More Articles By David Farkas, Senior Editor
- What Lay Ahead for Restaurant Chains
Chain Leader 's guide to 2009 presents the people, places and trends that will shape the chain-restaurant industry in the coming year, from the economy to organic food. You'll find plenty to worry about. But you’ll also find ideas for taking the lead. More - Tax Tactics for Restaurant Chains
Few restaurant owners find it easy to navigate Internal Revenue Service rules as they apply to their business. Yet an understanding of changes in the tax code may save them money and avoid audits. We asked Lisa Haffer, a lawyer and CPA who works as a tax partner at SS&G Financial Services, for an overview of several new IRS provisions. More - Emerging Chain Burger Lounge Plans Expansion
Veteran restaurant operator Dean Loring trades on sustainable products and grass-fed beef to compete in the growing "better burger" category, planning to expand the fast-casual chain in Southern California. More - Red Lobster Fuels Its Menu with Wood-Grilling
Orlando, Fla.-based restaurant chain Red Lobster is now counting on wood-fired grills in its 680-unit system to boost traffic and sales. Chain Leader recently grilled Senior Executive Chef Michael LaDuke about how he got the massive project off the ground. More - Success Stories from Chain Leader LIVE
Restaurant chain operators and experts shared their best practices and strategies for operating during the economic downturn at the 5th annual Chain Leader LIVE conference. More - Restaurant Chains Face Political Challenges in 2009
Rick Berman, CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Berman and Company, plans to take on several nail-biting issues on behalf of restaurants that the lobbyist says may plague operators as a new administration takes shape. More - Restaurant Chains Sing Borrowing Blues
With credit markets tightening as a result of the current financial crisis, franchisors and franchisees of emerging restaurant concepts will likely have trouble meeting their development agreements. Those who can find willing lenders will be required to put up more equity--and more information--to get their hands on a loan. More - Board Selections: Choose Wisely
The effects of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, which addressed corporate governance, has both swelled board compensation and trimmed the number of boards individuals can join. Still, says board specialist Jeremy Banoff, managing director for management advisers FPL Associates, “What is interesting about recruiting board members these days is that the pool is limitless." More - Social-Networking Skills
Restaurant chain Krystal's interactive strategy involves using its Web sites, micro-sites and social-networking sites to get customers talking more about its food than the brand itself. More - New FDIC Rules Apply to Risky Sweep Accounts
All the talk about bank failures is prompting attorney Gary Schildhorn to send out a warning to treasury departments: Review your sweep contracts with your banker. He says restaurant companies that rely on banks for this service--and many do--should carefully review where their deposits are going. More - Loan Covenants: Breaking the Rules
As operating performance declines and prime costs rise, a growing number of chains are breaking lender covenants. Chain Leader recently asked Allan Hickok, managing director for investment bank Houlihan Lokey in Minneapolis, to explain this worrying trend. More - Popeyes Is Starting Over in Panama
Given the thriving Panamanian economy, franchisee Landmark International Holdings believes the time is right to expand Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits in Panama. To prepare the company has expanded the menu, implemented motorcycle delivery and launched an image-building campaign. More - Sweet Deal: Red Mango's Expansion
Red Mango is ready to roll out its brand of tart frozen yogurt with a simple and so far profitable business model, veteran executives and expansion in existing markets that have educated, active populations. More - Restaurant Valuations to Fall Further
As an uncertain week begins, a week that sees Congress voting on a $700 billion bailout proposal of the country's largest investment banks, Chain Leader sought out New York-based money manager Roger Lipton for a restaurant perspective on the financial crisis. More - Panera and Chipotle Stocks Take a Fall
Stock prices at two of the country's most successful fast-casual chains recently displayed the ups and downs prevalent in a battered economy. More - How to Buy a Restaurant Company
Dick Holbrook, who with business partner and fellow restaurateur Sam Haddock invested an undisclosed amount of "personal equity" in Atlanta-based J. Christopher's, says to invest in a concept with strong financials and potential. More - Shells Files for Bankruptcy, Closes Stores
Tampa, Fla.-based Shells Seafood Restaurants filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday and closed eight of its 22 units. The company will continue to operate its remaining restaurants while reorganizing finances and being protected from creditors. More - Enduring Truth: The Importance of Strong Management
After 20 years of underwriting restaurant deals, Rod Guinn has left the business to “embark on new adventures.” Before going, the veteran financier, most recently head of Wells Fargo Foothill's Restaurant and Hospitality business, shared a few of the timeless lessons he learned about the importance of strong management. More - New Parameters for Payday
Wage and hiring trends remain a subject of abiding concern among restaurant executives, who are adjusting their companies' compensation practices for hourlies, managers and C-level executives to absorb the impact of the economic slowdown. More - Value Keeps Customers Coming to Bojangles'
Despite increasing menu prices four times in the last 12 months, the fast-food chicken chain says its perceived value has helped increase traffic and same-store sales. More
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