Conshohocken, Pa. — Saladworks, a leading entrée salad franchise in the fast-casual space, has partnered with the United States Air Force to develop Saladworks restaurants on U.S. bases. “A couple of years ago, we embarked on a revamp of our military base food and beverage platform,” says Mike Baker, chief of strategy and innovation at the Air Force Services Center. “What we have attempted to do with this new model is really modernize our food and beverage options. A younger, more socially aware demographic is in service now, with millennials …
restaurants
Atlanta — Hemingway’s, a Tampa, Fla.-based Cuban restaurant and winner of “Best Cuban Sandwich,” is opening a second location in Atlanta. Slated to open in spring 2020, the new outpost will be located inside Krog Street Market, a 30,000-square-foot food hall and market destination tucked in the Inman Park neighborhood, right off the Belt Line’s Eastside Trail. “I have wanted to expand Hemingway’s for some time, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring our food to Atlanta,” says Felicia (“Phe”) Lacalle, chef and owner. “As soon as you set …
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. — Waters Edge Wineries®, an innovative urban winery system, has signed a franchise agreement to open a Waters Edge Winery & Bistro in Sarasota, Fla. This new location will join 11 others already operating throughout California, Colorado, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. Local entrepreneurs Michael Hayja, Dr. Sean Castellucci and Christopher McKenna of Artisan Vinification, LLC, will own and manage the location in Sarasota, which is expected to open in spring 2020. “We are excited to debut our brand in the Sunshine State, and with the support of …
Chicago — Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened its Reserve Roastery in downtown Chicago. The 35,000-square-foot, five-story roastery opened to the public on November 15, 2019 and is the largest Starbucks location. The store is located on the Magnificent Mile in a space formerly occupied by Crate & Barrel. All of the coffee beans roasted at the facility are served and sold on site. There are three coffee bars at the roastery. Baristas make classic espresso beverages at the coffee bar on the main floor. An experiential bar can be found …
Dallas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes plans to provide its guests and franchise owners with a fresh and elevated dining experience. The “better burger” fast-casual franchise plans an interior and logo refresh that will roll out beginning in the first quarter of 2020. MOOYAH plans to open 14 new locations with the refreshed look next year; all existing locations will remodel by the end of 2024. The new prototype and design come at a critical point for the brand, as the company is actively ramping up franchising efforts in …
Atlanta — Moe’s Southwest Grill will be the first brand in the Mexican fast-casual space to open an all-digital/kiosk-only location. The first two restaurants are slated to open in Pittsburgh and Charlottesville, Va., in first quarter 2020. Each store will come equipped with four self-order kiosks and will feature Moe’s new brand design, which includes Moe’s new logo, colors, paint, furniture and more. The Pittsburgh location will be owned and operated by Moe’s multi-unit franchisee Mike Geiger, who has experienced recent success with his newest urban location, which added a …
— By Katie Lee — At Mamoun’s Falafel, it’s one big, happy (growing) family — with over 40 new franchises soon to join the fold. As one of the oldest falafel restaurants in New York City, Mamoun’s Falafel has long held the title of being the most authentic and flavorful falafel in the city. The first location opened in Greenwich Village in 1971 and has been family owned and operated for over 45 years. Founder Mamoun Chater, who had emigrated from Damascus, Syria, had little time for the …
Boston — Figs by Todd English, the casual dining concept founded by award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur Todd English, is now franchising with the help of Fransmart, an industry-leading franchise development company, to bring its original thin crust pizza and authentic Italian cuisine across the globe. Originally launched in the historic Charlestown neighborhood in Boston, Figs already has a successful international footprint to build from, with four existing corporate locations throughout the United States and three in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Together with Fransmart, the concept is seeking …
Atlanta — The Krystal Company has hired two senior executives with extensive QSR experience to lead its ongoing revitalization plan. Tim Ward fills the newly created position of president and chief operating officer, and Bruce Vermilyea joins the brand as chief financial officer. Ward joins Krystal from Captain D’s where he served as chief operating officer. During his tenure with Captain D’s, the company enjoyed 8 straight years of positive same-store sales and developed a pipeline of over 100 new restaurant locations. Ward held previous roles at Arby’s/RTM and NPC International/Pizza Hut. …
Cincinnati — International retail design firm FRCH NELSON has partnered with KFC SOPAC to design an innovative, pilot project in Newcastle, Australia, opening to the public this week. With a growing number of consumers ordering through online channels, the goal of the new concept was to develop a more efficient operating model that celebrated this change in consumer behavior. The new concept includes five drive-thru lanes that allow customers to order and pay for a meal through the brand’s app or website, including designated lanes for more traditional, on-the-spot orders. …