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Albertsons® Companies, Inc. Names Executive Chair

by Katie Lee

Boise, Idaho — Albertsons® Companies, Inc. has appointed Meg Whitman to the newly created role of executive chair of the company’s board of directors. With Whitman’s appointment, Kim Fennebresque has transitioned from chair to lead independent director, and the board has expanded from 10 to 11 members. Whitman will work to support Susan Morris, CEO of Albertsons Cos., and her entire senior team. “Meg is an ideal leader to join Albertsons’ Board of Directors,” says Fennebresque. “Her appointment underscores the board’s commitment to bring proven technology expertise and transformation leadership …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Chicken Salad Chick to Open First Restaurant in New York

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, plans to open its first restaurant in New York, which will expand the brand’s footprint to 27 states. The grand opening will take place on Sept. 22 at The Shops at Village Plaza in Clifton Park, N.Y. Chicken Salad Chick of Clifton Park is the first restaurant to open under a 25-unit franchise agreement bringing locations to the Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and the Upper Hudson Valley areas across New York. The agreement represents Chicken Salad Chick’s …

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Macy’s Reports Strong Q2 Growth, Led By ‘Reimagine 200’ Stores

by Katie Lee

New York City — Macy’s, Inc. has reported financial results for the second quarter 2026. Overall, the company delivered 2.7% comparable sales growth, exceeding expectations across all key metrics; Macy’s comparable sales rose for the fifth consecutive quarter, led by Reimagine 200 stores; and Bloomingdale’s delivered second consecutive quarter of double-digit comparable sales growth and its highest second-quarter sales volume. “Our second-quarter performance builds on the progress our colleagues have consistently delivered through our Bold New Chapter strategy,” says Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. “The …

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Chipotle Debuts in Asia with First Restaurant in Seoul

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has opened of its first restaurant in Asia in Seoul, South Korea, in partnership with Sangmidang Holdings (formerly SPC Group). Along with Sangmidang Holdings, Chipotle plans to continue its expansion with two additional locations in South Korea by the end of 2026, followed by its first restaurant in Singapore in 2027.  South Korea will serve as a reference market for Chipotle’s expansion across Asia, establishing a model for how the brand can enter new markets while maintaining its culinary and operational standards. The …

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managementNewspeopleproperty managementretailerssecurity/loss preventionsoftware/technology

Vestar Appoints New VP of Technology and Systems

by Katie Lee

Phoenix — Vestar, one of the leading privately held shopping center owners and operators in the western United States, has named Bill Williams as vice president of technology and systems. Williams joined the company in June 2026 and serves as Vestar’s technology leader, reimagining the firm’s approach to IT and operations. In this new role, Williams is based in Vestar’s Phoenix headquarters and leads the execution of Vestar’s technology strategy. He will develop systems, strengthen security and advance technology-enabled operations to enhance performance across the organization. In his role, Williams …

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QDOBA Signs 17-Unit Development Agreement Across San Diego County

by Katie Lee

San Diego — QDOBA Mexican Eats has signed a new development agreement for 17 restaurants across San Diego County in California. The agreement is led by Hyperion Brands, LLC, a San Diego based multi-unit operator. “California is a priority growth market for QDOBA,” says Jeremy Vitaro, chief development officer at QDOBA. “We’re excited to grow the brand with the Hyperion Brands team, a proven, operations-first organization that also brings a strong development track record and a hometown advantage.” QDOBA and its franchise partners currently operate approximately 875 restaurants, with plans …

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EVgo, Regency Expand Partnership to Bring Fast-Charging to More Retail Centers Across the U.S.

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — EVgo Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of public fast-charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), and Regency Centers Corporation are expanding their partnership to bring fast charging to shopping centers, with plans to add more than 400 charging stalls at Regency locations across the U.S. Once complete, these new EVgo stalls are expected to help increase Regency’s EV infrastructure footprint by more than 20%.  EVgo installed its first charger at a Regency center in 2020 and today operates over 150 stalls at Regency locations. Located in …

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Red Robin Completes Sale of 108 Restaurants for $89.4 Million

by Katie Lee

Englewood, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. has completed most of its refranchising transactions as previously announced on May 28 and June 15, 2026. Across three separate transactions, the company sold 108 company-owned units for approximately $89.4 million in gross proceeds. The sale of eight additional restaurants under one of the transactions is expected to close by the end of Red Robin’s 2026 fiscal year and generate approximately $6.6 million, bringing the total proceeds across all three transactions to approximately $96 million from the sale of 116 restaurants, consistent …

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Eyemart Express to Debut in Houston with 4 New Stores

by Katie Lee

Houston — Eyemart Express, one of the nation’s largest optical retailers, is entering the Greater Houston market for the first time, with a store opening in Conroe, Texas, on Sept. 8. This is the first of four stores the company will open in the area by year’s end. The Houston openings build on Eyemart Express’ established presence across Texas, where the company already operates 42 stores. Each new location will hire a team of opticians, lab technicians and retail associates. Eyemart Express operates a lens lab inside every store, along …

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Hungry Howie’s Modernizes Delivery Operations with Cartwheel

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — Cartwheel, an AI-powered delivery platform for restaurants, has teamed up with Hungry Howie’s Pizza to modernize delivery operations. The top 10 U.S. pizza chain is adopting Cartwheel’s Hybrid Delivery technology, following a successful pilot, that will implement a phased rollout across its nearly 500-location system, with all locations targeted to be live by second quarter 2027. Cartwheel’s Hybrid Delivery gives franchisees a single view of in-house and third-party delivery, with fulfillment powered by DoorDash Drive. Hybrid Delivery prioritizes in-house fleets based on configurable factors such as proximity …

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