Food & Beverage News
The Cheesecake Factory Puts the Focus on Employees
In an industry where labor costs continue to strain operating margins, The Cheesecake Factory is trying to gain an edge by focusing on staffing and employee retention. According to a study conducted in 2017, a whopping 72 percent of all restaurant workers left their jobs compared to a 47 percent rate across all industries. As…
Read MoreIn-N-Out Burger: Keeping Quality High and Prices Low
In-N-Out Burger plans to open its first Colorado restaurants in late 2020. And, while the brand is only available in six states, the Southern California-based institution won’t have trouble luring customers to its brand when it enters its seventh state. The iconic 71-year-old year old chain has built a cult following and its reputation precedes…
Read MoreTGI Fridays Agrees to Deal to Take it Public
Privately held TGIF Holdings LLC and Allegro Merger Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, have signed an agreement that would take the casual-dining chain public, the companies announced. The Dallas-based parent of the TGI Fridays and New York-based Allegro Merger, said that, at closing, TGI Friday’s holders will receive a combination of cash and stock…
Read MoreWendy is hungry for more frequent customers
A honey butter chicken biscuit sandwich served during breakfast hours. The return of Wendy’s to Europe within 18-months. 50-piece orders of spicy chicken nuggets being ordered by those that saw a bullish Chance the Rapper tweet about them. The Baconator ordered on the Wendy’s app and delivered soon thereafter by Grubhub. Clearly, this is not…
Read MoreBurger King discount ‘mistake’ costs franchisee millions: ‘We screwed up’
A “mistake” allowed customers to combine Whopper discounts at certain Burger Kings, costing the franchisee millions. A restaurant group based out of upstate New York revealed the extent of the mistake during a recent earnings call, according to reports. The discount mistake cost the franchisee an estimated $8.2 million. Customers were able to take advantage of…
Read MoreVeggie Grill Debuts Prototype in Chicago
The restaurant is the Culver City, Calif.-based fast-casual brand’s fourth restaurant in Chicago and is located in the West Loop at 911 W. Randolph St. The company said the design, largely in shades of white, is a new store prototype. It covers 2,500 square feet and has 58 seats. “We look forward to expanding in…
Read MoreWalk-On’s Success Story is Just Getting Started
For many sports bars and casual-dining restaurants, the name of the game has been to slow down, cut back locations, and eliminate weak performers. And then there’s Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based sports bar franchise that been expanding at a rapid-fire pace, not scaling back. With 32 locations, the brand’s revenue spiked…
Read MoreThe Cheesecake Factory Leans into Development and Growth for Sales Boost
The Cheesecake Factory is ready to speed up development thanks to a growing portfolio. A new location in Gainesville, Florida, opened during the third quarter of fiscal 2019 and another three are expected to debut by year’s end. But beyond the Cheesecake brand, the company expects to build out the footprint of newly acquired North…
Read MoreBuffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee Diversified Restaurant Holdings has agreed to be acquired by the private equity firm ICV Partners in an all-cash deal valued at $130 million. The $1.05-per-share price exceeds the value of Diversified’s common shares at the end of trading on Nov. 5 by 123%, according to the deal participants. They noted that…
Read MoreOutback Parent Bloomin’ Considers Sale
Bloomin’ Brands Inc. is considering “strategic alternatives” including a possible sale, the company said in a release announcing its third-quarter earnings. “The Company plans to proceed in a timely manner, but has not set a definitive timetable for completion of this process,” according to the news release. “There can be no assurance that this review will…
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