Monday, September 15, 2025
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Twin Hospitality Group Inc. Names New Leadership & Direction for Smokey Bones

by Katie Lee

Plantation, Fla. — Twin Hospitality Group Inc., the parent company of Smokey Bones, has appointed Ken Brendemihl as president of Smokey Bones, effective immediately. He has over 25 years of restaurant leadership experience, most recently as chief operating officer of Alamo Drafthouse. Prior to that, he held key leadership roles at Velvet Taco, California Pizza Kitchen, Texas Roadhouse and On the Border. “Smokey Bones is a beloved brand that has amassed a loyal following over the years,” says Kim Boerema, CEO of Twin Hospitality Group. “Since joining Twin Hospitality, we …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Jimmy John’s Opens Second Location in Canada, With 12 More Scheduled to Open by Year’s End

by Katie Lee

Montreal — Jimmy John’s has opened its second location in Canada, inside Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls. The opening is part of a wave of new stores — 12 according to the last count — that will open across Canada by year’s end. New stores are expected to open in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Edmonton, Barrie, Windsor and additional locations in the Greater Toronto Area. “We have a big appetite for opening new stores because we know how much our fellow Canadians appreciate a fantastic-tasting sandwich with fresh ingredients,” says Peter Mammas, …

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kitchen equipmentNewsProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Taco Bueno® Selects PAR® Technology to Elevate Restaurant Operations

by Katie Lee

New Hartford, N.Y. — Taco Bueno, a popular quick-service Tex-Mex chain, has selected PAR Technology Corporation as its unified technology partner. The brand will implement PAR POS™ and PAR Hardware™ solutions across its 140 locations to modernize operations, enhance the guest experience and support long term growth. As Taco Bueno scales and streamlines operations across its expanding footprint, the leadership team prioritized finding a technology partner that could offer both enterprise-grade capabilities and intuitive usability for in-store staff. Taco Bueno selected PAR Technology for its comprehensive ecosystem of industry-leading integrations …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Eggs Up Grill Approaches Milestone 100th Restaurant Opening

by Katie Lee

Spartanburg, S.C. — Eggs Up Grill, a fast-growing “better breakfast” restaurant franchise, wil open its 100th location next month. This milestone follows 4 years of rapid expansion during which the brand nearly doubled in size, driven by consistent positive guest counts, a 40% increase in average restaurant volumes, and strong same-store sales performance as Eggs Up Grill approaches its 19th consecutive quarter of growth. “This milestone is not just about reaching our 100th location; it is another in our growing list of accomplishments built on our unique brand positioning and …

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Industry Contentkitchen exhaust/grease controlrestaurantsVendor Spotlightvendors

HOODZ International: Signature Vendor Spotlight

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Nathan Willard — R&R: Where are you based and how long has the company been in business? Nathan Willard: HOODZ is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. We have been in business since 1972 and have provided franchising opportunities since 2009. R&R: What is your name and title, and how long have you been with the company? Willard: My name is Nathan Willard, and I have acted as president of HOODZ International since 2015.    R&R: What trades/services do you offer retailers and restaurants? Willard: As the leading …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay to Enter Canada with 65-Unit Development Agreement

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, the premium handcrafted burger concept co-founded by renowned chef Bobby Flay, has signed a multi-year agreement with The Falcon Capital Group to open 65 locations across Canada. “Expanding into Canada and becoming an international brand is a major milestone,” says Flay. “The Falcon Capital Group brings proven expertise in brand development and retail franchising that makes them the ideal partners to bring our signature handcrafted burgers, fries and milkshakes to a new audience. I look forward to working with the accomplished team …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Applebee’s Appoints Chief Operations Officer

by Katie Lee

Pasadena, Calif. — Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar has appointed Jerrold (Jay) Wong as chief operations officer, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to bold innovation, operational excellence and long term growth. He will officially join Applebee’s on Sept. 15. As COO, Wong will focus on driving consistency, accelerating growth and working closely with his team and franchisees to elevate restaurant performance and deliver a seamless guest experience across the system. Wong brings extensive leadership experience from across the hospitality industry, having scaled global teams and led transformations at world-class brands including …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

White Castle Plans to Bring its First Restaurant to Texas in 2026

by Katie Lee

Columbus, Ohio — White Castle, America’s fast-food pioneer and the company behind The Original Slider®, has made a monumental announcement. For the first time in its 104 years, the family-owned business is opening a restaurant in Texas. For inaugural location will be in The Colony. The White Castle at Grandscape, is located in The Colony, near the intersection of Destination Drive and Grandscape Boulevard. It plans to serve hot and tasty Sliders, prepared on steamed buns made in White Castle’s own bakeries, beginning in summer 2026. “White Castle has been …

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construction and designCover Storyfranchise developmentFrom The Magazineremodelsrestaurantssoftware/technology

Inside Bojangles’ Design Strategy

by Katie Lee

— By Jim Cannon — Location design and its impact on operations, franchisee success and guest experience. Restaurant design plays a critical role in the success of any QSR brand. From streamlining operations and supporting menu execution to shaping the guest journey, every design decision has a direct impact on restaurant performance. At Bojangles, our approach to location design evolves as we continue to grow as a brand. And, with nearly five decades of experience behind us, evolving with changing consumer, operations, menu, financial and technology trends is something Bojangles …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Chicken Salad Chick Plans to Open New Units in 5 New States

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only fast-casual chicken salad restaurant concept, is ready for expansion into five new states — Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Utah — creating opportunities in key markets for experienced franchise owners who are ready to grow quickly. The brand is on pace for a record-setting year through robust sales growth and an ambitious development pipeline. Key Markets for Growth: • Arizona: Flagstaff, Phoenix metropolitan area, Prescott, Tucson • Nevada: Las Vegas metropolitan area • New Jersey: Central and South Jersey • …

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