San Diego — QDOBA Mexican Eats, the largest franchise opportunity in the fast-casual Mexican segment, has hired franchising industry veteran Peter Ortiz as vice president of franchise development. In his new role, Ortiz will be directing the 730-unit brand’s strategic franchise expansion across key markets in the U.S. and Canada. He joined the brand in mid-August from Potbelly. In recent years, QDOBA set the stage for continued growth by hiring over 100 corporate employees at its new San Diego headquarters, establishing a more distinctive brand identity and expanding its menu …
restaurants
Greensboro, N.C. — Biscuitville founder Maurice Neuborne Jennings passed away on September 19, having spent his last days surrounded by his family. He was 86. Jennings founded Biscuitville in 1966 first as Pizzaville, which became a community favorite pizza restaurant. In the mornings, biscuits along with a legendary jelly bar were offered at Pizzaville. Demand for biscuits was so immense that Jennings opened the first stand-alone Biscuitville in 1975, serving only biscuits. Today, there are 64 Biscuitville restaurants in North Carolina and Virginia. Jennings’ son, Burney Jennings, is the chief …
“Challenges in Restaurant Facilities Management: How are Restaurant Facilities Maintenance Teams Responding to COVID-19?”
by Katie Lee
The “Challenges in Restaurant Facilities Management: How are Restaurant Facilities Maintenance Teams Responding to COVID-19?” webinar, hosted by Retail & Restaurant Facility Business, delves into importance issues of cleanliness, technology, layout and protocols. In a new reality where restaurant operations have suddenly become a visible part of the customer experience and level of satisfaction, restaurant leaders and service providers weigh in on what the restaurant industry needs to take on the challenges of COVID-19 and keep staff and customers safe. See a list of some topics covered below: Evolving cleaning …
Arlington, Va. — Bob & Edith’s Diner, an iconic Washington, D.C., eatery beloved by celebrities and locals alike, recently opened its fifth corporate location in Arlington, Va., despite COVID-19-related delays. The new location welcomed more customers than anticipated in its first week (both on- and off-premise), highlighting the concept’s popularity and cult-like following in D.C. and surrounding areas. The new location has special significance to owner Greg Bolton. “My dad worked at this very location 65 years ago, before he opened the first Bob & Edith’s Diner,” he says. “I …
Chula Vista, Calif. — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Hurricane Grill & Wings and eight other restaurant concepts, has opened Hurricane Grill & Wings in Chula Vista, Calif. This marks the restaurant brand’s first location in California and its first fast-casual restaurant concept nationwide. “We are excited to expand fan-favorite Hurricane Grill & Wings into the California market,” says Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of FAT Brands. “While we have had great success with our full-serve model, we see a huge appetite and demand for a fast-casual experience …
Orlando, Fla. — Darden Restaurants Inc. has reported its sales fell 28.4% in its fiscal first quarter, which ended Aug. 30. The Orlando, Fla.-based company owns restaurant brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s. Darden reported that sales in its fine dining restaurants fell 38.9% year-over-year. Sales at Olive Garden slid 27.7%, while LongHorn saw a decrease of 16.3%. At the beginning of its first quarter, Darden had 68% of restaurants in its portfolio open, compared …
Orange County, Calif. — Rodeo 39 Public Market will be Southern California’s newest culinary and community experience when it opens in mid-October. Not your typical food hall, Rodeo 39 features expansive hangar doors that open up for an inside/outside setting, original artwork and murals from five different Southern California artists and several first-to-market retail and restaurant concepts. “We wanted to do something different and we were committed to breathing new life into this stretch of Orange County, right here in Stanton,” says Dan Almquist, managing partner of Frontier Real Estate …
Atlanta — Jamba®, a global lifestyle brand leader, has signed a 50-unit deal to expand in Japan. With two Tokyo locations now open, ADASTRIA eat Creations Inc. — a subsidiary of one of the largest fashion and apparel companies in Japan — is driving Jamba’s Japan expansion. ADASTRIA has opened two locations in Tokyo and has plans to expand to 50 locations across Japan by 2025. “As we strategically expand our brand portfolio in select countries around the world, we believe that Japan is an ideal market for Jamba as …
Davenport, Iowa — The state of Iowa’s first and only non-alcoholic bar called Unimpaired, located at 246 W. 3rd St. in the heart of downtown Davenport, has now opened. Unimpaired’s mission is to provide excellent customer service with the highest standards of integrity, as well as an environment where patrons can enjoy a non-alcoholic drink, relax and socialize in a space where fun times aren’t foggy and make memories to remember forever. At Unimpaired, locals and visitors can tap into a non-alcoholic environment and experience all the amenities of a …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — Slim Chickens, a leading fast-casual franchise in the “better chicken” segment, has inked a deal that will bring 10 locations to cities throughout Tennessee. The Davis Group, which consists of Scott, Ricky and Cody Davis, will bring the restaurants to Jackson, Knoxville and Chattanooga. The Davis Group is partnering with David Hull, Greg Rowden and Josh Rowden to co-own and operate existing Slim Chickens restaurants in Memphis and Arkansas. They will continue development in those markets as well. “We are so excited to expand our Slim Chickens …