casual-dining company as vice president of design and construction. Allen oversees the design and construction of company-operated and franchised restaurants...

MEMPHIS Tenn. Back Yard Burgers Inc. said its pending $38 million buyout has been delayed by a lawsuit accusing the franchisor of violating regulations that prohibit customers' credit-card numbers from being shown in their entirety on receipts. ...

OVERLAND PARK Kan. Applebee's, the first national casual-dining chain to report August same-store sales, was not able to snap the string of negative figures that has plagued it and most of the segment for much of the past two years. ...

CARROLLTON Texas T.G.I. Friday’s, the 889-unit division of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc. here, has opened its 300th international unit. An opening Aug. 31 in Christchurch, Barbados, helped the casual-dining company hit the milestone...

NEW ORLEANS Al Copeland Investments Inc. is ramping up a franchising push for Copeland’s of New Orleans and its other casual-dining concepts under the new leadership of Fred Thimm. Thimm, previously president of Martini Park of Bethesda...

ATLANTA Hooters of America is attempting to capitalize on the upcoming football season by introducing five seasonal menu items that it hopes will appeal to gridiron fans. The specials include a new “boneless wings” appetizer made from...

WILBRAHAM Mass. Friendly Ice Cream Corp., parent of the Friendly’s family-dining brand, is now a holding of the private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners Inc. after a buyout valued at $337.2 million closed Thursday. Each director of...

ORLANDO Fla. Darden Restaurants Inc. on Aug. 31 commenced its tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Rare Hospitality International Inc. for $38.15 per share. The two restaurant companies announced Aug. 16 that they had...