San Diego and Lake Forest, Calif. — Jack in the Box Inc. and Del Taco Restaurants have entered into a merger agreement valued at approximately $575 million, inclusive of existing debt. Under the terms of the agreement, Jack in the…
St. Petersburg, Fla. — The WOWorks family of restaurant brands — Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek — experienced growth of its co-branded restaurant concepts in 2021 with six locations opening and six additional franchise agreements…
Los Angeles — Blaze Pizza, a leading fast-casual franchise pizza concept, has signed a new franchise development agreement that will significantly expand the brand’s South Florida footprint, bringing nine new units to the greater Miami market. Spearheading this development are…
Los Angeles — The Dolly Llama, the waffle and artisanal ice cream destination with three locations currently open in L.A. and three more in development, has signed a 4-unit franchise deal that includes the brand’s entry into Nevada. One Nevada…
Atlanta — As part of its strategic plan to accelerate new restaurant openings and new consumer markets for Krystal Restaurants, the brand has named a dedicated vice president of real estate & construction. Dan James assumed the role on November…
— By Todd S. Kentzel, R.A. — New speakeasy beats pandemic-era odds to become a summer of ‘21 restaurant success story. Architetra p.c. , an architectural firm based in Paoli, Pennsylvania, has announced a collaboration, more than 2 years…
Pasadena, Calif. — Kitchen United, the ghost kitchen industry leader with a proprietary tech platform and multi-concept ordering, has opened its newest location at 307 W. 38th St. in Manhattan. The opening marks the company’s third New York City and…
Fayetteville, Ark. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise, has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of restaurant industry leader Christina Vaughan to senior vice president of operations. Vaughan will work closely with the chief operating officer of Slim…
New York City — The new Starbucks Pickup with Amazon Go, located at 59th Street between Park & Lexington avenues, opened on November 18, 2021. The store is a combination of a Starbucks Pickup and Amazon Go, utilizing the order…
Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has agreed to acquire Native Grill & Wings, an Arizona-based restaurant chain, for $20 million from Wingtime, LLC, a subsidiary of Cybeck Capital Partners, LLC. Marking FAT Brands’ third chicken wing…
— By Jeff Hungarter — Videri Chocolate Factory: an LED lighting solution showcases a sweet spot. When Roxanne Lundy began working at Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh, North Carolina, she was fresh out of college and the company was…
— By Dan Hyman — Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies invests in staff with bold new software. For more than four decades, Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies has been a fixture in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. And now,…
Dallas — Slim Chickens has inked a deal to bring 10 locations to cities throughout greater Dallas. Farouk Jamal and Ali Poonja of Slim Brothers will be bringing the restaurants to Collin and Denton counties in fourth quarter 2022. “After…
Scottsdale, Ariz. — Savory Fund has invested in the popular brunch concept, Hash Kitchen. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chain creatively designed around a social dining experience is the latest brand to attract growth capital from Mercato Partners’ $200 million Savory Restaurant…
Charlotte, N.C. — Clean Juice, the first and only national USDA-certified organic juice bar franchise and quick-service restaurant, has demonstrated another quarter of impressive guest count and sales growth. “Despite these record-breaking successes and forward-moving gains, we still feel as…
Wichita, Kan. — Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has signed four new multi-unit agreements with new and existing operators to bring more than a dozen new restaurants to New Jersey, Texas, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and South Dakota. Year-to-date, Freddy’s has…
— By Manik Suri — Food waste is a major issue. Here’s what you can do about it. What do Dutch Bro’s, Eggs Up Grill, and Domino’s have in common? They are creating more sustainable businesses by replacing manual…
Orlando, Fla. — Another Broken Egg Cafe, a full-service breakfast, brunch and lunch franchise that specializes in Southern-inspired menu options and creative cocktails, has now opened over 20 new cafes with its New South design prototype and completed 13 remodels…
Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, Buffalo’s Express and 13 other restaurant concepts, is heading to Illinois with a newly inked deal in partnership with A.D.T.J. Development LLC to open 25 Fatburger and…
Longmont, Colo. — Ziggi’s Coffee has opened its landmark 40th location. The new coffee shop is located in Loveland, Colo. Founded on the corner of Main Street in Longmont, Colo., by Brandon and Camrin Knudsen in 2004, Ziggi’s Coffee now…
Nashville, Tenn. — Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, has experienced a surge in franchise development throughout 2021, reporting 18 new agreements signed to develop 43 locations in key markets nationwide over the next several years. Half of…
Scottsdale, Ariz. — The Arctic Circle Restaurant chain is partnering with Kitchen United in Scottsdale, Ariz., to offer delivery and fulfillment of its food. The new location opened for pickup and delivery on Oct. 25 at Kitchen United MIX on…
Las Vegas — PowerSoul Cafe, the world’s first 100% gluten-free fast-food restaurant chain, plans its flagship location in Southwest Las Vegas. The healthy food and smoothie cafe will debut at Tarkanian Plaza in summer 2022. The flagship location will serve…
— Interview with Tana Davila — Upgrades to P.F. Chang’s ambiance, design and decor drive traffic and sales — even during the pandemic. This month [September 2021], P.F. Chang’s opened a new flagship in Hawaii, following a 6-month renovation…
Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has set science-based targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year. The…
Tampa, Fla. — Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. has appointed Astrid Isaacs to chief technology officer for Bloomin’ Brands. She will lead the company’s technology strategy and platforms, while overseeing the IT, digital and loyalty teams. Isaacs will also join the executive…
Chicago — Aloha Poke Co., the nation’s premier fast-casual poke restaurant concept, has expanded into the Atlanta market. This venture marks the first Aloha Poke fast-casual eatery in the state of Georgia, with potential to add more throughout 2022. Aloha…