construction and design

Smashburger Unveils Virtual Drive-Thru Design in Houston

by Katie Lee April 4, 2023

Denver — Smashburger, a leading fast-casual restaurant chain known for its smashed-to-order-burgers, has launched its first Virtual Drive-Thru located at the newest corporate-owned restaurant in Houston. An extension of the traditional drive-thru experience, the Virtual Drive-Thru allows customers to seamlessly place an order online or through the Smashburger app, then pull through the designated parking lane where their food will be delivered to the driver by a Smashburger team member. First introduced at the beginning of 2022, the Virtual Drive-Thru prototype, coupled with Smashburger’s refreshed kitchen design, reinforces the brand’s …

April 4, 2023

construction and design News retailers

Genesis Opens First Stand-Alone Retail Facility in California

by Katie Lee April 4, 2023

Santa Monica, Calif. — Genesis is continuing its retail expansion with the opening of Genesis Santa Monica, the brand’s fifth standalone retail facility in the U.S. and first in California. Several more U.S. locations are currently under development with additional openings planned this year. Genesis Santa Monica, located not far from Genesis Motor America’s U.S. headquarters, features an elegant showroom with an open floorplan. It also offers at-home test drives and vehicle delivery to customers’ residence or place of business. Genesis Santa Monica is owned and operated by dealer principal …

April 4, 2023

construction and design franchise development News restaurants

Potbelly to Expand in NYC with Development Agreement and First Refranchise Deal

by Katie Lee March 15, 2023

Chicago — Potbelly Corporation, the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, has finalized a multi-unit development agreement along with its first refranchising deal in New York City. This agreement includes multi-unit development for 13 new shops over the next 8 years, and the refranchise of eight shops, the ownership of which has been fully transferred. “I am excited to announce Potbelly’s expansion in New York City, one of the premier markets in the U.S., and that this expansion includes our first refranchise transaction,” says Bob Wright, president and chief executive officer. “This …

March 15, 2023

construction and design News restaurants

First KAO Bar & Grill, a Container Restaurant, to Open in April

by Katie Lee March 9, 2023

Miami — Co-founder Matias Pagano and The KAO Group — the minds behind South America’s Sushi Club concepts, as well as KAO Sushi & Grill in Coral Gables, Fla., and J&J Fresh Kitchen in Boca Raton, Fla. — are set to open the first KAO Bar & Grill concept in Hallandale Beach this April. The two-story restaurant will be the area’s first container project, adding a contemporary and vibrant spin to the neighborhood with colorful hand-painted murals by artist Falopapas and flavorful Argentine grill-inspired cuisine. The entire two-story, 5,000-square-foot restaurant, …

March 9, 2023

construction and design energy management HVAC/R Industry Voices

Cold Case

by Katie Lee March 8, 2023

— By Kevin Piel and Joe McMenamin — Choosing the best insulated-panel system is paramount in ensuring optimal climate-controlled operation in many different applications. The days when grocery shopping was solely an in-person, on-site event that involved the maneuvering of a shopping cart (wobbly wheel optional) through a maze of aisles featuring shelves stocked with a wide array of goods have come to an end. Technological advances had already begun to make grocery shopping from home much more accessible and appealing in recent years. Then came March 2020. The …

March 8, 2023

construction and design green building/LEED News remodels restaurants

Sizzler Enlists Restaurant Design Studio, TNI Design, For New Look

by Katie Lee March 6, 2023

Los Angeles — Creative restaurant design studio TNI Design has been enlisted to redesign Sizzler locations around the country. TNI, an acronym for ‘The Next Idea,’ has completed its pilot design for Sizzler’s Corona, Calif., location. It serves as the new remodel other locations will undergo over the next few years. “In partnership with Sizzler, we created Sizzler’s new interior design and now we are applying the design to around 60 locations over the next 2 years,” says Robert Ancill, CEO and creative officer at TNI Design. Several are currently …

March 6, 2023

construction and design Cover Story From The Magazine remodels restaurants software/technology

Variety Show

by Katie Lee February 23, 2023

— Interview with Eduardo Luz — Panera puts on a show with several new design formats catering to the needs of an increasingly digital and off-premise guest. If variety is the spice of life, the many evolving iterations of Panera these days is keeping its real estate and construction game pretty hot. Currently boasting more than 2,100 bakery-cafes (in 48 states and Ontario, Canada), Panera operates under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names; roughly half of these cafes are company-owned. Never a brand to sit …

February 23, 2023

construction and design franchise development News restaurants

Your Pie Pizza to Open 20 New Locations in 2023; Rolls Out Brand Refresh

by Katie Lee February 23, 2023

Alpharetta, Ga. — Your Pie, the original down-the-line pizza concept, ended 2022 with a footprint of over 70 stores across the U.S.; the brand is poised to accelerate momentum in 2023, projecting 20 store openings. Since January, Your Pie has already opened one new location and has two slated for remodel. Despite downward trends in the overall industry, the fast-casual concept saw year-over-year sales jump by nearly 8.46%, AUV increase by 18% and witnessed the top 50% of restaurants garner over $1 million in sales. Your Pie also closed the …

February 23, 2023

construction and design News retailers

The Athlete’s Foot to Launch New Omnichannel Store Concept this Spring

by Katie Lee February 22, 2023

Stans, Switzerland and Atlanta — The specialty footwear and lifestyle chain, The Athlete’s Foot (TAF), is reporting retail revenue of $555 million globally, growth of 10%+ from 2021. The numbers show that TAF successfully navigated a difficult retail environment plagued by supply chain challenges, rising inflation, socioeconomic and political unrest. The brand is looking forward to a solid and successful start to 2023 powered by a host of new brand partnerships, store locations and, most importantly, the spring launch of its 3.0 omnichannel store concept. “Although the retail landscape presented …

February 22, 2023

construction and design franchise development News restaurants

Taco Bell Opens New Cantina Experience on Hollywood Boulevard

by Katie Lee February 17, 2023

Irvine, Calif. — Taco Bell has opened its latest Cantina restaurant experience in the heart of Los Angeles, along the iconic palm tree-lined Hollywood Boulevard. The latest Cantina restaurant — known for its boozy drink menu and all the craveable menu items fans have come to expect — sits on a historic 1920s Hollywood property, once a bookstore known as a book lover’s haunt for movie stars, merging a “golden-age” design with modern, digital-only ordering and pickup. The Hollywood Cantina is the first Cantina in Los Angeles County. With more …

February 17, 2023

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