Roswell, Ga. — Fast-casual food-and-beverage concept Layne’s Chicken Fingers has signed a franchise deal to open 18 restaurants in Georgia. The first of the new units is scheduled to open this October in Roswell, roughly 20 miles outside Atlanta, marking the brand’s first entrance into the state. Franchisees Alvin Shah, Shahid Panjwani and Seth Bickle will own and operate the restaurants.
Dallas — Rusty Taco, a street-style taco restaurant, plans to open a total of 14 new units by year end. Recent openings in both streetside settings and non-traditional venues have marked significant milestones for Rusty Taco, integral to the brand’s strategic growth plans. With more than 30 locations currently open, the addition of 14 new units signifies a 40% increase in growth and a monumental achievement for the brand. “There’s no better way to spend time with your loved ones than to relax and eat tacos,” says Denise Fenton, co-founder …
Pasadena, Calif. — Founded in 2017 in East Hollywood, Dave’s Hot Chicken is on track to reach a milestone of 300 units open by the end of 2024 after rounding the 200-unit milestone in the first quarter. The brand now has over 206 locations in the United States, Canada and the Middle East — with more than 990 units signed to date (including its recently signed agreement with Azzurri Group to open 60 locations in the UK and Ireland, with the first location planned to open in London by first …
Hollywood, Fla. — Hard Rock International has appointed long-time restaurant and hospitality leader Eric Martino as president of the Hard Rock Cafe Division, overseeing operations of the company’s nearly 200 eateries around the world. Additionally, Martino will oversee Hard Rock’s retail division on a global scale. He reports to Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming. “We’re excited to welcome Eric, whose extensive background in culinary arts, marketing and operations will further elevate the already outstanding Hard Rock dining and retail experience,” says Allen. Martino …
San Diego — Jack in the Box Inc., a leading franchisor in the quick-service restaurant industry, is making a highly anticipated return to the Chicagoland market — for the first time in more than 40 years. The development plan includes eight company-operated units and, as part of the brand’s strategic market plan, Jack in the Box has identified more than 125 potential trade area opportunities for future corporate and franchise development in the area. The first wave of Jack in the Box locations is slated to open throughout 2025, bringing …
San Francisco — Chargebee, a leading subscription and revenue growth management platform, has named Brian Clark as president of go-to-market and Andrew Sherwood as senior vice president of global sales. Clark and Sherwood will accelerate Chargebee’s go-to-market focus on helping companies capture the opportunity in the evolving market with Chargebee’s uniquely flexible and robust revenue growth management platform. Clark brings 20+ years of experience in executive leadership roles at industry-defining companies. Most recently, he served as chief revenue officer (CRO) at Vista-backed Work Management Software company Wrike. Sherwood will lead …
Charlotte, N.C. — Toastique, the vibrant, artisan toast and juice café, will open its first storefront in the state of North Carolina on July 20, 2024. Located in the popular South End neighborhood of Charlotte, N.C., the new location will be one of the few offering plant-based vegan soft serve. Known for its gourmet toast creations, smoothie bowls, nutrient-rich cold-pressed juices, espresso and coffee, and other convenient grab-and-go options, the Charlotte location will be operated by franchisees and husband-and-wife duo, Chris and Angela Bjorson. This is the first of 3 …
— By Jay Fiske — IoT & S3: How connected equipment improves restaurant safety, service and sustainability. Every restaurant facility manager is acutely aware of how critical their back-of-house equipment (cooking, refrigeration, HVAC, etc.) is as the lifeline of their operations. When these machines go down, or an issue arises, the result is often costly health or safety concerns that can force facility closures, negatively impact customer satisfaction, and harm brand perception. In addition, back-of-house equipment also drives the bulk of the very heavy energy use in restaurants — driving …
— By Les Tomlin — How automated vending machines are churning out QSR solutions. Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are embracing artificial intelligence platforms to boost productivity, increase security and make operations more user-friendly. On paper, things should be getting easier for restaurant owners; however, in the face of rampant labor shortages, skyrocketing minimum wage laws and exorbitant real estate costs, restaurant owners and managers have an uphill battle to face in getting a new business off the ground. Since the nineteenth century, vending machines have provided an autonomous alternative to full-service …
— By David Gabbai — How restaurant tenants can be built to save. Due to challenges like high interest rates and construction costs, the price of owning, building, remodeling and leasing restaurant space has gone through the roof. It can be a difficult time to own and maintain a restaurant business and restaurant space. However, forward-thinking restaurant tenants and retail landlords are finding creative ways to make things work. We are seeing these imaginative solutions play out in lease terms and structures, which can be done in a way that …