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Bloomin’ Brands Names New Chief Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

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 leadership team. “Astrid’s proven ability to develop and implement technology to enable growth and enhance customer service, while improving productivity, will create a great deal of value for our customers and our company,” says David Deno, chief executive officer of Bloomin’ Brands. “Digital connections, whether with our customers, our operators …

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Aloha Poke Co. Enters Georgia Market

by Katie Lee

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 Poke’s Atlanta expansion signals a surge in growth for the brand and follows major growth in Texas and other states. “Aloha Poke Co. is thrilled to come to Georgia,” says Chris Birkinshaw, CEO, Aloha Poke Co. “We are happy that the people of Atlanta and surrounding communities will have access …

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FAT Brands Inc. to Acquire Fazoli’s Restaurant Chain for $130 Million

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has agreed to acquire Fazoli’s for $130 million from funds under management by Sentinel Capital Partners. This acquisition brings to FAT Brands the largest premium QSR Italian chain in the U.S., and will be funded with cash from the issuance of new notes from the company’s securitization facilities. The transaction is expected to close by mid-December 2021. The planned acquisition of Fazoli’s further speaks to FAT Brands’ recent diversification of its restaurant portfolio, making a foray into the Italian quick-service dining …

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Muscle Maker Signs 40-Unit International Franchise Deal

by Katie Lee

League City, Texas — Muscle Maker Inc., the parent company of Muscle Maker Grill, Pokemoto and SuperFit Foods, has inked a Master Franchise Agreement for 40 units in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, solidifying the company’s second multi-unit international deal. The newly signed 40-unit agreement will grow the company’s international footprint by 400%. Muscle Maker Grill previously signed a 10-unit deal in Kuwait. Muscle Makers’ current Kuwaiti international franchise partners Abrar Kadhem Almatrouk, Abdullah Kadhem Almatrouk, Yousef Kadhem Almatrouk and Essa Kadhem Almatrouk will expand the brand across Saudi Arabia …

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Shipley Do-Nuts Breaks Ground on New Headquarters

by Katie Lee

Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts, the iconic Houston-born do-nut shop brand, celebrated its 85th anniversary with a groundbreaking on Oct. 28 for its new 60,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at Cullen and Gulf Freeway in Houston. The site is well-known to Houstonians as the location of the old Finger Furniture flagship showroom and, before that, Buff Stadium, home to minor league baseball’s Houston Buffalos from 1928-1961. The state-of-the-art facility, slated to open in the last quarter of 2022, will feature a full working flagship Shipley Do-Nut shop with an interior drive-thru going right …

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Grinders Coffee Bar Teams Up with Harrison to Rebrand and Reopen as New Concept: Wild

by Katie Lee

Houston — Grinders Coffee Bar and CBD Apothecary is preparing to become the go-to upscale destination for exploring natural cannabis derivatives and Hemp-infused coffee, mocktails/cocktails, pastries and more in a “lounge” type environment when it reopens to the Houston community as Wild. With the help of Dallas-based architecture and design firm Harrison, Wild will open as a boutique dispensary, coffee shop and bar in a lounge environment. Harrison’s work for Wild spans from identity exploration and concept development to extensive branding such as logo, packaging, merchandising and building design. The …

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Jack in the Box Signs Agreements to Open 111 New Locations in 2021

by Katie Lee

San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc., one of the nation’s leading QSR chains, has awarded seven development agreements in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021 to open 47 new restaurants. In total, Jack in the Box has awarded 23 development agreements in fiscal year 2021 to build 111 stores over the course of the next several years. The agreements will help the brand grow in existing markets including Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston, as well as new ones such as Salt Lake City and Louisville, Ky., indicating …

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Lightspeed Launches New Flagship Restaurant POS Platform in North America

by Katie Lee

Montréal — Lightspeed Commerce Inc., the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, has launched the all-new Lightspeed Restaurant, a unified hospitality commerce and point-of-sale (POS) platform. Through strategic global acquisitions, Lightspeed has combined the power of Upserve, Gastrofix, Kounta and iKentoo with new solutions and modules, to simplify processes and enable merchants to build thriving businesses for the future. This best-in-class solution built through years of strategic investments and innovation, brings together an innovative POS, contactless integrated payments, online ordering, …

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Peter Piper Pizza Acquires 10 Arizona Franchised Locations, Plans Expansion in Texas

by Katie Lee

Phoenix — Peter Piper, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of CEC Entertainment, LLC, which also owns Chuck E. Cheese and Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings, signed an agreement to acquire nine Tucson and one Phoenix-area Peter Piper Pizza restaurants owned by franchisee Southwest Pizza, Inc. Local Tucson family-owned Southwest Pizza, Inc., which has been a Peter Piper Pizza franchisee for nearly 40 years, decided to sell all its locations earlier this year. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. Peter Piper, LLC, will take over the operations of these locations …

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Time Out Market Appoints Chief Operating Officer of the Americas

by Katie Lee

New York City — Time Out Market, the world’s first food and cultural market rooted in editorial curation, has hired Jay Coldren as chief operating officer of the Americas. In this newly created role, he will report to CEO Didier Souillat and will be instrumental in expanding the footprint, driving efficiency and increasing profitability of the Time Out Market brand across the Americas. Coldren brings more than 30 years of hospitality experience spanning the restaurant, boutique hotel and gourmet retail segments. Most recently, he served as the executive director of …

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