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MINISO USA Partners with NEST to Streamline Facilities Management Across U.S. Stores

by Katie Lee

Philadelphia — NEST, a national provider of integrated facilities management (IFM) solutions, has partnered with MINISO USA to serve as its facilities management partner for more than 300 MINISO stores across the United States. NEST will deliver a full-service IFM solution designed to streamline operations, reduce complexity and support store performance as the MINISO brand continues to expand in the U.S. NEST will manage a broad range of services, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, lighting and general maintenance across MINISO stores. The partnership includes vendor management, service coordination, analytics and operational …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Nothing Bundt Cakes® Opens 800th Bakery

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Nothing Bundt Cakes reached a major milestone as it opened the doors to its 800th bakery on April 15. The 800th bakery opened at 2660 Oswell St. in East Bakersfield, Calif., and will be operated by owners Chiral and Dixit Desai, who also own multiple bakeries within the state. “This achievement reflects the work and passion of our bakery owners and teams, along with the fans who make us part of their everyday celebrations,” says Dolf Berle, CEO of Nothing Bundt Cakes. “At this stage of growth, what …

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construction and designNewsretailers

Primark to Open Flagship Store in Manhattan’s Herald Square in May

by Katie Lee

New York City — Primark, an international value fashion retailer, plans to open a flagship Herald Square store in Manhattan’s PENN DISTRICT on May 8. Located at 150 W 34th St., directly across from Penn Station, the new Manhattan flagship marks a defining moment for Primark in the U.S. and a major milestone in its U.S. expansion. The new store will stand alongside the brand’s flagship stores in other fashion capitals such as London, Milan, Madrid and Rome. Spanning more than 54,000 square feet of retail space, the Herald Square …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Dave’s Hot Chicken Opens Record 8 Restaurants in a Single Day

by Katie Lee

Pasadena, Calif. — Dave’s Hot Chicken continues its rapid growth in 2026 with the opening of 8 new restaurants on April 16, expanding its footprint to more than 400 locations worldwide. The milestone highlights the brand’s disciplined approach to expansion and its ability to execute at scale while maintaining a consistent guest experience. The fast-casual concept, which originated in Los Angeles, is bringing its Nashville-style hot chicken to a diverse set of markets nationwide, including Fairlawn, Ohio; Oneonta, N.Y.; Edina, Minn.; Gastonia, N.C.; Arlington Heights, Ill.; Miami; Saratoga, Utah; and …

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construction and designNewsremodelsretailers

Walmart to Remodel More Than 650 U.S. Stores in 2026

by Katie Lee

Bentonville, Ark. — Nationally, Walmart is planning remodels at more than 650 Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets this year, as well as opening 20 new stores in 2026 and early 2027. This investment is intended to create jobs, help strengthen local economies and make shopping faster and more convenient for its customers. In early 2024, Walmart committed to opening or converting more than 150 new locations while continuing to update the stores in its portfolio. This year’s investment includes: • More than 650 scheduled remodels to Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets • …

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NewspeopleProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Presto Co-Founder Returns as CEO

by Katie Lee

San Mateo, Calif. — Presto Phoenix, Inc., a leader in enterprise-grade Voice AI for quick-service restaurants (QSRs), has welcomed back Presto’s co-founder, Krishna Gupta, as chief executive officer. Gupta, a co-founder and longtime strategic leader at Presto, stepped back into the CEO role as the company accelerates deployment of its drive-thru Voice AI platform across major national restaurant brands. Presto will be showcasing this expertise at its Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC) panel, “Deploying Voice AI at America’s Iconic Brands,” on April 20 in Phoenix. “Presto is entering its defining chapter, …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Mo’ Bettahs to Expand Into 3 New Markets

by Katie Lee

Salt Lake City — Mo’ Bettahs plans to enter three new markets — Phoenix, Indianapolis and Minneapolis — as the Hawaiian-style fast-casual brand accelerates its national expansion. Additionally, the company reported positive same-store sales growth for the 18th consecutive year, marking nearly two decades of sustained momentum. Mo’ Bettahs has nearly 80 restaurants nationwide. “Eighteen consecutive years of same-store sales growth is rare in this industry, and it doesn’t happen by accident,” says Rob Ertmann, CEO of Mo’ Bettahs. “It reflects disciplined execution, the quality and authenticity of our menu, …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsretailers

The Spice & Tea Exchange Signs 7 New Deals Across Oklahoma and Virginia

by Katie Lee

St. Augustine, Fla. — The Spice & Tea Exchange®, a specialty retail franchise, has signed seven new development deals across Oklahoma and Virginia, including two separate three-unit agreements in Virginia. The newly signed agreements include: • One development deal in Guthrie, Okla. • Two, three-unit development deals in Virginia: Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and Roanoke. • Lexington, plus two additional territories to be announced. These deals build upon the brand’s existing footprint in Sulphur, Okla., and Richmond and Williamsburg, Va., markets that have demonstrated strong consumer demand for The Spice & Tea …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Church’s Texas Chicken® and Texas Chicken™ Enter China with 600-Restaurant Agreement

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Church’s Texas Chicken® and Texas Chicken™, one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant brands in the world, plans to enter China, marking a major milestone in the company’s global growth and its 27th international market. The brand’s first restaurant in China is slated to open in Shanghai this summer, with additional locations — at least 600 — to follow. Texas Chicken has partnered with Deke Shengtang, a leading local operator with multiple QSR brands, signing a franchise agreement to develop 600 or more restaurants across China over the …

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facilities managementNewsProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Toast Launches Unified Drive-Thru Solution to Modernize Enterprise QSR Operations

by Katie Lee

Boston — Toast, a digital technology platform built for hospitality, has launched Toast Drive-Thru, an enterprise-grade solution designed to help modern quick-service restaurants (QSR) increase throughput and order accuracy at scale while optimizing labor efficiency through a single, unified platform. There are just over 140,000 total drive-thru locations across the entire U.S. restaurant industry, according to 2026 data from Technomic Ignite. These operators must deliver fast, error-free guest service while facing increased pressure on labor efficiency. The growth of AI voice ordering solutions in drive-thru has left many brands struggling …

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