Global Foodservice News

Whataburger has named Rachel Lorraine as Vice President, Enterprise Insights & Analytics, adding a seasoned analytics and strategy leader to support the brand’s continued growth. Rachel brings more than 20 years of experience leading analytics, strategy and insights across the restaurant and consumer industries. She joins Whataburger from Yum! Brands, where she was serving as…

A group of current and former franchise operators allege fraud, saying the franchisor misrepresented the viability of the fast-casual business, leaving them stuck with hundreds of thousands in losses. The franchisor of the Roll Em Up Taquitos brand has been sued by a group of franchisees who describe the operation as a Ponzi scheme masked…

Stephen Piacentini will help the coffee chain execute its ambitious renovation and development plans as part of the Back to Starbucks initiative. Name: Stephen Piacentini New title: Executive vice president, chief coffeehouse design and development officer, Starbucks Previous title: Chief development officer, Chipotle Starbucks confirmed it is bringing on Stephen Piacentini to lead the development…

The company’s international brand, Texas Chicken, will open its first unit in Shanghai this summer as it continues its global expansion. Dive Brief: Texas Chicken, the overseas arm of Church’s Texas Chicken, has signed a deal with Deke Shengtang to develop at least 600 restaurants across China over the next few years, according to a…

Parent company MTY Group acquired about 50 underperforming locations from franchisees last year and their turnaround is ‘more complicated than anticipated’ MTY Food Group, parent company of Papa Murphy’s and several other brands, reported first quarter results late last week, including a same-store sales decline of 2.5%. System sales were $1.3 billion for the quarter,…

Stephen Owen of UC Santa Cruz cited higher menu prices, reduced hours, lost benefits and accelerating automation Researchers found that California’s minimum wage hike for fast-food workers led to “negative outcomes” such as automation and reduced work hours. The researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz suggested in a report published in March that…

The Independent Restaurant Coalition says that the giant distributor’s proposed $29 billion acquisition of the cash-and-carry provider would eliminate a key alternative for many operators. The Independent Restaurant Coalition is calling on the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to block Sysco’s proposed acquisition of Restaurant Depot, saying that the deal would eliminate a crucial alternative used…

Filing 1040 tax forms is no fun. But 1,040 free footlongs? That’s a Tax Day refund Americans can get behind! With everyday costs and living expenses seemingly rising by the day, even taxpayers lucky enough to get a refund from the IRS this year may see it disappear quickly. That’s why Subway is offering Sub…