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Chicken Salad Chick Plans 20 New Restaurants in Texas

by Katie Lee

Austin, Texas — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, has signed franchise agreements that will bring nearly 20 new restaurants to Texas over the next 5 years. The brand has signed two major deals over the past year in Texas— one for eight units in San Antonio in October 2021 and most recently one for eight units in Austin. Chicken Salad Chick already has 21 existing locations across Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston. The brand plans to open five new locations in Texas this year, …

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Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. CEO to Retire at Year-End

by Katie Lee

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Paul Murphy, president and chief executive officer of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., has informed the company’s board of directors that he intends to retire at the end of 2022 when his employment agreement expires. Murphy will be assisting the board as they search to identify a successor and will remain as a special advisor until March 31, 2023 to work with the board and his successor to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Murphy is an experienced veteran of the restaurant industry having begun his …

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German Doner Kebab Continues U.S. Expansion with Key Executive Hires

by Katie Lee

New York City — As part of an aggressive expansion plan for North America, German Doner Kebab USA (GDK USA) has hired Robert Bray (pictured) as operations director and Mark Treptow as director of franchise development, along with recent hires Georgina Cavendish, chief financial officer, and Darren Cooke as marketing director. GDK was founded in 1989. Reporting to Nigel Belton, GDK North America’s managing director, Bray has more than 20 years of operations experience with YUM! Brands and was most recently senior regional franchise director at Church’s Chicken. Treptow has …

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construction and designIndustry Voicesremodelsrestaurants

Cooking Up Value

by Katie Lee

— By Bruno Hanelt —   Unlocking hidden value and difference-making savings in restaurant (re)construction projects.   Restaurant owners and operators looking to expand to new spaces are facing some structural market headwinds right now that makes completing reconstruction and buildout projects on-time and on-budget extremely challenging. The combination of inflation, steeply rising prices for construction materials, and increasingly common (and costly) supply chain disruptions can make planning and budgeting for commercial development projects an exercise in frustration. Even in this uniquely challenging moment, however, experienced commercial construction companies can …

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Popeyes Marks 50th Anniversary; Plans to Open 200 New Restaurants

by Katie Lee

Miami — Popeyes® has turned 50. The southern brand was founded in 1972 by Al Copeland in New Orleans. Continuing its growth trajectory, the company also plans to open more than 200 restaurants in 2022 across the U.S. and Canada. “At Popeyes, we believe when guests bite into our crunchy signature chicken, they are automatically transported back to the original kitchen in the New Orleans suburb of Arabi. Year after year, Popeyes dedicated itself to ensuring the love, time, and traditions that went into making its fried chicken in 1972 …

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Fresh Brothers Names Former CKE COO as its New CEO

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — Los Angeles-based Fresh Brothers has named former CKE Restaurants, Inc. executive Ron Coolbaugh as its new CEO. With extensive experience in global growth, Coolbaugh will oversee Fresh Brothers as it continues to expand with plans to move into new markets beyond Southern California. Coolbaugh started with CKE, the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, as a high school student in the mid-1980s. For the next three decades he continued to rise through key roles in management and led much of the company’s international footprint, culminating in …

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Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express Plan 10-Store Development Deal in Puerto Rico

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, Buffalo’s Express and 15 other restaurant concepts, has inked a new development deal to open 10 new franchised locations in Puerto Rico. Franchisee Conceptos Restaurants LLC is leading the deal to bring Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express to the island with the restaurants set to open over the next 5 years. “2022 has been a strong year of growth for Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express with new development deals in Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, and now, Puerto Rico, and we …

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Denny’s Joins “Pathways” Program to Support Black Franchise Ownership

by Katie Lee

Spartanburg, S.C. — Denny’s has announced its commitment to the Pathways to Black Franchise Ownership program created by the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA). Denny’s and MFHA have enjoyed a successful 25-year alliance and, as a new Pathways to Black Franchise Ownership partner, Denny’s will help MFHA reach its goal of creating 100 Black-owned franchises by 2023. The Pathways to Black Franchise Ownership program aims to make systemic change and drive greater wealth in the Black community by empowering African American entrepreneurs to operate high-performing franchise businesses. Research from …

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Zaxby’s Names New Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer

by Katie Lee

Athens, Ga. — Zaxby’s, a premium quick-service restaurant brand founded in Athens, Ga., has named Patrick Schwing as chief marketing & strategy officer. He joins Zaxby’s from Inspire Brands, where he has served as Arby’s chief marketing officer and president of the Franchise Association for more than 2 years. In his new role, Schwing will oversee marketing communications, loyalty, e-commerce, R&D and media including digital and social to help the organization architect its future growth plans. “As Zaxby’s focuses on brand and culinary differentiation, we are excited to add Patrick …

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Famous Toastery Hires New VP of Franchise Development

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Eric Gustafsson has been named the new vice president of franchise development for Famous Toastery. He will play an instrumental role in supporting incoming franchise owners as the brand moves closer to achieving its goal of reaching 50 units — doubling its current footprint — by 2024. Gustafsson brings many years of experience in the restaurant and franchising industries. Most recently, Gustafsson worked as director of business development for REEF, a global ghost kitchen technology company with 400 operations throughout the world. Prior to that, Gustafsson worked …

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