Los Angeles — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc. has agreed to acquire Fazoli’s for $130 million from funds under management by Sentinel Capital Partners. This acquisition brings to FAT Brands the largest premium QSR Italian chain in the U.S.,…
League City, Texas — Muscle Maker Inc., the parent company of Muscle Maker Grill, Pokemoto and SuperFit Foods, has inked a Master Franchise Agreement for 40 units in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, solidifying the company’s second multi-unit international deal.…
Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts, the iconic Houston-born do-nut shop brand, celebrated its 85th anniversary with a groundbreaking on Oct. 28 for its new 60,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at Cullen and Gulf Freeway in Houston. The site is well-known to Houstonians as…
Houston — Grinders Coffee Bar and CBD Apothecary is preparing to become the go-to upscale destination for exploring natural cannabis derivatives and Hemp-infused coffee, mocktails/cocktails, pastries and more in a “lounge” type environment when it reopens to the Houston community…
San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc., one of the nation’s leading QSR chains, has awarded seven development agreements in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021 to open 47 new restaurants. In total, Jack in the Box has…
Montréal — Lightspeed Commerce Inc., the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, has launched the all-new Lightspeed Restaurant, a unified hospitality commerce and point-of-sale (POS) platform. Through strategic global acquisitions,…
Phoenix — Peter Piper, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of CEC Entertainment, LLC, which also owns Chuck E. Cheese and Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings, signed an agreement to acquire nine Tucson and one Phoenix-area Peter Piper Pizza restaurants owned by…
New York City — Time Out Market, the world’s first food and cultural market rooted in editorial curation, has hired Jay Coldren as chief operating officer of the Americas. In this newly created role, he will report to CEO Didier…
Alexandria, Va. — Fransmart, a global franchise development company, is expanding its leadership team with the appointment of seasoned food industry executive Don Baruch as vice president of franchise support operations. Baruch brings more than 25 years of franchise development…
San Diego — Jack in the Box, Inc. has named Doug Cook as senior vice president and chief technology officer after an interim stint in the same position. Cook brings more than 20 years of industry experience to Jack in…
— By Eric Symon — Keeping restaurants connected to enhance the customer experience. One of the biggest challenges that restaurant owners face is implementing technological advancements to stay current with customer demands. According to a recent survey conducted…
Atlanta — Papa John’s International, Inc. has promoted Max Wetzel to executive vice president, chief commercial officer. Wetzel joined Papa John’s in November 2019 as its chief commercial and marketing officer; in his new, expanded role, he will add North…
Franklin, Tenn. — CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. (CKE), owner, operator and franchisor of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, recently announced a new operating structure that combines restaurant operations and supply chain under John Dunion, a 25-year company veteran (pictured). The new…
Chicago — McHugh Construction has begun the highly anticipated historic renovation of Chicago’s Ramova Theater, a 36,000-square-foot project that includes restoring the theater and building out adjacent space for a new brewery and restaurant on Halsted Street. Originally built in…
Minneapolis — Caribou Coffee®, a national premium coffeehouse and Panera Brands portfolio concept, has launched its domestic franchise program. Since its inception in 1992, Caribou Coffee has grown to more than 718 locations systemwide including 314 company-owned coffeehouses primarily across…
Mt. Prospect, Ill. — AllPoints, a global foodservice parts and supplies provider, recently hired Jim Nelson as senior vice president of sales. In his new role, Nelson will be responsible for leading the AllPoints sales team in driving new market…
— By Daniel Estrada — The new frontier for restaurants in the back of the house. If it feels like the restaurant industry has been in the headlines for the last year — it’s because it has. Restaurants are…
Plano, Texas — Pizza Hut has promoted David Graves to president of Pizza Hut U.S., reporting to Pizza Hut division CEO Aaron Powell, effective January 1, 2022. Graves currently serves as general manager of Pizza Hut U.S. and will succeed…
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Dallas-based global design consulting firm Harrison has been enlisted by Fogo de Chão to apply its branding, interior design and architectural expertise to several of the brand’s new restaurants across the country, including its upcoming Fort…
Louisville, Ky. — Biscuit Belly, a chef-driven fast-casual breakfast and brunch concept, has signed development agreements for 10 franchised units, five of which will be located in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with an additional five units to be built in…
Pasadena, Calif. — Wetzel’s Pretzels is offering a unique franchise opportunity with the Phillips 66 family of brands. Operators will now have the opportunity to open a hot, fresh Wetzel’s experience at Phillips 66®, Conoco® and 76® branded convenience stores.…
Like broader society, the restaurant industry must contend with the 3-way collision of economic reality, medical ethics and societal health concerns. More specifically, on September 9, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for federal employees. As…
Las Vegas — Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone have signed 16 area development agreements in the third quarter, which will bring an additional 39 new stores to communities across the U.S. The 39 units sold — 25 Capriotti’s shops…
New York City — Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, the nation’s fastest growing dumpling automat concept, has a signed multi-unit franchise deal to make the brand’s first appearance in Florida. Florida-based franchisee Marc Silverstone closed on a deal with Brooklyn Dumpling Shop…
Earth City, Mo. — Interface Security Systems, a leading managed service provider delivering business security, managed network, UCaaS and business intelligence solutions to distributed enterprises, has partnered with WKS Restaurant Group, one of the fastest-growing multi-brand restaurant franchisees in the U.S.…
Louisville, Ky., and Dallas — Papa John’s International, Inc. has signed its largest domestic franchisee development agreement in the company’s history with top U.S. franchisee operator Sun Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the deal, Sun Holdings will oversee the…
Arlington, Texas — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger & Buffalo’s Express, has opened the 100th U.S. location of Fatburger, which is now open in Arlington, Texas. Co-branded with Buffalo’s Express, the restaurant will host a…