Sunday, December 14, 2025
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Sonic Prioritizes Surge Protection

by Katie Lee

— By Samuel Hammers — Why it’s important for retailers and restaurants to strengthen their power management. Summer is the season for relaxation, but it can be a stressful time for retailers and restaurant owners looking to keep the lights on. Electrical disruptions, which tend to be more common during the summer, have potential to bring down critical systems such as HVACs and push customers to seek out greener (or cooler) pastures. A power surge could also take down POS systems and leave a facility unable to process transactions. Power …

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Sage Hospitality Group Welcomes Mercantile Dining & Provision to Portfolio

by Katie Lee

Denver — In late August, Sage Hospitality Group welcomed Mercantile Dining & Provision to its portfolio. Located in Denver’s Union Station, the award-winning restaurant by James Beard Award Winner Chef Alex Seidel is joining a roster of more than 50 restaurants, bars and entertainment venues under Sage Restaurant Concepts (SRC). Mercantile will be an owned restaurant concept for Sage, alongside brands such as Urban Farmer and Departure, with plans to strategically grow the brand in suitable standalone restaurant locations. Additionally, Chef Seidel will be joining SRC as a collaborator, leveraging …

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FCPT Acquires 19 Bloomin’ Brands Restaurant Properties for $66.4 Million

by Katie Lee

Mill Valley, Calif. — Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT), a real estate investment trust that owns and acquires high-quality, net-leased restaurant and retail properties, has acquired 19 Bloomin’ Brands restaurant properties comprising 20 total restaurants (10 Outback Steakhouse restaurants and 10 Carrabba’s Italian Grill restaurants, including one dual-tenant property with both concepts) for $66.4 million. The 19 properties are located across 10 states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee. The sites are in strong retail corridors with high traffic and attractive demographics. The …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Fogo de Chão to Open First Ohio Location in Columbus

by Katie Lee

Columbus, Ohio — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil, has signed a lease agreement to open its first Ohio location in Columbus. The new 7,245-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open later this year in the Polaris Towne Center, one of the city’s largest retail and dining destinations. “We have long anticipated expanding our presence into the state of Ohio and are excited to share our authentic culinary experience from Brazil with the Columbus community soon,” says Barry McGowan, chief executive officer of Fogo de Chão. “This city’s …

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First Topgolf in Iowa to Open on Sept. 6

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Modern golf entertainment leader Topgolf will open its first venue in Iowa, Topgolf Des Moines, on Sept. 6. This is Topgolf’s 101st global outdoor venue. Located at 7655 Mills Civic Pkwy. within the West Des Moines city limits, the new venue will feature 72 outdoor climate-controlled hitting bays spanning two levels. Each bay will have lounge-type furniture or high-top tables. It will be equipped with Topgolf’s Toptracer technology, which traces each golf ball’s flight path, distance and other cool metrics. The new Iowa location will also feature a …

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construction and designNewsrestaurants

Chick-fil-A Opens First Elevated, Drive-Thru Only Restaurant in McDonough, GA

by Katie Lee

McDonough, Ga. — Chick-fil-A is opening its first elevated, drive-thru only restaurant in the south Atlanta suburb of McDonough today. Located at 2155 Jodeco Rd., the restaurant features four drive-thru lanes that run below an elevated kitchen that is twice the size of a typical Chick-fil-A kitchen. Food reaches the delivery team members via a custom meal transport system that uses conveyor belt technology. Patrons can either order onsite with a Chick-fil-A team member or order ahead on the Chick-fil-A app. The restaurant features dedicated lanes for both ordering methods, …

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Newspeoplerestaurants

Tony Roma’s Appoints First Female CEO

by Katie Lee

Orlando, Fla. — Tony Roma’s, the world’s largest casual-dining concept renowned for its ribs, has appointed Mohaimina ‘Mina’ Haque as chief executive officer. She is the first female CEO to helm the 52-year-old brand. Mina Haque, Esq., is a seasoned attorney and founder of The Law Office of Mohaimina Haque, PLLC. Since 2021, she has served as Tony Roma’s outside counsel, managing global legal matters and providing strategic guidance. An Official Member of the Forbes Business Council, Mina’s deep expertise in business and franchise law has been pivotal in driving …

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Industry Voicesmanagementrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

The Race to Digitize

by Katie Lee

— By Mani Kulasooriya — How e-commerce can help restaurants fight rising costs and challenges. Restaurant operators are often running an uphill marathon. From hiring and schedules to inventory management and food ordering, back-end operations can present neverending challenges. To make matters worse, according to the National Restaurant Association’s “2024 State of the Restaurant Industry” report, 97% of operators now cite rising food and labor costs as pressing issues. Fortunately, foodservice has entered a new leg of the race. E-commerce is emerging as a secret weapon to streamline operations and …

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construction and designCover Storyfranchise developmentFrom The Magazinekitchen equipmentremodelsrestaurants

A Fresh Spin on Tradition

by Katie Lee

— By Katie Lee — Carvel celebrates 90 years of soft serve ice cream with a new shoppe design and growth in new markets. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen by accident. However, the beloved ice cream brand Carvel may beg to differ. It was way back in 1934, in Hartsdale, New York, when founder Tom Carvel had a flat tire in his ice cream truck. Pulling over, he tried to salvage the product he had left and sold the slightly melted ice cream to people passing by. …

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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Debuts First Food Truck

by Katie Lee

Los Angeles — The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, the leading global specialty coffee and tea house, will be launching its first permanent food truck location at the Los Angeles Zoo. Local entrepreneur Benjamin Dreicer and operating partner Genadi Orlov signed the franchise agreement. With more than two decades of experience in the retail real estate sector, Dreicer has developed a comprehensive understanding of the restaurant space and honed his skills in strategic site selection. As he grows with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Dreicer is interested in looking …

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