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Captain D’s Expands Development Team with New Director of Franchise Development

by Katie Lee

Nashville, Tenn. — Captain D’s has hired Steve Bailey as director of franchise development. Bailey has more than 20 years of experience in franchise sales and development with multiple restaurant service brands, most recently with Fazoli’s. Focusing on territories east of the Mississippi River, he will support Captain D’s ongoing expansion throughout the country alongside longtime senior director of franchise development Steve Bielewicz, who is responsible for growing the company’s presence in the western region. “Captain D’s focus on flexible prototypes and cost-effective conversion opportunities is fueling increased interest from …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurantssoftware/technology

PizzaForno Expands into Georgia with 3 New Automated Pizzerias in Atlanta

by Katie Lee

Atlanta — PizzaForno, North America’s first automated pizzeria that bakes artisan pizza in less than 3 minutes, 24 hours a day, is officially expanding into Georgia. The first of three new locations will open on May 6 in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood, with two additional locations to open around metro Atlanta later in May. The three entrepreneurs responsible for this expansion are business partners Tyler Young, Paul Nair and Mick Patel. Young has always had a passion for the restaurant industry, and started running restaurants when he was in college. Nair …

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Presto and CKE Restaurants Partner for Drive-Thru Voice AI Automation

by Katie Lee

San Carlos, Calif. — Presto Automation Inc., one of the largest drive-thru automation technology providers in the hospitality industry, has expanded its partnership with CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. Presto will be rolling out its artificial intelligence (AI) powered solution, Presto Voice™, to automate voice ordering at participating drive-thru locations nationwide. The voice automation technology, which has already been implemented at select Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s drive-thru locations within the United States, increases revenue, improves labor productivity and enhances the guest and staff …

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construction and designCover Storyfacilities managementremodelsrestaurants

On The Border Bets on Bold

by Katie Lee

— By Katie Lee —   Rethinking its operations since the pandemic, On The Border rebrands with bold changes for its food and the guest experience.     When the COVID-19 pandemic upended the world’s economy 3 years ago, many industries were forced to turn on a dime, to rethink their entire business models, to reengineer some shred of stability in the shakiest of markets. As On The Border can attest first-hand, the restaurant industry was among the trickiest terrain to navigate. But the Texas-based brand was agile enough to …

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franchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Darden Restaurants to Acquire Ruth’s Hospitality Group in $715 Million Transaction

by Katie Lee

Orlando, Fla. — Darden Restaurants, Inc. and Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Inc. have entered into a definitive merger agreement in which Darden will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Ruth’s in an all-cash transaction with an equity value of approximately $715 million. Ruth’s, owner and operator of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, will complement Darden’s portfolio of differentiated brands which currently includes Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s. Ruth’s Chris was founded in 1965 in New Orleans by …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Atomic Wings Has 10 New Stores Under Construction; Launches 2023 Remodel Program

by Katie Lee

New York City — Atomic Wings, a 15-unit brand specializing in flavorful chicken wings, is starting off 2023 with significant Q1 growth. The New York-based wing franchise has 10 locations under construction, with plans to open throughout the year. The new growth will bring Atomic Wings to new states, including Arkansas, Nevada, Indiana and Texas. Atomic Wings will also launch its first two drive-thru locations — in Houston and Joliet, Ill. — later this year. The company is also thrilled to launch its Atomic Wings 2.0 remodel program later this …

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franchise developmentNewspeoplerestaurants

Wingstop Names SVP, President of International as Brand Aims for 7,000+ Units Globally

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Wingstop, the global chicken chain with nearly 2,000 restaurants worldwide, has appointed Raj Kapoor as senior vice president, president of international. Kapoor will be responsible for driving Wingstop’s growth and development strategy for markets outside of the U.S. and oversee the performance of the brand’s existing international markets. Kapoor joins Wingstop from 7-Eleven, where he spent 28 years in a variety of leadership roles including vice president of international; senior vice president and chief information officer; and, most recently, senior vice president of fresh food, beverage and restaurants. …

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Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. Names Executive Leadership Appointments

by Katie Lee

Englewood, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a full-service restaurant chain, under its North Star growth plan, has made a series of key appointments toward the completion of its executive leadership team. This includes the appointment of Kevin Mayer to chief marketing officer and Mark Simpson as interim chief people officer, effective May 1. In addition, Jason Rusk has been promoted to chief business development officer. “With these crucial leadership positions in place, we are well-positioned to deliver on our goal to establish Red Robin as a most loved …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

The Melting Pot to Open a Remodeled Restaurant Each Week Through 2023

by Katie Lee

Tampa, Fla. — The Melting Pot, the 94-unit fondue concept that provides a unique, experiential dining atmosphere, has been carefully considering its growth efforts in recent months, launching a campaign to remodel all restaurants and embracing what it has coined ‘Melting Pot Evolution.’ This year, the company will open one remodeled restaurant each week. “2021 and 2022 were both tremendous years for the brand in terms of increasing traffic — real growth,” says Bob Johnston, CEO. “In other words, we had growth that came not just through price increases, but actual …

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Industry Voicesrestaurantsretailers

Following OSHA’s Lead

by Katie Lee

— By Troy Tepp — What restaurants and retailers can learn from common OSHA violations to protect their employees and business.   Each October, OSHA — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — releases its annual review of the 10 most frequent violations of the past year. The list provides business owners and managers a reason to slow down and think about the safety of their business — even when the days get too busy. Rather than fear violations or surprise visits, business leaders should embrace the information as a …

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