More Articles By David Farkas, Senior Editor
- Restaurant Franchisors Remain Upbeat About Dubai
The real estate bubble burst in Dubai, leading to an exodus of foreigners, who comprised most of the city's population. But two Atlanta-based restaurant franchisors with units in Dubai are still optimistic. More - Labor Technology: BJ's Employees Just Phone it in
BJ's Restaurants' labor-management system lets employees swap shifts or ask for time off with a text message and lets managers quickly respond and then get back to the workers in the restaurant. More - Obama Plan Would Offer Tax Relief for Small Business
President Barack Obama yesterday promised new loans to small business and announced that his administration "firmly believes that economic recovery will be driven in large part by America's small businesses." More - Wendy's Franchisee Saves with Energy Management System
Emerald Foods, a 44-unit Wendy's franchisee, no longer worries about employees changing air-conditioning settings or managers turning on all the lights and equipment at the same time. Today, its energy management system does all that, automatically. More - Restaurant Conversions: Changing Places
It might be eco-friendly, but it’s economic, not environmental, concerns that are propelling restaurant chains to seek conversions. Concepts like Buffalo Wild Wings and Raising Cane’s weigh in on conversions vs. ground-ups. More - Neighborhood Watch: Keeping Locally Sourced Food Safe
Sourcing ingredients locally raises serious food safety concerns. Relationships and the right questions assure restaurant chains like Burgerville that buying local is a safe route for food. More - Energy-Efficient Restaurant: The Greening of CKE
Energy Manager Juliann Rogers, who played a major role in the implementation of energy efficient equipment at Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s talks about the company’s commitment to green initiatives. More - On the Money: Reality Bites
Given the miserable economy and the havoc wreaked upon restaurants, is now the time for small players to focus on expanding? More - Audio Q&A: The Trouble with Restaurant Conversions
As restaurant and retail spaces become increasingly available, converting it to your brand may make economic sense. Jim Callam shares the ups and downs of shoehorning Winking Lizard Taverns into everything from a 22,000-square-foot warehouse to a 100-year-old house. More - Co-Branding: Cold Stone Creamery and Tim Hortons Join Forces
The opportunity to add each other's products to their menus was too good to pass up, officials from the two chains say. Each expects reconfigure 50 existing units in the United States in 2009. More - Denny's Promises More Grand Slam Menu Promotions
The signature breakfast will remain at the center of the family-dining restaurant chain's traffic-building efforts: "We're celebrating the Grand Slam this year." More - Liquor Liability: Device Could Measure When Customers Can't Drive
Technology exists that can measure blood alcohol levels with just a touch. But are there applications for bars and restaurants? More - Tough Sell: The Perils of Serving Alcohol
Restaurant chain operators overcome the obstacles that have arisen with training employees on responsible beverage service. More - Pizza Inn Courts Franchisees by Killing Royalty Fee
This month Pizza Inn dropped its first-year royalty fee to zero percent from 4 percent. The pizza buffet restaurant chain hopes royalty relief for franchisees will spark expansion. More - Captain D's Advertising Ignites a Legal Threat from Red Lobster
Captain D's television commercial pokes at Red Lobster. Red Lobster's legal team sends a cease-and-desist letter. Captain D's destroys the letter in another provocative ad. See also: Domino's vs. Subway. More - CEOs Promote Presidents to Partners at P.F. Chang's and Chipotle
Restaurant chain executives sharing the CEO role, such as Rick Federico and Bert Vivian at P.F. Chang's, hope to show that two heads are better than one. More - Immigration Services Tightens Employee Verification Rules
A change in the I-9 employee verification form ads clarity, but could make it tougher for restaurant-chain operators to hire immigrants. More - Landry's Ends Ferttita's Buyout Offer, Industry Pundits Respond
Tilman Fertitta won’t be buying Landry’s Restaurants, the company he founded in the late 1980s. Today, the Houston based restaurant and casino operator announced it ended its $214.7 million go-private deal, citing “unusual circumstances.” More - Restaurant Expansion: Profit Motives
Restaurant chains are still adding units--albeit at a slower rate--amid the wreckage of the economy. However, they are taking measures to ensure that unit-level economics still provide a decent return. More - Podcast: In the Meantime, Practice Service
If business is slower, Debbie Fox believes you need to get busy. Listen in as the vice president of training for the Washington, D.C.-based Palm Restaurant Group tells how managers use the downturn to drill service staff on basics at the 30-unit steakhouse chain. More
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