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Shipley Do-Nuts Signs 22-Unit Development Deal

by Katie Lee

Houston — Houston-based Shipley Do-Nuts, a large and fast-growing donut brand first founded in 1936, will expand its presence in Florida and Tennessee under a 22-unit franchise agreement with the hospitality arm of private investment platform Virentes Partners Group.  Virentes operates multiple franchise brands through its subsidiary, Virentes Hospitality. Its development agreement with Shipley is the brand’s largest commitment inked in 2024. “We exhaustively researched dozens of franchise concepts to expand our hospitality portfolio, and Shipley came out on top with craveable and highly differentiated products and an outstanding leadership …

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kitchen exhaust/grease controlNewspeoplerestaurantsvendorswaste management/recycling

Restaurant Technologies Names New Chief Operations Officer

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — Alissa Partee, chief people officer (CPO) at Restaurant Technologies, has transitioned into a new role as the company’s chief operations officer (COO). In her previous role, Partee led the human resources team at Restaurant Technologies and joined the company as CPO in 2020. During her tenure, the company grew from 1,000 employees to over 1,500 nationwide. In addition to her role as CPO over the last year, Partee led the implementation of a new 9-person operations excellence team — a team that she will continue to lead in …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsremodelsrestaurants

Taco Cabana to Open 2nd Location with New 3.0 Prototype

by Katie Lee

Houston — On the heels of its franchise program launch in October, Taco Cabana is readying to open its second TC 3.0 restaurant prototype in Houston before year’s end. The sleek new footprint boasts a streamlined, franchise-ready design that combines modern functionality with Taco Cabana’s rich heritage to fuel the brand’s new growth-focused era. Crafted with franchising in mind, the TC 3.0 prototype is purpose-built for efficiency and adaptability, featuring: • A condensed footprint that lowers initial investment for franchise partners. TC 3.0’s 2,500-square-foot model reduces the brand’s previous footprint …

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Subway Names CEO Transition

by Katie Lee

Miami — Subway has announced that John Chidsey, global chief executive officer (CEO), will retire from the company at the end of 2024, after 5 years of leadership in the role. Carrie Walsh, Subway’s current president of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and former global chief marketing officer (CMO), will assume the role of Iinterim CEO, while a search is conducted to identify Chidsey’s permanent successor. Chidsey joined Subway in 2019 as the brand’s first CEO outside of the founding family and led a multi-year transformation of the business. …

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Michael Garcia Colt Winterization quote
Colt Facility MaintenanceContent Partnerdisaster recoveryfacilities managementFeaturesHVAC/RIndustry Contentplumbingproperty managementrestaurantsretailersroofingsnow and ice management

Winter-Proofing Your Business: Essential Steps to Prepare Restaurants, Retail Stores for the Cold

by Sarah Daniels

Winter storms and plunging temperatures present special challenges to restaurants and retailers. To keep customers and employees comfortable until spring, operators should act now to winterize their properties and perform preventive maintenance before a crisis occurs. “When you know that winter is coming, it’s always better to be proactive than reactive,” says Michael Garcia, regional service manager in the Dallas office of Colt Facility Maintenance, a maintenance service provider. Winterization should begin before the cold sets in and while there is still time to address vulnerabilities discovered in buildings or …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurantssoftware/technology

Smoothie King Appoints New Chief Information Officer

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Smoothie King, the world’s largest smoothie brand and the first health and fitness fast-casual brand of its kind, has appointed Jyoti Lynch as its new chief information officer (CIO). Lynch started in late October, and in this role, she leads the brand’s technology strategy, ensuring that innovation continues to enhance Smoothie King’s digital transformation and guest experience. Lynch brings more than 25 years of experience as a proven technology expert with a successful track record in building and transforming well-known restaurant, retail and technology brands; growing company revenue, …

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Tom’s Watch Bar Names Co-Founders as Co-CEOs

by Katie Lee

Denver — Tom’s Watch Bar, a rapidly expanding premier venue for sports viewing and entertainment, has appointed Brooks Schaden and Shannon McNiel as co-CEOs. Schaden and McNiel are both co-founders, along with fellow industry veterans Tom Ryan and Rick Schaden, both of whom remain with the company as board members and active advisors. Rick Schaden remains chairman of the board. “Brooks and Shannon have demonstrated the strength of their partnership over the past 7 years, together successfully driving Tom’s Watch Bar’s growth to 12 — soon to be 13 — …

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fire protectionIndustry Voiceskitchen equipmentkitchen exhaust/grease controlrestaurantsvendors

Going the Distance

by Katie Lee

— By Nathan Willard — Kitchen cleaning and maintenance is a marathon, not a sprint. For restaurant managers who already have enough on their plates, preventative maintenance (PM) can easily get swept away in the busyness of a daily routine. As a result, PM items that need to be performed on a regular basis often get pushed to the side. In the blink of an eye, a fire safety inspection that restaurant managers and owners should be prepared for is only weeks away, catching managers and their kitchen staff off …

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Craveworthy Brands Appoints First In-House General Counsel

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Craveworthy Brands, an innovative, multi-brand restaurant platform, has appointed its first in-house general counsel, John Silvestri, J.D. With over 25 years of experience, Silvestri’s addition to the team strengthens Craveworthy’s goal to build a comprehensive legal framework that enhances operational resilience, supports partner success and drives the company’s vision forward. As general counsel, Silvestri will oversee corporate governance, franchise compliance, M&A negotiation and risk management across Craveworthy’s expanding portfolio of legacy brands and emerging concepts. “John’s expertise and leadership will be a game-changer for Craveworthy as we redefine …

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Chipotle Reaches 1,000th Chipotlane Milestone

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill opened its 1,000th Chipotlane restaurant on Nov. 21. Located in the Kansas City metro area, in Olathe, Kan., the milestone restaurant features the company’s signature digital order drive-thru pickup lane. Of the company’s more than 3,600 restaurants in its real estate portfolio, nearly 30% feature a Chipotlane. “Chipotlanes are a critical piece of our long term growth goal of reaching 7,000 restaurants in North America,” says Chris Brandt, chief brand officer. “This restaurant format is the fastest way for fans to get Chipotle …

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