More Articles By Lisa Bertagnoli, Contributing Editor
- Hidden Assets: Freshii's Display Kitchen
Freshii retooled its display kitchen to partially obscure customers’ view. The fast-casual restaurant chain added a partition to the work station and moved the makeup tables to the back wall of the kitchen. Food costs have since dropped 2 percent and equipment costs have dropped 15 percent. More - Group Dynamics: Darden's Employee Networks
Darden Restaurants’ employee networks help the casual-dining giant identify and nurture promising employees, while helping the company better understand its minority employees and customers. More - Table Service: Pay and Go
Cozymel’s new pay-at-the-table system is reaping benefits above and beyond customers appreciative of the credit-card security it offers. The technology has sped service, increased sales and cut labor costs—and without too much angst from customers or servers. More - Redefining Vinings
Ask Atlantans which neighborhood is the hottest in town and Vinings might well be the answer. The area, northwest of Atlanta's downtown, is filled with historic buildings, including Pace House. Vinings' residents are young, hip singles and older empty nesters with plenty of disposable income. More - Cosi Is Good to Go
Cosi has instituted new support mechanisms for franchisees as they become a bigger part of the chain’s growth strategy. It has hired new executives, created limited-time offers, redesigned the look of the stores and commissioned price-elasticity reports for each market. More - Krystal's Design Is More Than Skin Deep
Krystal’s latest design is more than cosmetic. The new prototype features softer colors, architectural details, upscale finishes and marketing elements to improve the dine-in experience while building the quick-service restaurant’s brand awareness. More - Neighborhoods Drive Atlanta Development
Thanks to residents tired of the city's endless traffic snarls and wary of gas prices, Atlanta's neighborhoods are filling in with nice restaurants and shops within walking distance of homes. More - All Lined Up: A More Sensible Kitchen
Einstein Bros. Bagels and its sibling concept, Noah’s New York Bagels, rearranged equipment on the service line to accommodate their expanded menu. The result: faster ticket times, happier customers, more accurate order and even higher check averages. More - Good Times Is Moving Out
Good Times will expand outside its home base of Colorado by franchising to big developers and opening stores through a joint-venture partnership. It also has developed a new prototype featuring a single drive-thru and launched a line of small chicken sandwiches and burgers. More - High-Touch Tech: Training Meets Technology
Carvel Ice Cream combines its intranet site and exhaustive in-store training to make communication and training practically foolproof. More - Interior Design: Eyes on the Pies
Pitfire Pizza's new look matches the concept's "convenient casual" positioning: reasonable price points and quick, but not hurried, service. The design includes a wood-burning pizza oven surrounded by a marble countertop and Italian glass tile. More - Innovation Puts Chains Ahead of the Curve
Whether they're new menu items, service enhancements or online offerings, all innovations serve the same purpose: to bond customers closer to the brand. Chain Leader has found several chain-restaurant innovations that let customers have a say in how they’re marketed to, what they buy and how they experience a brand. More - Web Exclusive: uWink Ready to Expand
It's been in test almost two years, and now uWink, the latest techno-concept from Atari and Chuck E. Cheese creator Nolan Bushnell, is about to expand. More - Web Exclusive: Restaurant Chains Face Olympic Trials
Chain operators who have lived through the Olympic Games say that while in theory, restaurants prosper from Olympics-related tourism, in reality, the Games can be a financial bust. More - Fast, Forward: Kings Streamlines the Kitchen
Kings Family Restaurants removed 10 percent of space from its kitchen and added $30,000 worth of new equipment. The result: more consistent product, reduction in food costs and ticket times, and a 20 percent hike in guest counts. More - Downtown Los Angeles' Star Turn
Like most urban downtowns, Los Angeles' was moribund, a place where people worked on weekdays and avoided evenings and weekends. Then, in October of 1999, Staples Center opened. “Streets all of the sudden filled with people,” says Carol Schatz, president and CEO of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District. More - McAlister's Offers Veterans Benefits
McAlister’s Deli is depending on multiunit, multiconcept franchisees to fuel the sandwich chain’s growth. The company benefits from their expertise, while the partnership allows franchisees to expand a brand with staying power. More - Energy Efficiency: Working Smart
High-tech equipment is great for chains that can find it and afford it. But for others like Virginia Barbecue, Schlotzsky's and Foster's Grille, smart use of widely available pieces is an energy-smart alternative. More - Web Exclusive: Save Water, Save Money
The average restaurant uses 300,000 gallons of water a year. No wonder chains are finding ways to conserve H2O. More - Restaurant Design: Way To Go
Coco’s Bakery Restaurant is trying to capitalize on its breakfast core competency by adding an espresso bar and takeout bakery in its restaurants. Targeting a younger demographic, the new cafe features an earth-inspired palette, quartz-like countertops and two-toned wood cabinetry. More
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