San Diego — Garden Fresh Restaurants LLC, which operates 97 Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants across nine states, has appointed industry veteran Donald Breen as chief financial officer. He joins the company from Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen.
restaurants
Las Vegas — DC Building Group, a Las Vegas-based general contractor, has recently completed a new Taco Bell on E. Charleston Boulevard in Las Vegas, marking the first Taco Bell in downtown Las Vegas. The project was designed by Architect Gary Guy Wilson.
Vaughan, Ontario — Franchise Management Inc. (FMI) has acquired Saskatchewan-based El-Rancho Food Services Limited. The sale includes all of El-Rancho’s 21 KFC assets throughout Saskatchewan and Manitoba and brings FMI’s total Canadian KFC restaurants to 85. FMI also operates KFC restaurants in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Ontario.
Pompano Beach, Fla. — JAE Restaurant Group, one of the largest multi-unit franchisees of Wendy’s, has acquired 34 Wendy’s restaurants throughout Knoxville, Tenn., making JAE Restaurant Group a major employer in Knoxville with a total of 1,150 employees.
Glendale, Calif. — DineEquity Inc., the parent company of Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar® and IHOP® concepts, has rebranded itself as Dine Brands Global, Inc. The company also has a new 5-year growth plan, as well as new operational and financial goals.
Nashville, Tenn. — On February 17, 2018, Dog Haus Biergarten opened its first Tennessee location, on Broad Street in Murfreesboro. The California-based concept is renowned for its gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations — made using all-natural vegetarian-fed pork, chicken and beef raised without antibiotics or hormones.
Canton, Mass. — Dunkin’ Donuts’ franchisees opened more than 86 new non-traditional locations across the country in 2017. The brand continues to open restaurants throughout the hotel sector, including a Great Wolf Lodge location in Bloomington, Minn., and two restaurants in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino located in Las Vegas and Biloxi, Miss. Other notable non-traditional partnerships throughout 2017 include a three-unit deal with Price Chopper in Kansas and the opening of 12 rest stop and travel center restaurants.