restaurants

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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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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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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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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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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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Potbelly Continues Growth in Florida with 16 New Units in Development

by Katie Lee

Chicago — Potbelly Corporation, the iconic neighborhood sandwich shop, has finalized a 16-unit shop development agreement in two Florida markets. This agreement includes 14 shops in Broward County and two shops in Gainesville. “We are enthused to begin a partnership with Rami Boaziz and Stellar Hospitality, which we believe will be great stewards of the brand,” says Bob Wright, president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to expanding the Potbelly brand in the Florida market with a Shop Development Area Agreement (SDAA) for 16 new shops, following our previous …

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Restaurant Technologies Breaks Own Sustainability Record

by Katie Lee

Mendota Heights, Minn. — Restaurant Technologies (RT) released its sustainability numbers from 2022, helping over 36,000 customers nationwide reach their ESG goals and create a cleaner, more livable planet. In 2022, RT recycled nearly 290 million pounds of used cooking oil, which eliminated 16 million plastic oil jugs, saved 7.4 million cubic feet of landfill space, and reduced about 67 million pounds (66.6 million) of GHG CO2e emissions. In partnership with renewable energy organizations such as Chevron Renewable Energy Group, RT converts 100% of used cooking oil from its customers …

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construction and designfranchise developmentNewsrestaurants

Caribou Coffee to Open More Than 300 New Franchise Locations

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — Caribou Coffee®, a national premium coffeehouse and Panera Brands company, has signed several multi-unit development agreements to franchise more than 300 new locations domestically. Caribou Coffee expanded its franchise program in October 2021, marking the first time interested candidates had an opportunity to own and operate traditional franchise locations in the United States. In March 2022, Caribou Coffee announced the signing of its first multi-unit development agreement with Mike Mariola Restaurants to franchise locations in Ohio. Mariola and his team opened their first Caribou Coffee location on November …

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