Global Foodservice News
Restaurants Need to Look as Good as They Taste
The most memorable dining experiences cannot be defined by a single element. While quality food and service remain paramount, growing competition in the food and beverage industry and diners’ preference for visually compelling restaurants have introduced an emphasis on how the entire experience unfolds from the moment guests arrive to the moment they leave. This…
Read MoreHow Statement Art Builds Brand Identity
Large-scale matador artworks at Beast & Butterflies Downtown restaurant bring the restaurant’s Spanish-inspired concept to life. The dramatic designs echo that heritage and spirit as well as create a stronger connection between what guests see, feel, and taste, explained Krista Birnbaum, Senior Art Curator at Eaton Fine Art, which curated the art collection for the…
Read MoreWhy McDonald’s is removing self-serve soda fountains nationwide
For decades, the self-serve soda fountain occupied a familiar place inside American fast-food restaurants. It represented convenience, customization and one of the small freedoms attached to dining out cheaply and quickly. McDonald’s decision to gradually remove self-serve beverage stations from restaurants nationwide marks the end of a feature many customers barely noticed until it started…
Read MoreAIM National Adds Service, Names Director
Joe Carter will lead the company’s expansion into hot-side equipment installation. AIM National, a national commercial foodservice installation company, has formally expanded its service capabilities to include hot-side equipment installation. The company has named Joe Carter as director of category management to lead the expansion. Carter has spent nearly 20 years in commercial foodservice and…
Read MoreTurboChef, CookTek Make New Hire Abroad
The individual, based in Bogotá, Colombia, brings extensive culinary and foodservice industry experience to the role with the Middleby brands TurboChef Technologies and CookTek have appointed Juan David Higuera as business development manager and corporate chef to support the brands’ growth initiatives across LATAM, Mexico and the Caribbean. Higuera will work to drive strategic growth…
Read MoreFirst Watch appoints CFO
Ashlee Weisser, who has worked at First Watch since 2023, takes over for the retiring Mel Hope. Name: Ashlee Weisser New title: Chief financial officer, First Watch Previous title: Senior vice president, financial planning and analysis, First Watch Ashlee Weisser was promoted to CFO on June 8, succeeding Mel Hope, who is retiring. Hope will…
Read MoreHow Authentic Restaurant Brands Revived Pollo Tropical’s Momentum
The fast casual has experienced 40 straight months of traffic growth and posting a nearly $4 million AUV. Pollo Tropical CEO Dirk Montgomery describes the chain as an “icon” in the state of Florida. Of the chain’s roughly 150 locations, about 80 percent are in the Sunshine State, and that’s a footprint and reputation built…
Read MoreCracker Barrel says recovery from logo fallout is ahead of schedule
Traffic is still down, but moving in the right direction, prompting the company to raise its revenue guidance for the fiscal year. Customers are returning to Cracker Barrel faster than the company was expecting after last fall’s new-logo debacle sparked severe traffic declines. Same-store restaurant sales in the quarter ended May 1 fell 2.6% year…
Read MoreKFC plans to test a new prototype called Open House
The restaurant will open later this summer in McKinney, Texas, and will include table service and a drive-thru. KFC U.S. likes what it sees from its spinoff concept Saucy so much that it continues to expand the fledgling brand into new markets, including outside of Florida for the first time since its debut in late…
Read MorePanera parent JAB brings new leadership to consumer portfolio
The Luxembourg-based investment firm has named two co-heads of business development and portfolio management in New York and London. The Europe-based parent to Panera Brands, Pret A Manger and more has new leadership. Luxembourg-based JAB on Thursday announced a refresh of its boards and leadership team across its consumer portfolio companies. David Serre and Emiliano…
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