— By Russ Spencer — Why restaurant technology doesn’t have to come at the cost of guest experience. The restaurant industry has slowly been shifting its business model over the past decade but was drastically accelerated in 2020, with the culprit being none other than the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants were forced to change how they operate and interact with customers due to social distancing requirements surrounding the virus, with some forced to close their doors for good. Now, 3 years on, restaurants are open with little to no restrictions, but …
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Newton, Mass. — Paytronix, a leading digital guest engagement platform for restaurants and convenience stores, has appointed Eric Steele as chief financial officer. He replaces acting CFO Lee Barnes, who will continue to serve as Paytronix’s chief data officer and take on additional responsibility as chief of staff. Steele joins Paytronix from Snap One, where he played a key role in scaling the business to a public company with more than $1 billion in revenue. At Snap One, he most recently served as senior vice president of finance & corporate …
Dallas — As part of a company-wide revitalization initiative, TGI Fridays® plans to close 36 underperforming locations in select markets across the U.S. The company has also sold eight previously corporate-owned restaurants in the Northeast to former CEO Ray Blanchette, who will now lead the locations into a new phase of revitalization. The news follows recent moves to bolster TGI Fridays’ leadership team, including the recent appointments of Weldon Spangler to chief executive officer, Ray Risley to U.S. president and chief operating officer and Nik Rupp to president and COO …
San Francisco — Slice House by Tony Gemignani, the fast-casual pizza franchise by world renowned pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, has expanded its nationwide footprint to 100 franchise units open or under development. This achievement reflects the brand’s rapid growth since launching franchising efforts 18 months ago in California and marks its entry into two new key markets: Colorado and Utah. In 2024, Slice House projects the signing of 100 more units into development. “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 100 units for Slice House by Tony Gemignani, a testament to the …
Golden, Colo. — Good Times Restaurants Inc., operator of Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar and Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard, has named Keri August as senior vice president of finance and accounting. August joins the company after having served as a consultant to Good Times from August 2023 through the date of her appointment. Prior to that, she was employed by InfoSync Services, a restaurant-focused accounting outsourcing services firm where she was most recently a vice president FAO, a position she held since April 2022. “I am delighted to officially …
Philadelphia — honeygrow, a Philadelphia-based fast-casual restaurant, has opened its 40th location. The new restaurant opened on Dec. 21, 2023 at the Simon-owned Ocean County Mall in Toms River, N.J. honeygrow opened nine new locations in 2023 as part of a growth strategy that extends into 2024 with more than double the number of restaurants in the pipeline. “Our latest venture in Toms River is more than just a restaurant opening; it’s a celebration of our remarkable journey as a team. Now with 40 locations, [2023] has been a whirlwind …
Baton Rouge, La. — Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux has appointed two industry veterans with Jamie Davis being named vice president of supply chain & procurement and Tyler Schack stepping in as the vice president of technology. “We are thrilled to welcome Jamie Davis and Tyler Schack to the Walk-On’s family. Their extensive experience and proven track records in their respective fields align seamlessly with our commitment to delivering top-notch experiences for our guests and assembling a high-caliber team to drive Walk-On’s to new heights,” says Chris Dawson, CEO of Walk-On’s. Davis …
— By Doug Head — The creative use of color can add to your signage/lighting program — and draw consumers in to your business. What do you do when the sign code in your city is very restrictive and your building needs more attention than your small display will provide? Many businesses have discovered that a colorfully lit wall or accent lighting will draw attention to the building and add appeal. Using color to capture attention and highlight architectural features on buildings can be the answer to the small sign …
Berkeley, Calif. — Grégoire, a trailblazing fine-fast-casual restaurant concept, is wrapping up a pivotal year — not only celebrating its 21st anniversary, but also a year of strategic growth. Founded in 2002 by French-trained chef Grégoire Jacquet, the brand has revolutionized the culinary scene by offering high-quality, fine dining-style food in a convenient carry-out format. Looking ahead to 2024, the focus will be on further franchising efforts, particularly in the Bay Area. “It has been a learning experience for us — a year of setting up and really finding out …
Atlanta — Melting Pot, the nation’s premier fondue dining experience, has announced that four of its Atlanta-area restaurants are now under the sole ownership of Layla Haddad Gunn, who plans to renovate all four restaurants as part of the Melting Pot Evolution, a companywide initiative upgrading dining rooms, bars and other areas to elevate the guest experience. All four Atlanta-area Melting Pots — located in Midtown, Duluth, Kennesaw and Roswell — are getting a fresh, modern look with new fabrics, flooring, paint, artwork and lighting, as well as new hospitality …