Operations: Page 41

  • An image of a Johnny Rockets counter.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands opens first co-branded Johnny Rockets, Hurricane Wings restaurant

    A co-branded Johnny Rockets and Hot Dog on a Stick unit is also in the works as the company explores ways to combine some of its newest brands. 

    By • Oct. 11, 2022
  • A building with a white exterior and branding for District Taco
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    Permission granted by District Taco
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    Franchise spotlight: District Taco to bring its Yucatan flavors beyond DC

    The chain, which began franchising in August, plans to expand into more Mid-Atlantic states, targeting 20 to 25 new franchised units annually through 2027.

    By • Oct. 10, 2022
  • A picture of ribs on a cutting board
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    Permission granted by Smokey Bones
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    Smokey Bones’ virtual brands website includes 2 new concepts

    BiteHall, which officially launches Tuesday, showcases three of Smokey Bones’ existing brands as well as two new brands, Bowl Market and Tender Box.

    By • Updated Oct. 10, 2022
  • A group of people are enjoying their meal at around a table in a restaurant while one holds a smartphone to a QR tablet in the middle of the table.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    How QR code ordering is improving guest experience and your bottom line

    Overall, restaurants have seen overwhelmingly positive results by providing more ordering channels like QR codes, and their customers are happy with the technology, too.  

    Oct. 10, 2022
  • An image of a closed and boarded up restaurant during Hurricane Ian.
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    Gerardo Mora via Getty Images
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    DoorDash offers $10K grants to small restaurants impacted by Hurricane Ian

    Restaurants can apply for Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund grants, which DoorDash created last year in partnership with Hello Alice, through Dec. 30.

    By • Oct. 6, 2022
  • An image provided by Goodcall showing the digital avatars for the different voices their phone automated system is capable of using.
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    Permission granted by Goodcall
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    Automated phone tech may ease restaurant labor, boost consistency

    Robotic answering services promise increased reliability and ticket sizes, but customer adoption remains low.

    By • Oct. 6, 2022
  • An image of two men standing in front of surfboards.
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    Retrieved from PRNewswire on October 03, 2022
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    California Pizza Kitchen lands another LAX location

    The casual dining chain, which opened domestic franchising in December, is seeking partnerships for nontraditional locations like entertainment venues. 

    By • Oct. 4, 2022
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Report: 51% of CA restaurant owners concerned FAST Recovery Act will drive up food costs

    Forty percent of these operators are afraid of losing employees to a QSR that could pay workers more, according to Homebase’s Owners Pulse Survey. 

    By • Oct. 4, 2022
  • A man and a woman dressed as a chef look at a tablet.
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    Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images
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    Report: 31% of restaurants have reduced menu size due to inflation

    Another 38% of restaurants have adjusted the number of food suppliers they use, according to a Toast survey. 

    By • Oct. 3, 2022
  • A worker at a restaurant with a face mask on hands over a bagged order while an offscreen person taps their credit card on a Square card reader.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    Square’s Future of Restaurants report: 2022 Edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report explores what restaurants care about today and tomorrow, along with the top strategies they’re using.

    Oct. 3, 2022
  • A McDonald's store is shown in Houston, Texas.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s won’t postpone franchising changes, operator group claims

    The National Franchisee Leadership Alliance requested policy amendments be delayed from January to June 2023. 

    By • Sept. 29, 2022
  • CEC Entertainment logo
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    Courtesy of CEC Entertainment
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    Chuck E. Cheese parent names 3 execs to support expansion

    Two regional Chuck E. Cheese VPs will support its growth in the Southwest and Northwest, and sister chain Peter Piper Pizza has named a new COO. 

    By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 28, 2022
  • An image of a a white building with Chipotle signage at night.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle
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    Chipotle tests AI kitchen system, location-based technology

    PreciTaste will help the chain develop the kitchen management program and FlyBuy, a location-based technology, will aid app functionality.

    By • Sept. 27, 2022
  • Casey's new beer cheese breakfast pizza
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    Courtesy of Casey's
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    Casey’s working to automate pizza call-in orders

    The chain will use voice-based AI to field the roughly 10 million annual phone orders it receives, CEO Darren Rebelez said at Groceryshop.

    By Jeff Wells • Sept. 27, 2022
  • A group of people are enjoying their meal at around a table in a restaurant while one holds a smartphone to a QR tablet in the middle of the table.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Square
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Square

    How QR code ordering is improving guest experience and your bottom line

    Overall, restaurants have seen overwhelmingly positive results by providing more ordering channels like QR codes, and their customers are happy with the technology, too.  

    Sept. 26, 2022
  • An image of a beige building with Pie Five logo on the outside.
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    Permission granted by Rave Restaurant Group
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    Pie Five rolls out biggest menu transformation in its history

    After six months of testing, the company will add individual pizzas to its menu and eliminate large pizzas. 

    By • Sept. 23, 2022
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    PRNewswire/Modern Restaurant Concepts
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    Modern Market signs 41-unit deal with first franchisee

    The fast casual company has partnered with Thrive Restaurant Group, which operates 100 restaurants including Applebee’s, to expand into 11 new markets.

    By • Sept. 20, 2022
  • Three people at self-serving kiosk
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    Frantic00/Shutterstock.com

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    Sponsored by Esper

    Building, deploying and managing self-ordering kiosks: the unknown-unknowns

    Deploying self-ordering kiosks is complex. Here are the things you didn’t even know you had to know.

    Sept. 19, 2022
  • A worker at a restaurant with a face mask on hands over a bagged order while an offscreen person taps their credit card on a Square card reader.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Square
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Square

    Square’s Future of Restaurants report: 2022 Edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report explores what restaurants care about today and tomorrow, along with the top strategies they’re using.

    Sept. 19, 2022
  • Artistic rendering of an outdoor set of Camp Pickle pickleball courts
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    Permission granted by Camp Pickle
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    Punch Bowl Social founder takes a swing at a pickleball concept

    Camp Pickle is Robert Thompson’s biggest eatertainment play yet, featuring 10 to 14 pickleball courts spread across a minimum of 55,000 square feet.

    By • Sept. 15, 2022
  • QDOBA Burrito
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    Courtesy of QDOBA
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    Qdoba enters Austin, Texas, via Reef ghost kitchens

    The Mexican chain launched a ghost kitchen trial with Reef trial in Austin this spring, and plans to open 25 locations with the ghost kitchen company.

    By • Updated Sept. 15, 2022
  • An image of a man wearing a suit.
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    Retrieved from Starbucks on September 01, 2022
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    3 things to know about Starbucks’ new CEO

    What will progress look like under Laxman Narasimhan? Restaurant Dive explores his professional background for clues of how his transformational tactics in past roles could translate to his new post.

    By , • Sept. 7, 2022
  • Au Bon Pain interior rendering
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    Courtesy of Au Bon Pain
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    Au Bon Pain to roll out modernized store design companywide in 2023

    The chain’s cafes will feature a self-serve bakery and to-go areas to add efficiencies for off-premise customers.

    By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 7, 2022
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Survey: 88% of restaurant operators have neutral or positive outlook for 2023

    Most operators say customers haven't reacted much to price changes, though 91% have raised prices, according to a Rewards Network report.

    By • Sept. 6, 2022
  • An image of several plant-based meat items from Baja Fresh
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    Courtesy of Baja Fresh
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    Baja Fresh makes plant-based items permanent

    The Impossible Meat taco, burrito and bowl received positive customer feedback during the yearlong test at the fast casual chain.

    By • Sept. 1, 2022