restaurants

construction and designNewsrestaurants

Sweetgreen Expands “sweetlane” Footprint with First-Ever East Coast Location

by Katie Lee

McLean, Va. — Sweetgreen is opening its newest sweetlane location in McLean, Va., on Aug. 20, bringing the brand’s order-ahead drive-up format to Northern Virginia. Located at Chesterbrook Shopping Center, the new restaurant introduces a faster, more seamless way for guests to enjoy Sweetgreen’s chef-crafted salads, warm bowls, plates and wraps through a dedicated sweetlane drive-up window. The McLean location marks the latest milestone in Sweetgreen’s continued investment in digitally enabled customer experiences. First introduced as a pilot concept in 2022, sweetlane was designed to offer a seamless pickup experience …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Shipley Donuts Marks 90th Anniversary; Will Debut in Michigan with 15 Units

by Katie Lee

Houston — Shipley Donuts, which is celebrating 90 years in business this year, will make its Michigan debut in metro Detroit through a 15-unit franchise agreement. The agreement will bring Shipley Donuts to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties across metro Detroit, with the first location targeted for late first quarter 2027. The agreement establishes plans to open three additional shops per year for the next 4 years, resulting in 15 new stores over a 5-year development period. This agreement marks a major milestone for Shipley Donuts as the brand celebrates …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designNewsrestaurants

Chipotle Debuts in Saudi Arabia with First Restaurant in Riyadh

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first restaurant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) later this month in partnership with Alshaya Group, a leading international franchise retail operator. Located at Sidra, the premier dining destination in Riyadh next to the Granada Mall, the restaurant marks Chipotle’s entry into Saudi Arabia and another milestone in the company’s international growth strategy. “We’re pleased to introduce Chipotle to guests in Saudi Arabia for the first time,” says Nate Lawton, chief business development officer at Chipotle. “Expanding into the …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
NewspeopleProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

Qu Appoints Founder of Brink POS as Chief Product & Technology Officer

by Katie Lee

Arlington, Va. — Restaurant technology is entering one of its most significant periods of transformation, as advances in artificial intelligence and edge technologies reshape how restaurants operate and serve guests. To help enterprise QSR and fast-casual brands navigate these technology shifts, Qu has appointed restaurant technology pioneer Paul Rubin as chief product & technology officer. Rubin brings more than 30 years of experience building and scaling restaurant technology platforms, including founding Brink POS, one of the industry’s first cloud-based point-of-sale systems, and helping guide product strategy at PAR Technology. At …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

First Co-Branded Location Planned for Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s

by Katie Lee

Palmetto, Fla. — Two Inspire Brands favorites are joining forces for the first time. On Aug. 18, Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s® will open the country’s first co-branded location at 5241 69th St. E in Palmetto, Fla., bringing hand-sauced wings and made-to-order subs together under one roof. The location is owned and operated by Quality Foods Restaurant Group, which operates three other Buffalo Wild Wings locations across Florida. “Bringing the first-ever Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John’s together is something special, and we’re proud to do it …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Industry Voiceskitchen equipmentrestaurantsvendors

Rising Operational Costs

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Jon Jacobs — The biggest challenges when starting a restaurant. Jon Jacobs is a longtime foodservice operator and the president of SilverChef. Since 1986, SilverChef has helped more than 85,000 hospitality businesses get started and grow via flexible restaurant equipment financing. In 2026, Silverchef brought its business operation to the U.S. Jacobs opened Polliwogs Eatery & Pub in Mississippi in the late 1990s, building a highly profitable business from Day 1. But like many first-time operators, he encountered costly lessons around equipment — from upfront capital constraints …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designfranchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Papa Johns Names Global Chief Development Officer & SVP, International

by Katie Lee

Louisville, Ky. — Papa Johns International, Inc. has made some changes to its leadership team to further support the company’s ongoing strategic transformation. John Matter, who serves as senior vice president, general counsel and interim head of North American development, has been named to the newly created position of global chief development officer and assistant corporate secretary, which will be responsible for leading growth and development strategy, including global expansion, franchise development, strategic partnerships and other opportunities to create shareholder value. Matter has more than 25 years of legal and …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newspeoplerestaurants

Portillo’s Names New Chief Financial Officer

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Portillo’s, a fast-casual restaurant concept known for serving Chicago-style favorites for more than 60 years, has appointed Kevin Kalicak as chief financial officer and treasurer, effective Sept. 7, 2026. Kalicak joins Portillo’s bringing decades of financial leadership within the restaurant industry, serving in various roles with Darden Restaurants for more than 25 years. As CFO of Portillo’s, he will oversee the company’s finance organization, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, investor relations, internal audit, tax, supply chain and other corporate financial functions. “Kevin is a proven financial leader …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Mr Gatti’s Pizza Plans Full Ownership Transition as CEO Retires

by Katie Lee

Fort Worth, Texas — Mr Gatti’s Pizza, a fast-growing pizza and family entertainment brand, has said that entrepreneur and longtime franchisee G. Brint Ryan has acquired the remaining ownership interest in the company, becoming the primary owner of the Mr Gatti’s brand. The announcement also marks the beginning of CEO Jim Phillips’ planned retirement following more than a decade leading the company. Ryan first became a co-owner of Mr Gatti’s in December 2025. With the completion of this transaction, he assumes primary ownership of the franchisor and will oversee the …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
construction and designNewsrestaurants

Dog Haus Opens First International Restaurant

by Katie Lee

Pasadena, Calif. — Dog Haus has officially entered Mexico with the opening of its first restaurant in Mérida, Yucatán, marking its first permanent international restaurant. The restaurant is the first of three Dog Haus locations planned for Mexico in 2026. The Mérida restaurant welcomed its first guests in June. The opening represents a major milestone for the Pasadena, Calif.-based brand and also marks the first step in Dog Haus’ expansion across Mexico. Additional restaurants are planned for Mexico City and Tijuana before the end of 2026, with Monterrey and Riviera …

Continue Reading
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts