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First Watch Opens New Corporate Headquarters in Bradenton, FL

by Katie Lee

Bradenton, Fla. — First Watch, an award-winning brunch concept, has opened the doors to its new corporate headquarters in the University Town Center area in Bradenton, Fla. The newly constructed 39,000-square-foot standalone building is located just off Cooper Creek Boulevard behind the BJ’s shopping center at 8725 Pendery Pl., a new street named for the company’s chairman emeritus and former CEO, Kenneth L. Pendery, Jr. “For decades, First Watch has had the distinct privilege and pleasure of calling the Suncoast our home. Ever since our founders made the decision to …

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Freddy’s Names Chief Development Officer, Expands Franchise Development Executive Team

by Katie Lee

Wichita, Kan. — Fast-casual restaurant concept Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers® has added multiple new members to the development team, which will be led by Andrew Thengvall, who was recently promoted to chief development officer. For the last 6 years, Thengvall served as senior vice president of strategic growth & chief legal officer. Now he will oversee the company’s most recent additions including Mary Coots, director of franchise development, and Todd Phelps, director of franchise real estate. “Andrew Thengvall’s dedication to advising and strengthening the Freddy’s brand has been stellar …

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Toasted Yolk Café Expansion Reaches North Texas

by Katie Lee

Southlake, Texas — The first Toasted Yolk Café is coming to North Texas this fall. Paul Vernon at Henry S. Miller brokered the transaction. Located in Southlake’s Gateway Plaza Shopping Center, the 4,056-square-foot breakfast and lunch restaurant is slated to open late fall 2021 after renovations to the existing space and patio. Yolked LLC, a new franchisee group from Houston and Dallas, signed the lease. Ryan Patterson of Yolked LLC and his team scouted more than 50 locations across Dallas-Fort Worth and kept returning to Southlake, where they felt there …

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facilities managementNewsrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

86 Repairs Secures $7.3 Million in Additional Funding

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Chicago-based restaurant tech company 86 Repairs has closed an additional $5.3 million from investors including TDF Ventures, Gordon Food Service (GFS), MATH Venture Partners, Revolution and Cleveland Avenue. The new financing brings the company’s funding in this round to $7.3 million, and total capital raised to $8.8 million to date. Disrupting the $26 billion restaurant equipment repair and maintenance (R&M) industry, 86 Repairs automates the end-to-end repair and maintenance process for restaurants and provides actionable insights to improve back-of-house operations. The end result is significant time and cost …

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The Dolly Llama Inks First Franchising Deals to Begin National Expansion

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — The Dolly Llama, the popular waffle and ice cream concept that currently dominates the Los Angeles dessert-scene with its own unique take on Hong Kong’s iconic Bubble Waffle, has inked two franchise deals for Tyler, Texas, and Jacksonville, Fla. The two deals are the first for the newly franchised concept, which was founded in 2017 by French restaurateur and entrepreneur Samuel Baroux and real estate leader Eric Shomof, since partnering with DCV Franchise Group in late 2019. The Tyler, Texas, deal includes one brick-and-mortar location with locals …

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Carl’s Jr. Celebrates 80th Anniversary

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — Carl’s Jr.® is turning 80 years old this year. Since Carl Karcher opened his first hot dog cart in Los Angeles in 1941, Carl’s Jr. has since grown into an innovative brand with an international footprint. “As a team member who has been with CKE Restaurants for more than 30 of Carl’s Jr.’s extraordinary 80-year history, I have had the honor to hold a front row seat to many iconic milestones this brand has achieved thanks to Carl Karcher’s dream,” says Ned Lyerly, CEO of CKE Restaurants …

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JRI Hospitality Opens New Office, Hires Senior Leadership

by Katie Lee

Wichita, Kan. — JRI Hospitality, which operates four restaurant brands spread throughout the country, has opened a new 3,286-square-foot office in Wichita, Kan., to help continue its growth trajectory and added two senior-level executives who will work there. Mark Scholler has joined the company as its new chief development officer. Scholler previously served as senior vice president of franchise development for Freddy’s LLC — the parent company of the Freddy’s brand — since 2007. He has almost 50 years of restaurant experience over the course of his career. Scholler had …

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Starbird Chicken Increases Footprint and Prepares to Launch National Franchise Program

by Katie Lee

San Francisco — Starbird Chicken, a super-premium fast food concept, has achieved its third year of positive same store sales growth, with 2021 YTD same store sales coming in at +75% over 2019 and +36% over 2020. The brand increased its location footprint by 28% in the first half of 2021 and is slated to enter multiple undisclosed locations in the Bay Area and Los Angeles within the next 24 months. This growth comes on the heels of a successful 2020 despite the pandemic, where Starbird Chicken reported a 36% …

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Überrito Fresh Mex Launches Franchise Expansion Plan

by Katie Lee

Houston — Authentic fast-casual Mexican concept Überrito Fresh Mex, which first launched in 2014 in Houston’s Durham Park neighborhood, has revamped its restaurant model and, with the support of parent company MRI Heritage Brands, Inc., eyes a more ambitious franchise expansion program. “Almost everyone can relate to a freshly made burrito or taco because people are driven by an emotional connection to authentic Mexican food — it’s very strong and powerful,” says Pete Pascuzzi, CEO of MRI Heritage Brands, Inc. “We’ve remained true to who we are as a brand …

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Shipley Do-Nuts Expands Executive Leadership Team

by Katie Lee

Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts continues building its senior leadership team with the addition of Donna Josephson as chief marketing officer and Kerry Leo as vice president of technology. Josephson (pictured at right) previously held CMO titles at Corner Bakery, Fazoli’s and McAlister’s Deli. She also brings experience from Wendy’s International, Applebee’s International and Chick-fil-A. Leo has more than a decade of technology and operational leadership experience and joins Shipley from Church’s Chicken/Texas Chicken, where he served as senior director of information technology. Prior to Church’s Chicken, Leo served as director, …

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