Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a full-service restaurant chain, expects to have reopened approximately 270 dining rooms with limited capacity by June 7, 2020, representing approximately 65% of currently open company-operated restaurants. “With our relentless focus on health and safety for our team members and guests, we are continuing to make progress reopening our dining rooms across the country,” says Paul J.B. Murphy III, Red Robin’s president and chief executive officer. “To build on the momentum we are experiencing in off-premise and dine-in sales, we are …
Cincinnati — Pet Wants®, the Cincinnati-based high-quality pet food and supplies franchise, has hit a major milestone: reaching 100 franchise locations. The 100 franchise units — 25 retail stores and 75 mobile operations — all offer free delivery, making the company uniquely positioned to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Less than 20% of franchise brands reach the 100-location milestone and Pet Wants has been able to do it in just 5 years. That success was achieved not only because of the company’s great story and fantastic products, but also because …
Redwood City, Calif. — Presto, known for its in-house ordering tablets, has pivoted its business to help out the restaurant industry and is now offering a free Contactless Dining kit. The new kit enables restaurants to provide an end-to-end contactless in-house dining experience to guests. Guests can view the complete menu, place orders and pay at the table — without the need for any human contact. Free to order, the kit is easy to implement and use. Guests can use their personal mobile devices to scan NFC tags and QR …
Louisville, Ky. — May 2020 sales at Papa John’s restaurants were up 33.5% in the U.S. and Canada on a year-over-year basis, marking the second month in a row that the pizza chain recorded its highest sales on record, according to Papa John’s Inc. president and CEO Rob Lynch. The May sales period was recorded from April 27 to May 24, and the company said it will continue to provide monthly updates through the end of the second quarter. In April, the Louisville, Ky.-based chain reported a 26.9% increase in …
— By Jude Charles — Retailers and restaurants all around the country are slowly considering the prospect of reopening their doors as federal, state and local restrictions begin to relax. While welcoming customers and employees back to your business should be met with excitement, it’s important to consider the risks associated with gradually increasing in-person operations. If your retail store or restaurant is like many others who temporarily paused operations or reduced staff, consider the following ideas for a safer, more successful return to work. Manage Onsite Visitors Due …
Minneapolis — Minnesota-based discount retailer Target has temporarily closed six stores in four states in response to protests that turned violent over the weekend. The looting and destruction of commercial property took place in the days following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died May 25 following an encounter with Minneapolis police during which an officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. On Sunday, several other retailers, including CVS, Apple and Walmart also announced temporary closures or adjusted hours in major cities where rioting had …
Rosemont, Ill. — US Foods Holding Corp. is giving away free reopening kits to qualifying independent restaurant owners to help support restaurant reopening efforts in communities across the U.S. The reopening kits provide independent restaurant operators with must-have supplies such as masks and safety guidance posters as well as resource guides to navigate state and local COVID-19 reopening requirements and help create a safer environment for staff and customers alike. This initiative builds on the company’s ongoing commitment to providing foodservice operators with the expertise, resources and tools to help …
Philadelphia — Five Below, Inc., an extreme-value retailer for tweens, teens and beyond, has reopened 75% of its 900+ store fleet. In addition to reopening over 700 stores since April 21, Five Below has opened 40 brand new stores so far in 2020 and continues to expect to open 100 to 120 new stores this year. “We are thrilled to be in a position to have reopened over 75% of our stores with strict health and safety protocols implemented, and to have resumed our new store program,” says Joel Anderson, …
Glendale, Calif. — The board of directors of Dine Brands Global, Inc. has retained executive search firm Spencer Stuart to assist the company in identifying an individual to succeed its chief executive officer, Steve Joyce. Joyce’s employment agreement expires February 1, 2021. “I am proud of the growth that we have experienced during my tenure as chief executive officer,” says Joyce. “Since 2017, we have established and executed on strategic plans, strengthened the franchisee base, completed a $1.3 billion securitization transaction and returned significant capital to stockholders. With the occurrence …
Plano, Texas — J. C. Penney recently reopened 150 stores in 27 states, bringing the total to 304 reopened stores nationwide after temporarily closing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Additionally, five stores are currently offering contact-free curbside pickup only. The company plans to have almost 500 reopened by June 3. “We’ve now reopened a third of our stores and plan to have nearly 500 reopened by June 3. To do this, we’re operating differently and taking a strategic and consistent approach, keeping associate and customer safety as our top …