Pizza Hut's largest franchisee to buy 59 units

Feb 13, 2007

OVERLAND PARK Kan. NPC International Inc., the world's largest Pizza Hut franchisee, has agreed to buy 59 more units in Idaho, Oregon and Washington state for $27.1 million. NPC will acquire the units from Pizza Hut of Idaho Inc., Rocky...

Feb 12, 2007

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. —The 260-unit Firehouse Subs chain, based here, recently honored associates for setting high leadership standards. Among the honorees was Southeast Interstate Group, or SIG, for Area Representative of the Year...

Helping guests help themselves

Feb 12, 2007

THE PANELMODERATOR:RICHARD MARTIN, executive editor, Nation’s Restaurant News, New York PARTICIPANTS:LARRY BENSON, vice president of sales, NextChoice, Portsmouth, N.H. KAREN BIRD, vice president of restaurant information...

Dinnerhouse sales saw small boost from mild weather in Dec.

Feb 12, 2007

December’s warm weather provided a breath of fresh air for casual dinnerhouse chains, according to weekly Knapp-Track data. Estimated comparable-restaurant sales at dinnerhouse chains rose 0.8 percent in December, compared with a 2.4-percent gain...

It’s showtime for Showcolate and other chocolate-focused concepts

Feb 12, 2007

In the run-up to the high chocolate holy day of Valentine’s, the consumer market for chocolate-based eateries, pastry shops, kiosks and coffee cafes has grown sweeter with each passing day.Chocolate Bar, a tiny shop in New York City, will add a...

Diners may diet less, but operators still push healthful options

Feb 12, 2007

Despite all the attention focused on Americans’ expanding waistlines, dieting among U.S. adults is at an all-time low—a befuddling reality for operators trying to serve up more healthful fare.According to new data from the NPD Group, a Port...

Garden Fresh provides an online supplemental wellness program for employees, soon will offer it to customers

Feb 12, 2007

Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., the San Diego-based parent of the Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurant concepts, has always offered health benefits to its full-time employees.But last year the parent company of nearly 100 salad-buffet units...

Compass: Exec pay to be linked to performance

Feb 12, 2007

LONDON —In the wake of a compensation controversy, contract giant Compass Group PLC, based here, alerted shareholders that pay packages for top executives would be tied more closely in the future to corporate performance. The policy...

End Quotes

Feb 12, 2007

Dave Black has pizza in his blood. A former Domino’s Pizza president and chief operating officer and then a franchisee, he recently joined a smaller pizza company, Toledo, Ohio-based Marco’s Franchising LLC, which franchises more...

S.F. burdens operators with costly labor spikes

Feb 12, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO —Already scrambling to comply with a paid-sick-leave ordinance that took effect this month following a citywide spike in the hourly minimum wage to $9.14 in January, operators here also...