Los Angeles — Kitchen United, a Los Angeles-based virtual restaurant provider, is opening its next kitchen center in Chicago’s River North neighborhood — its first location outside of California. Kitchen United will work with restaurant partners to begin move-in in mid-December, and will start serving Chicago consumers in January.
restaurants
Milwaukee, Wis. — Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation, has hired Greg Creighton to the newly-created position of executive vice president and chief operating officer. Previously, he served as president and chief operating officer of Smashburger Master LLC, parent company of the fast-casual restaurant chain, Smashburger.
New Orleans — Ballard Brands, a Covington, La.-based restaurant and hospitality group whose brands include PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, WOW Café and New Orleans Roast Coffee & Tea, has expanded its restaurant holdings to include several successful Latin American concepts in Philadelphia.
Scottsdale, Ariz. — Vixxo, a facilities management leader focused on providing a seamless, intuitive experience for a vast portfolio of brands across the United States and Canada, will provide facilities management services for Dallas-based Razzoo’s, Inc. restaurants.
Atlanta — Mamoun’s Falafel, the fastest growing Middle Eastern fast-casual restaurant in North America and oldest falafel restaurant in New York City, has secured a lease for its first of six locations across the Atlanta area. The first restaurant will be located in the West Midtown Center development, located between 17th Street and Northside Drive, and will open in 2019.
Charlotte, N.C. — Bojangles’, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Durational Capital Management LP and The Jordan Company, L.P. in an all-cash transaction. Bojangles’ stockholders will receive $16.10 per share. Upon closing, Bojangles’ will continue to be operated as an independent, privately-held company and will remain based in Charlotte, N.C.
Long Island, N.Y. — Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchisee Jerry Stephan plans to bring 21 Dickey’s locations to New York. As a new member of the Dickey’s family, Stephan plans to develop the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit presence throughout the state. He will own and operate two of the locations, with his first slated to open in spring 2019 in Long Island.
Chicago — Z Modular, a division of Zekelman Industries, has entered into an agreement with Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc., one of the largest drive-thru restaurant chains in the United States. Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., the company operates over 880 Checkers and Rally’s restaurants in 28 states and the District of Columbia.