Las Vegas — Las Vegas-based entrepreneur Dina Mitchell has revised her timeline to launch PowerSoul Cafe™, the world’s first certified gluten-free fast-food restaurant chain. The new brand’s flagship location along with two new additional sites in the Las Vegas valley are set open in fall 2023. The flagship location (pictured above) will be located at Tarkanian Plaza in Las Vegas. Additional sites will open at the intersection of S. Valley View Boulevard and W. Spring Mountain Road, with another site located in Henderson. Additional locations have been identified, with lease …
restaurants
Indianapolis — Twin Peaks Restaurant celebrated its 100th lodge opening on June 2 in the Indianapolis suburb of Greenwood, Ind. From the time Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel opened his first lodge in the Atlanta area as a franchisee, it took Twin Peaks 12 years to reach its centennial location. The brand is now expected to expand even faster, having already opened four new locations — with 12 more lodges in seven new markets scheduled to open — this year alone. Twin Peaks anticipates 20 per year opening in the …
Montréal — Lightspeed Commerce Inc., a one-stop commerce platform for merchants and restaurateurs around the world, has released the latest version of its powerful restaurant solution: the Next Generation of Lightspeed Restaurant. This update, now available in the United States, revolutionizes restaurant operations by offering faster ordering and payments options on smartphones and by leveraging the power of data. New functionalities include: ‘Pay at Table’: Uniquely designed by Lightspeed, this simplifies group dining with smart and easy check splitting ‘Tap to Pay’ on iOS: Increases table turns by transforming every …
Plano, Texas — MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a 90-plus-unit better burger franchise, has spent the first quarter opening three new locations and planning for an additional 13 openings for the rest of the year. MOOYAH is expanding in St. Louis, Mo.; Lubbock, Texas; Phoenix; Southern California; Dallas-Fort Worth; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Boston. “There are some pretty obvious places that we’re trying to fill in,” says Doug Willmarth, president and COO. “We have core markets in the Sun Belt from California to Florida, and we are filling in those …
St. Louis — On May 31, Panera launched Drive-Thru Pick-Up nationwide, combining the ease of the digital ordering experience with the comfort and convenience of the drive-thru window. Guests can now choose the Drive-Thru Pick-Up option when ordering ahead on the Panera app or website. Panera bakery-cafes featuring Drive-Thru Pick-Up will still offer the traditional Drive-Thru experience with the ability to order at the Drive-Thru screen. With Drive-Thru Pick-Up, guests who order ahead can simply announce their name at the speaker and pull ahead to the window — which allows …
— By George Lessmeister — 3 areas of margin pressure on restaurants. Operating a restaurant can feel like a roller coaster ride. Revenue and volume plummeted during the pandemic and then climbed back to pre-COVID levels in 2022. Rising costs, however, are now squeezing profit margins. These ups and downs can make it difficult to plan. What’s the outlook for 2023? Supply Chain Challenges While supply chain bottlenecks are easing somewhat, they are expected to continue as a problem for the restaurant industry well into 2023. Some operators are …
New York City — CRISP & GREEN is set to open in New York City on June 1. Debuting in the popular NoMad neighborhood, this location also marks the company’s entry into its 10th state, with 10 additional states scheduled to open before the end of the year. Since its inception in 2016, the Minnesota-based company has consistently doubled its location count year-over-year, and the entry into this particular market symbolizes a very important turning point for the growth of the brand. Founded by wellness industry veteran and franchising expert …
Wasilla, Alaska — Jersey Mike’s Subs has achieved a major milestone with the opening of its first restaurant in Alaska. The sub chain now offers its fresh sliced/fresh grilled sub sandwiches in all 50 states. “We now have more than 2,500 Jersey Mike’s locations in all 50 states,” says Hoyt Jones, president, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “From the beginning, we’ve believed in smart growth and our success is driven by franchise owners who are passionate about our brand and giving philosophy.” The new Jersey Mike’s is located at 1451 …
St. Louis — Panera Brands Inc., which includes the fast-casual and hospitality brand Panera Bread as well as Einstein Bros. Bagels and Caribou Coffee, has established its next generation of CEO leadership and board governance in preparation for its eventual IPO. Current CEO Niren Chaudhary will become chairman of Panera Brands, handing the CEO reins to José Alberto Dueñas, currently president and CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels, effective July 1, 2023. Former Starbucks CFO and independent director Patrick Grismer will become chairman of the audit committee. Over the last 4 …
Dallas — Bonchon, a global leader in fast-casual Asian fusion dining known for its Korean double-fried chicken, has appointed former global CFO Bryan Shin to lead Bonchon U.S. as CEO. Shin joined Bonchon as head of global finance in 2019 with more than 10 years in the global food and beverage space. He previously served in various top global leadership and senior positions with brands including Goose Island Beer Company, Yum! Brands and CJ Foodville (a subsidiary of Korean conglomerate CJ Group), where he implemented strategies for a global launch …