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A&W Restaurants Aims to Open at Least 10 New Units in 2023

by Katie Lee

Lexington, Ky. — A&W Restaurants, the All-American restaurant franchise with 500-plus units nationwide, has had fast start to the year with three new restaurants opened, all indicative of the brand’s real estate flexibility and willingness to embrace non-traditional spaces. With a goal of opening 10 new locations in 2023, the franchisor is ahead of schedule. “One of the notable openings this year brought an A&W to a Walmart in Rock Hill, South Carolina,” says Paul Martino, president and COO of A&W. “This is our first entry into the Walmart space, …

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Your Pie Names New VP of Operations and Director of Technology

by Katie Lee

Atlanta, Ga. — To invest in the future of Your Pie and offer greater support to its franchise owners, the nation’s original fast-casual pizza brand has appointed several new hires to its corporate team. Most notably, Your Pie has added Justin Patterson as vice president of operations. A Your Pie franchise owner for more than 7 years, Patterson brings a wealth of industry experience and expertise to the brand’s leadership team. Patterson will be responsible for leading both franchise and company restaurants to grow sales, customer counts, margins and continue …

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Captain D’s Expands Development Team with New Director of Franchise Development

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — Captain D’s has hired Steve Bailey as director of franchise development. Bailey has more than 20 years of experience in franchise sales and development with multiple restaurant service brands, most recently with Fazoli’s. Focusing on territories east of the Mississippi River, he will support Captain D’s ongoing expansion throughout the country alongside longtime senior director of franchise development Steve Bielewicz, who is responsible for growing the company’s presence in the western region. “Captain D’s focus on flexible prototypes and cost-effective conversion opportunities is fueling increased interest from …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

PizzaForno Expands into Georgia with 3 New Automated Pizzerias in Atlanta

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — PizzaForno, North America’s first automated pizzeria that bakes artisan pizza in less than 3 minutes, 24 hours a day, is officially expanding into Georgia. The first of three new locations will open on May 6 in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, with two additional locations to open around metro Atlanta later in May. The three entrepreneurs responsible for this expansion are business partners Tyler Young, Paul Nair and Mick Patel. Young has always had a passion for the restaurant industry, and started running restaurants when he was in college. Nair …

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Darden Restaurants to Acquire Ruth’s Hospitality Group in $715 Million Transaction

by Katie Lee

Orlando, Fla. — Darden Restaurants, Inc. and Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Inc. have entered into a definitive merger agreement in which Darden will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Ruth’s in an all-cash transaction with an equity value of approximately $715 million. Ruth’s, owner and operator of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, will complement Darden’s portfolio of differentiated brands which currently includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s. Ruth’s Chris was founded in 1965 in New Orleans by …

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Atomic Wings Has 10 New Stores Under Construction; Launches 2023 Remodel Program

by Katie Lee

New York City — Atomic Wings, a 15-unit brand specializing in flavorful chicken wings, is starting off 2023 with significant Q1 growth. The New York-based wing franchise has 10 locations under construction, with plans to open throughout the year. The new growth will bring Atomic Wings to new states, including Arkansas, Nevada, Indiana and Texas. Atomic Wings will also launch its first two drive-thru locations — in Houston and Joliet, Ill. — later this year. The company is also thrilled to launch its Atomic Wings 2.0 remodel program later this …

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Wingstop Names SVP, President of International as Brand Aims for 7,000+ Units Globally

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Wingstop, the global chicken chain with nearly 2,000 restaurants worldwide, has appointed Raj Kapoor as senior vice president, president of international. Kapoor will be responsible for driving Wingstop’s growth and development strategy for markets outside of the U.S. and oversee the performance of the brand’s existing international markets. Kapoor joins Wingstop from 7-Eleven, where he spent 28 years in a variety of leadership roles including vice president of international; senior vice president and chief information officer; and, most recently, senior vice president of fresh food, beverage and restaurants. …

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The Athlete’s Foot Launches New Neighborhood Concept Store in Midtown Atlanta

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — The specialty footwear and lifestyle chain, The Athlete’s Foot (TAF), launched its most anticipated project of 2023: the introduction of its “neighborhood” concept store, located at Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta. The Athlete’s Foot is focused on elevating the consumer experience while continuing to drive hyper-localized product assortment and community engagement efforts. The grand opening events, which took place at the end of April, included a sneaker customization class, live performances, and custom art pieces and murals. The Athlete’s Foot partnered with Adidas to provide swag bags filled …

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The Melting Pot to Open a Remodeled Restaurant Each Week Through 2023

by Katie Lee

Tampa, Fla. — The Melting Pot, the 94-unit fondue concept that provides a unique, experiential dining atmosphere, has been carefully considering its growth efforts in recent months, launching a campaign to remodel all restaurants and embracing what it has coined ‘Melting Pot Evolution.’ This year, the company will open one remodeled restaurant each week. “2021 and 2022 were both tremendous years for the brand in terms of increasing traffic — real growth,” says Bob Johnston, CEO. “In other words, we had growth that came not just through price increases, but actual …

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Potbelly Continues Growth in Florida with 16 New Units in Development

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Potbelly Corporation, the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, has finalized a 16-unit shop development agreement in two Florida markets. This agreement includes 14 shops in Broward County and two shops in Gainesville. “We are enthused to begin a partnership with Rami Boaziz and Stellar Hospitality, which we believe will be great stewards of the brand,” says Bob Wright, president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to expanding the Potbelly brand in the Florida market with a Shop Development Area Agreement (SDAA) for 16 new shops, following our previous …

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