— By Clint Williams — Diving into what’s going on with the labor market and how to attract and retain good restaurant workers. According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), over 80% of restaurants were hiring in 2023 and the same goes for 2024. That is, if they can find good, qualified workers — workers they can pay and workers who will stay. From servers on the front lines to cleaners in the back of house, the hiring landscape can be a tough, uphill climb. To cope with sub-septimal staffing …
restaurants
Atlanta — Perkins Restaurant & Bakery®, a family-dining restaurant serving homestyle comfort classics and fresh-from-the-oven pies since 1958, has signed a groundbreaking 10-unit development deal, marking Perkins’ first foray into California. “We are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey as we introduce Perkins to the vibrant state of California,” says Peter Ortiz, chief operating officer of Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. “This expansion represents a huge milestone for our brand, and we are confident that our timeless concept and exceptional dining experience will resonate deeply with Californians.” Confirmed locations for …
Albuquerque, N.M. — Wetzel’s Pretzels is now open in Coronado Center in Albuquerque. Wetzel’s joins more than 130 retail shops at the mall, which is the state’s largest shopping center. The new location also marks the first Wetzel’s Pretzels in the state of New Mexico. The debut New Mexico location is owned and operated by Tamanna Sayed and Md Abul Kalam Azad. “As existing franchise owners in California, we were ready to start a journey with Wetzel’s into a region with tons of growth potential,” says Sayed. “We’re drawn to …
St. Louis, Mo. — Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles-based street food sensation turned breakthrough fast-casual brand, has signed a multi-unit agreement for seven locations across St. Louis — the brand’s first in Missouri — with established entrepreneur Raj Patel and his company, The Hari Group. The Hari Group now owns and operates over 100 franchise locations across major food brands like McAlister’s Deli, Dunkin’ and Dave’s Hot Chicken. “I’ve always believed in leading by example and ensuring that each location is effectively set up operationally to thrive,” says Patel, …
Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts continues its trend of positive same-store sales and bolsters its rapid growth trajectory with an expanded development team, 14 signed deals for 61 new locations throughout Texas and six shops opened so far in 2024. Shipley’s development team, headed by its senior vice president of franchise development, Keith Sizemore, has expanded with two key employees. Jonathan Massey joined Shipley in March as vice president of sales after serving as director of franchise development at Wingstop and, prior to that, at Pizza Hut. Also joining the team …
Denver — Sage Hospitality Group has named Justin Fowler as the new chief operating officer for Sage Restaurant Concepts (SRC), overseeing operations of Sage’s growing list of more than 50 restaurants, bars, cafes and venues in the SRC portfolio, effective June 1. “Our award-winning restaurants and bars are community cornerstones in the many cities and destinations where we operate,” says Daniel del Olmo, president of hotels and restaurants at Sage Hospitality Group. “Justin’s proven track record of delivering results, operational excellence as well as his deep knowledge of the fine …
Tampa, Fla. — The chief executive officer of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., David Deno, will be retiring after 12 years with the company, including the last 5 years as CEO and a member of the board of directors. Deno will continue in his current role until a successor is named and a successful transition period is completed. The board of directors will conduct a search for Deno’s successor. “David has strengthened the financial foundation at Bloomin’ Brands through better profitability and a stronger balance sheet, which is especially impressive given nearly …
Chicago — Craveworthy Brands, an innovative fast-casual restaurant platform company with 12 brands under its umbrella, has a new addition to its portfolio with the acquisition of Sigri Indian BBQ. Craveworthy Brands is also the parent company of Bd’s Mongolian Grill, Dirty Dough, Flat Top Grill, Genghis Grill, Krafted Burger Bar + Tap, Lucky Cat Poke Co., Pastizza Pizza & Pasta, Scramblin’ Ed’s, Soom Soom Mediterranean, The Budlong Southern Chicken and Wing It On! The company will infuse its operating procedures, marketing strategies and finance processes to optimize restaurant operations …
Plano, Texas — On May 6, Pizza Hut announced that Juan Carlos “Carl” Loredo will join the company as the president of Pizza Hut U.S., reporting to Pizza Hut division CEO Aaron Powell, effective June 3. Loredo joins Pizza Hut from Wendy’s. “Carl comes to Pizza Hut with a strong track record of positioning brands for success and delivering results in highly competitive markets. He is adept at helping brands show up in novel and authentic ways at the right intersection of customer need and culture,” says Powell. “The Pizza …
Oklahoma City — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil, has signed a lease agreement to open its first Oklahoma location in Oklahoma City. The new 8,439-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open later this year at 13710 Pennsylvania Ave. in Memorial Square. “We are excited to introduce Fogo to the Oklahoma market and expand our Southwest footprint with our first restaurant in Oklahoma City,” says Barry McGowan, chief executive officer of Fogo de Chão. “Our restaurant will serve as a memorable addition to Oklahoma City’s dining scene and …