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Trending this week: Burger King's moldy Whopper, Elizabeth Smith exits Bloomin' Brands, Outback Steakhouse names new presidentTrending this week: Burger King's moldy Whopper, Elizabeth Smith exits Bloomin' Brands, Outback Steakhouse names new president

Starbucks names new chief marketing officer, TGI Fridays struggles in Q4, Chipotlanes rival QSR drive-thrus and more food news from the past week.

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

February 20, 2020

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This week, Bloomin' Brands announced a slew of new executive appointments, the biggest one was a new CEO at Outback Steakhouse. This came while news of Elizabeth Smith's departure from the parent company's board was announced, effective March. Additionally, Starbucks named a new chief marketing officer and BBQ Holdings purchased Granite City Food & Brewery in the restaurant's bankruptcy assets sale.

In related news, TGI Fridays Innovation Chief Sherif Mityas announced his departure from the casual dining brand while the fourth quarter earnings call indicated traffic and profits plummeted in 2019. What's ahead for the brand as it prepares to go public in March? Find out more.

Some positive company news was trending this week as well. Burger King rolled out a new marketing campaign centered around a moldy Whopper. Why? Well, the brand decided to join the ranks of other QSR competitors and remove artificial ingredients from its burgers. 

Find out what else was trending this week.

 

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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