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Fiesta Restaurant Group Appoints President and CEO

by Katie Lee

Dallas — Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc., parent company of the Pollo Tropical® brand, has appointed Dirk Montgomery as its permanent president and chief executive officer, effective April 13, 2023. He has served as interim CEO since December 8, 2022 and previously served as chief financial officer since September 9, 2019. “The board and I are confident that Dirk is ideally suited to serve as our president and CEO,” says Stacey Rauch, who chairs the company’s board of directors. “We believe that his deep knowledge of the Pollo Tropical brand and …

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Wetzel’s Pretzels to Debut New Street Concept, Twisted by Wetzel’s

by Katie Lee

Pasadena, Calif. — Wetzel’s Pretzels is introducing Twisted by Wetzel’s, a never-before-seen street concept that amplifies the iconic brand’s classic pretzels to satisfy today’s millennial and Gen Z generations. From savory to sweet, the menu features new creations that are stuffed, topped and drizzled to ultimate pretzel perfection. The new concept will debut in California this spring. “Twisted by Wetzel’s embraces the magic or our core brand and elevates it to a whole new level, providing a bigger, bolder, more imaginative expression of Wetzel’s,” says Kim Freer, chief marketing officer. …

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Starbucks Appoints Executive Vice President and General Counsel

by Katie Lee

Seattle — Starbucks Coffee Company has appointed Brad Lerman as executive vice president and general counsel following an extensive internal and external search. Lerman will serve on the executive leadership team, reporting directly to CEO Laxman Narasimhan, effective May 8, 2023. Lerman joins the company with over three decades of legal and regulatory experience in both the public and private sector. Most recently, Lerman was senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Medtronic, a healthcare technology provider. He has also served in similar leadership roles at the Federal …

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Designing the Details

by Katie Lee

— By Sarah Schanke —   Designer replicates Tujague’s iconic Mardi Gras flair down to the last detail.     Tujague’s, an iconic French Quarter fixture of the New Orleans cultural landscape, has been serving culinary delights to customers for more than 160 years. To stay viable, the owners of the beloved establishment made the difficult decision to relocate the restaurant four blocks upriver. The nation’s third-oldest restaurant now occupies three floors with balconies overlooking the Big Easy steamboats cruising the city’s Mississippi River harbor each day. “A favorite of …

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Playa Bowls Names New Chief Executive Officer

by Katie Lee

Belmar, N.J. — Playa Bowls, a leading superfruit bowl shop, has appointed Dan Harmon as its new chief executive officer. As CEO, Harmon will leverage his extensive industry experience to accelerate the company’s overall growth strategies and performance. He succeeds Playa Bowls’ co-founder Rob Giuliani, who will remain engaged in the business as chief innovation officer and continue to play a critical role in Playa Bowls’ strategic development. “Harmon has an exceptional reputation for exceeding business objectives and franchisee relationships in the restaurant industry and will be a valuable asset …

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Chipotle Pilots New Responsible Restaurant Design Alongside Sustainability Campaign

by Katie Lee

Newport Beach, Calif. — Chipotle Mexican Grill has unveiled a new all-electric restaurant design that works to maximize energy efficiency in its equipment and systems and utilizes 100% renewable energy from wind power and solar through the purchase of certified renewable energy credits. The company recently opened restaurants with the new features in Gloucester, Va., and Jacksonville, Fla., with a third location opening later this summer in Castle Rock, Colo. The new restaurant design pilot will help Chipotle progress toward its science-based targets, established in alignment with Science Based Targets …

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Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay to Open First Restaurants in Chicago

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay is coming to the Windy City. Intelligration Capital BB, LLC (ICBB), the licensor and franchisor company for Bobby’s Burgers, has finalized the brand’s first franchise deal to propel the brand’s footprint across the neighborhoods of Chicagoland. Notably, the multi-unit agreement is introducing the ultimate burger experience to a new market while debuting Bobby’s Burgers’ first traditional, streetside restaurant model. The openings will bring an approachable Bobby Flay dining experience to all while maintaining a menu curated using only the highest quality ingredients. Well …

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Smashburger Unveils Virtual Drive-Thru Design in Houston

by Katie Lee

Denver — Smashburger, a leading fast-casual restaurant chain known for its smashed-to-order-burgers, has launched its first Virtual Drive-Thru located at the newest corporate-owned restaurant in Houston. An extension of the traditional drive-thru experience, the Virtual Drive-Thru allows customers to seamlessly place an order online or through the Smashburger app, then pull through the designated parking lane where their food will be delivered to the driver by a Smashburger team member. First introduced at the beginning of 2022, the Virtual Drive-Thru prototype, coupled with Smashburger’s refreshed kitchen design, reinforces the brand’s …

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Bruxie to Open its First Georgia Location in Athens

by Katie Lee

Athens, Ga. — Bruxie, an up-and-coming Southern California-based fast-casual concept known for its waffle sandwiches, chicken tenders and custard shakes, is set to open its first Georgia restaurant this spring in the Classic City. The Athens location will operate across from the University of Georgia campus, bringing Bruxie’s cool vibe to students, faculty and locals. “Athens is home to champions, and when you win back-to-back national football titles, we will build a Bruxie in your town — with winning recipes and menu items unlike anything else,” says Brett Gibson, operating …

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Presto Promotes 2 Executives to President and COO

by Katie Lee

San Carlos, Calif. — Presto Automation Inc., one of the largest drive-thru automation technology providers in the hospitality industry, has promoted Dan Mosher to president and Xavier Casanova to chief operating officer, effective immediately. “Dan and Xavier have been key leaders at Presto and were instrumental in successfully developing and implementing Presto Voice, the industry’s most advanced drive-thru AI voice ordering platform,” says Presto’s chairman and interim CEO, Krishna Gupta. “I am delighted to partner with these two and the rest of our exceptional management team as we continue to …

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