Kansas City, Mo. — Service Management Group (SMG), a global customer, patient and employee experience management partner to more than 500 brands, has launched a new customer experience management program with QDOBA Mexican Eats. The Mexican fast-casual chain is working with SMG to drive program adoption, increase guest satisfaction and advance its customer experience strategy. QDOBA has launched the SMG customer experience management program to capture guest feedback and uncover customer insights across its nearly 750 locations. With feedback from across the customer journey available in the smg360® platform, QDOBA …
restaurants
New York City — Shake Shack Inc. has announced that Tara Comonte, president and chief financial officer for the last 4 years, will depart the company in May to become CEO of a private company outside of the restaurant industry. Comonte, who joined Shake Shack in 2017, will remain in her current role through May 7, 2021 to oversee the company’s fiscal first quarter 2021 reporting period and ensure a thorough transition of her responsibilities. The company is in the process of retaining a firm to manage the search for …
Taco Bell Opens Digital-Only Location in Times Square, Continues Ambitious Growth Pipeline
Irvine, Calif. — On April 14, 2021, Taco Bell® opened a new Cantina in the heart of Times Square. Built with the energy and on-the-go vibrance of the city in mind, the newest restaurant embraces technology in a whole new way to serve the demands of New Yorkers. Features of the new space include: Digital-only ordering with prominent menu kiosks inside the restaurant. The restaurant’s 10 kiosks replace traditional analog menu boards. Order ahead pickup cubbies, located in a separate double-door entrance, allow customers to skip the traditional restaurant experience …
Jericho, N.Y. — Family owned and operated since 1975, the entrepreneurs behind the Bagel Boss brand plan to bring more than 50 new franchise locations to markets across the country over the next 2 years. Known for its fresh, authentic New York bagels, Bagel Boss already has 15 locations in the Empire State. “Our commitment to providing authentic New York bagels and gourmet coffee, coupled with our innovation and extraordinary customer service, places us in a prime position for future growth,” says Adam Rosner, fifth-generation bagel and bialy baker, as …
Orlando, Fla. — Another Broken Egg Cafe, an innovative full-service breakfast, brunch and lunch franchise that specializes in Southern-inspired menu options and creative cocktails, has signed development agreements in the first quarter of 2021 to open 14 new locations. Additionally, the brand opened units in Orlando, Fla.; Cincinnati; Westlake, Ohio; and Bossier City, La., during the first quarter and plans to debut up to 14 more cafes this year. In addition to the company’s development success and growth, Another Broken Egg Cafe just experienced one of its best sales quarters …
Irving, Texas — 7-Eleven, Inc. has opened its newest Evolution Store — which features tacos on handmade tortillas, frozen margaritas on tap, a stocked wine cellar and beer cooler, fresh-baked croissants and cookies, customized espresso drinks, artisan craft sodas, premium cigars in a cedar-lined humidor and more — in Prosper, Texas. This location marks the first Evolution Store for 7-Eleven and Laredo Taco Company®, the convenience retailer’s taqueria, in the North Texas area outside of Dallas County. This is 7-Eleven’s fourth Evolution Store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and seventh …
Famous Dave’s to Debut Drive-Thru and New Quick ‘Que Models in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas
Minnetonka, Minn. — Famous Dave’s, the fast-growing barbeque franchise with 134 restaurants across the country, is bringing its counter and line-serve “Quick ‘Que” prototypes to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. The Las Vegas location — a line-serve model — will open on Paradise Road, just a few blocks from the Las Vegas Strip, in early June. The Salt Lake City restaurant — a counter-serve model with a drive-thru — will open on South State Street in June. Both restaurant models boast small footprints with the goal of a quicker …
Longmont, Colo. — Ziggi’s Coffee has inked its 100th deal with the company’s first franchisees. Steve and Jill Anderson signed the first Ziggi’s Coffee franchise agreement just 4.5 years ago. Now, with four stores up and running, the Andersons have signed the company’s milestone agreement as they plan to continue their Colorado expansion. The Andersons opened the company’s first franchise location in 2017, a double-sided drive-thru in Loveland, Colo. Today, they have two locations in Loveland, one in Johnstown, Colo., and one in Castle Pines, Colo., with two more units …
Wheaton, MD. — Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee has opened its first location in Maryland this month at the Westfield Wheaton Mall in Wheaton. Located at 2800 University Blvd. W., Suite C., Jollibee’s store hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Jollibee offers customers the option to order food through the store’s call and pick-up order process. Customers may begin placing their orders two hours in advance of their desired pick-up time. In compliance with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, indoor dining and walk-in orders will not be offered …
Alpharetta, Ga. — Taffer’s Tavern, the new tavern concept founded by star of Paramount Network’s Bar Rescue, Jon Taffer, has signed a multi-unit franchise agreement to bring 10 locations to Northern and Central Florida, with an initial focus on the Orlando metro area, Gainesville, Jacksonville and Panhandle regions. The territory also extends into Savannah, Ga. Taffer’s Tavern’s first outpost opened in Alpharetta, Ga. last fall, and there are 22 units already secured in the greater Las Vegas, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta areas. The restaurant concept features tavern food and …