restaurants

Houston — Shipley Do-Nuts continues its trend of positive same-store sales and bolsters its rapid growth trajectory with an expanded development team, 14 signed deals for 61 new locations throughout Texas and six shops opened so far in 2024. Shipley’s development team, headed by its senior vice president of franchise development, Keith Sizemore, has expanded with two key employees. Jonathan Massey joined Shipley in March as vice president of sales after serving as director of franchise development at Wingstop and, prior to that, at Pizza Hut. Also joining the team …

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Denver — Sage Hospitality Group has named Justin Fowler as the new chief operating officer for Sage Restaurant Concepts (SRC), overseeing operations of Sage’s growing list of more than 50 restaurants, bars, cafes and venues in the SRC portfolio, effective June 1.  “Our award-winning restaurants and bars are community cornerstones in the many cities and destinations where we operate,” says Daniel del Olmo, president of hotels and restaurants at Sage Hospitality Group. “Justin’s proven track record of delivering results, operational excellence as well as his deep knowledge of the fine …

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Tampa, Fla. — The chief executive officer of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc., David Deno, will be retiring after 12 years with the company, including the last 5 years as CEO and a member of the board of directors. Deno will continue in his current role until a successor is named and a successful transition period is completed. The board of directors will conduct a search for Deno’s successor. “David has strengthened the financial foundation at Bloomin’ Brands through better profitability and a stronger balance sheet, which is especially impressive given nearly …

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Chicago — Craveworthy Brands, an innovative fast-casual restaurant platform company with 12 brands under its umbrella, has a new addition to its portfolio with the acquisition of Sigri Indian BBQ. Craveworthy Brands is also the parent company of Bd’s Mongolian Grill, Dirty Dough, Flat Top Grill, Genghis Grill, Krafted Burger Bar + Tap, Lucky Cat Poke Co., Pastizza Pizza & Pasta, Scramblin’ Ed’s, Soom Soom Mediterranean, The Budlong Southern Chicken and Wing It On! The company will infuse its operating procedures, marketing strategies and finance processes to optimize restaurant operations …

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Plano, Texas — On May 6, Pizza Hut announced that Juan Carlos “Carl” Loredo will join the company as the president of Pizza Hut U.S., reporting to Pizza Hut division CEO Aaron Powell, effective June 3. Loredo joins Pizza Hut from Wendy’s. “Carl comes to Pizza Hut with a strong track record of positioning brands for success and delivering results in highly competitive markets. He is adept at helping brands show up in novel and authentic ways at the right intersection of customer need and culture,” says Powell. “The Pizza …

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Oklahoma City — Fogo de Chão, the internationally renowned restaurant from Brazil, has signed a lease agreement to open its first Oklahoma location in Oklahoma City. The new 8,439-square-foot restaurant is scheduled to open later this year at 13710 Pennsylvania Ave. in Memorial Square. “We are excited to introduce Fogo to the Oklahoma market and expand our Southwest footprint with our first restaurant in Oklahoma City,” says Barry McGowan, chief executive officer of Fogo de Chão. “Our restaurant will serve as a memorable addition to Oklahoma City’s dining scene and …

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Meadville, Pa. — Voodoo Brewing Company, a pioneer in the craft brewing industry, has promoted Isaiah Fitzgerald-Palacio to the position of chief financial officer (CFO). A proud employee owner, Fitzgerald-Palacio brings a wealth of financial expertise and a passion for promoting community to Voodoo Brewing Company. As CFO, he will play a pivotal role in guiding Voodoo Brewing Company’s financial strategy, fostering sustainable growth and ensuring fiscal responsibility. With over 15 years of experience in financial management and a proven track record of success, Fitzgerald-Palacio brings invaluable expertise to the …

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Miami — Burger King plans to invest $300 million to modernize 1,100 U.S. restaurants by 2028, according to parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. Each restaurant will be renovated in a new layout, called Sizzle, that emphasizes flexibility as well as the digital, pickup and drive-thru experiences. In addition to the planned renovations, the investment will also cover cash incentives for top-performing operators. “We are committed to giving our guests the very best experience in all our restaurants and that includes a modern, exciting restaurant image and digital experience that …

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Castle Rock, Colo. — Daddy’s Chicken Shack has made two new promotions within its executive team. Tony Adams, who previously served as the vice president and chief of staff for Area 15 Ventures, will now be taking on the role of president for Daddy’s Chicken Shack, while Dave Liniger Jr. transitions from president to CEO. Adams and Liniger Jr. have been a part of Daddy’s Chicken Shack through Area 15 Ventures, the private equity firm that acquired the brand last year amidst a major growth surge. Area 15 Ventures is …

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Atlanta and New York City — Private equity giant Blackstone has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a franchiser of fast-casual restaurants, from Levine Leichtman Capital Partners. The deal values the Atlanta-based smoothie chain at around $2 billion, including debt, according to The Wall Street Journal. Tropical Smoothie Cafe began as a single location in Destin, Fla., in 1997. The chain has grown to more than 1,400 locations in 44 states today. The company opened more than 175 locations in 2023, 70% of which were …

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