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Emerging Franchise Happy Joe’s Prepares for Expansion with Redesign by Harrison

by Katie Lee

Bettendorf, Iowa — Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream has partnered with global design consultant firm Harrison to utilize its award-winning strategic branding, interior design and architectural expertise to create a new image and brand design for the family-centric concept, in preparation for expansion. Through its strategic storytelling approach, Harrison is tasked to create a look and feel that connects Happy Joe’s nostalgic 49-year-long past with elements of today’s dining and “eatertainment” venues. With plans to expand across the U.S. and beyond, Harrison will also keep growth top-of-mind in order …

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Church’s Chicken to be Acquired by Owners of Quiznos and Taco Del Mar

by Katie Lee

San Diego — High Bluff Capital Partners, supported by various alternative investment funds managed by FS Investments, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Church’s Chicken®, one of the world’s largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains, from FFL Partners. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to be completed during third quarter 2021. Based in Atlanta and founded in 1952, Church’s® has more than 1,500 locations in 26 countries and international territories. Demonstrating considerable resiliency in the face of a devastating global pandemic, the brand in 2020 leveraged …

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Topgolf Expands & Strengthens Executive Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Global sports and entertainment leader Topgolf Entertainment Group has named Genifer (Gen) Gray as the chief operating officer of U.S. venues; Geoff Cottrill will join the company as chief marketing officer; and Kristi Maynor will join as chief people officer. The three leaders bring a wealth of experience in building consumer-facing brands and will report to Artie Starrs, who came to Topgolf as chief executive officer earlier this year and continues to scale the company’s leadership team to match its rapid expansion. “The addition of Gen, Geoff and …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Chicken Salad Chick to Open 200th Location in Georgia

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only Southern-inspired, fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, will open its 200th location in LaGrange, Ga., on August 11. The milestone follows a robust pipeline of development, with Chicken Salad Chick already welcoming over 20 new locations in the first half of 2021 alone. Under the leadership of CEO Scott Deviney, the brand has doubled its footprint in just 3 years. Located at 1509 Lafayette Pkwy and featuring a drive-thru, the LaGrange restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on August 11 by offering free …

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Industry Voicesjan/sanrestaurants

What “Clean” Means

by Katie Lee

— By Chris Gurreri —   How restaurants can rise to the raised expectations of what “clean” means in a post-pandemic world.   The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened everyone’s awareness of everyday actions, from breathing to touching doorknobs. One area that deeply affects the retail and restaurant industry is the general public’s increased expectation of cleanliness in public spaces. Restaurants from the fast-food industry to local cafes have put up signs demonstrating their commitment to health, detailing their mask requirements, social distancing requests and cleaning procedures. In this article, we’ll …

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Taco John’s Taps SMG for Customer Experience Management Program

by Katie Lee

Kansas City, Mo. — Service Management Group (SMG), a global customer, patient and employee experience management partner to more than 500 brands, has partnered with quick-service restaurant franchise Taco John’s. The Mexican QSR brand chose SMG for its differentiated software with a service (SwaS) offering, deep industry expertise and robust integration capabilities. Spurred by record-breaking sales and rapid growth, Taco John’s needed an enterprise experience management solution that would allow it to capture guest feedback at nearly 400 restaurants and uncover customer insights throughout the customer journey. The brand partnered …

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New Plant-Based Restaurant Concept, Nuleaf, to Open in New York City

by Katie Lee

New York City — NuLeaf, an entirely plant-based fast-casual restaurant, will open in New York City on August 2. Founded by Michael Pease and Craig Cochran, formerly of the popular Terri restaurants, NuLeaf will open two locations this summer. The first, at 23 W. 23rd St., will operate in 1,750 square feet with 46 seats indoors. NuLeaf embraces the values of its founders’ first restaurant concept, Terri, by showcasing wholesome, delicious, high-quality ingredients that just so happen to be plant-based. Cochran worked alongside the culinary team to develop recipes that …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Streetsense Partners with Capital One to Design its First Airport Lounges with Elevated F&B Experience

by Katie Lee

Bethesda, Md. — Streetsense has formed a partnership with McLean, Va.-based Capital One Financial Corporation to develop the company’s food and beverage program for its first airport lounges. The Capital One Lounge will open its first location at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) later this year. Capital One selected Streetsense to develop the food and beverage vision and guest experience, including regionalized menus, grab-and-go programs, retail strategy and branding. “When designing the new Capital One Lounges, we talked to customers and industry experts to understand what works and what doesn’t …

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Team Schostak Family of Restaurants Names 3 New Executives

by Katie Lee

Livonia, Mich. — TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR) has promoted two team members to senior executive roles and hired a new vice president. John Andrews has been promoted to senior vice president of operations of the TSFR Casual Dine Division and Jeremy Braswell to senior director of operations for TSFR Applebee’s restaurants. Joining the TSFR team is Ryan Jones who will assume the role of vice president of operations for Olga’s Kitchen. “We are thrilled to recognize John and Jeremy for their growth and contributions to TSFR and to welcome …

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7-Eleven Opens First Store to Feature Both Laredo Taco and Raise the Roost

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — 7-Eleven is debuting Tennessee’s first new-build store in the town of Murfreesboro, south of Nashville. The new store will be the very first to feature the convenience retailer’s two most popular restaurant concepts — the Laredo Taco Company® and Raise the Roost® Chicken and Biscuits — under one roof. Not only that, but the opening marks the expansion of the convenience retailer’s footprint in the state in a big way. The Murfreesboro location will be one of many stores opening in the greater Nashville area in 2021 …

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