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Miami-based brand I Heart Fries teamed with Artist, Athlete, Activist, Celebrity Influencer Dylan Gonzalez to launch an international franchise expansion effort. To learn more about the plans for the growing brand, Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine spoke with Araque and Gonzalez. Why you wanted to franchise.
After successfully opening a second location in Kernersville, NC, and planning for a third one, the fast-casual gourmet slider brand has started franchising and plans to grow strategically in the Southeast region. What are some key trends you expect to affect the franchise landscape this year and in years ahead?
In April, we wrote about Crumbl , and a strange anomaly in its franchise disclosure document, showing that while average profitability per store was up, median profitability was down. The chain was established in 2017 and grew rapidly through franchising. By Jonathan Maze on Jul. Photo: Shutterstock. By Jonathan Maze on Jul.
Bret had a chance to sample menu items from Sunny’s, a breakfast-lunch spot, and Chez Frites, a bistro offering the familiar French plate of steak and fries along with a selection of seafood. Then Pat shares her interview with Matt Banton, VP of menu strategy and innovation at Cracker Barrel. By Patricia Cobe and Bret Thorn on Jul.
29, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The Farmstand Fresh & Affordable Menu offers six Dipping Boxes, starting at $9.99 | Photos courtesy of Farmer Boys Combo meals are a dime a dozen these days, as chains strive to deliver the value cash-strapped consumers are demanding. By Patricia Cobe on Jul. By Patricia Cobe on Jul.
This final edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup for 2024 features news of operator challenges and priorities, delivery trends, wages and hourly worker considerations. The primary response was menu price increases, with nearly 61 percent of respondents adjusting prices to cope with the new reality.
Pepper discussed his journey with Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine. What do you look for in franchise partners and how do you support them? When selecting franchise partners, I look for individuals who are business-minded, passionate about health and wellness, and committed to upholding the standards of the brand.
I plan to take that to the next level in this new chapter of BRIX Holdings’ ownership to grow the size, scale and infrastructure for all our franchise networks and systems,” he said in a statement. News franchising acquisitions finance Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains.
The menu includes a classic Cubano sandwich with roasted pork, shaved ham, pickles and mustard on pressed bread, for example, as well as dishes like black bean soup (frijoles negros), empanadas, and tostones. Perez is not a huge fan of the idea of franchising, at least not at this point. Beverages (coffees) are a core of the menu.
But learning how to make his wife a great bagel ended up creating a business, Jeff’s Bagel Run, which now has 15 locations and is franchising. The pandemic was in full swing, and we got really busy, like 300-400 DMs whenever we dropped a menu,” he said. Wetherill took on about 50% ownership and they launched JBR Franchise Co.,
Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025. For QSR brands, offering globally inspired menu items isn’t just a fun addition anymore, it’s a must.
The of-the-moment menu updates are part of sweeping rebrands at the two chains under owner Ascent Hospitality Management. With the new identity set, Ascent then turned to the chain’s menu. Alongside the new menu, the chain has developed a new restaurant design that will serve as a blueprint for future openings.
An online petition to bring back the Snack Wrap , which calls the item “f*cking delicious” and “easily the best thing” on McDonald’s menu, has nearly 19,000 verified signatures. The wraps officially make their comeback on July 10. Have consumers moved on?
Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025. Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day. For the first part, click here and for the second part, click here.
Kfoury is the founder and CEO of Naya, a 37-unit fast-casual concept with a Lebanese menu that recently announced a significant investment that sets the New York-based chain up for a new phase of growth. Kfoury hopes to get to 200 units by 2030, and Cava has projected it will reach 1,000 by that point—both without franchising.
Southern Comfort, Stacked High Another standout on the menu? This post is sponsored by Kraft Foodservice Menumenu trends chefs Want breaking news at your fingertips? Chef tip: Want more flavor lift without more salt? Use PHILADELPHIA ® to amplify seasoning in dips and spreads without muddying the balance.
Continue to Site >>> Menu Forget coffee. All are company owned and there are no plans to franchise. Wishnow, a former Dunkin’ and Taco Bell franchisee, tapped menu consultants and brand builders The Culinary Edge to design a menu that falls somewhere between Salad and Go and Sweetgreen, price-wise.
Franchised brands have been popular targets for investors that prefer their lack of capital spending and cash flow that is less susceptible to recessionary downturns like those of company-run operations. Shipley generated $320 million in system sales last year, up 8.1% Unit count grew nearly 5%. Trending Operations Washington, D.C.
The private-equity firm owns a controlling stake in Fitzpatrick’s former company Driven Brands, which owns auto repair franchises like Maaco, Meineke and other brands. The entirely franchised brand has closed nearly 8,000 domestic locations over the past decade, more than any other U.S. system sales declined 3.8% last year, to $9.5
The fast-food franchisor is asking a federal court to sign off on its decision to terminate Paradigm Investment Group’s franchise agreement. Hardee’s filed a counterclaim against a big franchisee that is the only one in the system to close most of its restaurants at 2 p.m. Starbucks’ latest gambit to improve operations?
franchise operations for the West division. A comprehensive menu overhaul was rolled out in March, and was beginning to show results in the first quarter , with systemwide same-store sales up 4.4%, including a 1.8% Christina steps up at a pivotal time for Noodles, which is a year into a revitalization plan launched by Madsen.
There are no immediate plans to franchise, said Christiana Luo, Big Way’s chief brand officer and co-founder. stores, and the menu will evolve as they see what works. The menu also includes boba, fruit teas and other drink options. By the end of next year, Big Way expects to have 30 units, about half of which will be in the U.S.,
The burrito chain was founded in 2008 in Wall Township, New Jersey, by Bill Hart and Paul Altero, who created a menu of traditional Mexican fare but with a twist. Bubbakoo’s started franchising in 2015, and the chain has grown into 15 states, mostly on the East Coast and Midwest. By Lisa Jennings on Jun. Sign up here.
Last year, the bakery-café chain began a comprehensive menu overhaul. As of early June, Panera Bread had 2,197 units, both company and franchised, in 48 states, Washington, D.C. The chain is in the process of shuttering all its fresh dough facilities , and shifting bread making to third-party bakers. and Canada.
The convenience-retailing giant on Wednesday announced a Craveables Value Menu, pitting it in head-to-head competition with fast-food chains also looking to win consumers over with low prices. By Heather Lalley on Jun. Photo: Shutterstock 7-Eleven is ready to do battle in the summer value wars. With more than 13,000 stores in the U.S.
Premium Food An eye on food waste inspires a chicken salad that becomes a best seller Behind the Menu: Millers All Day repurposed leftover breakfast waffles into croutons to create a new signature—the Chicken and Waffle Salad. It’s a unique spin on Southern comfort.
Formerly with Yum Brands, Davenport worked with Pizza Hut for more than nine years, including as managing director for global franchise markets and managing director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. As Mooyah’s president, he is tasked with leading the chain into its next stage of franchise growth. and Hardee’s.
Menu innovation can be a motivating factor in luring diners away from breakfast at home—where nearly half of consumers eat the morning meal—and into restaurants. News Breakfast Technomic consumers Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. Sign up here.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. Podcast Menu Talk News independents Want breaking news at your fingertips? By Bret Thorn and Patricia Cobe on Jul. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts.
Konro is a Japanese-inspired concept known for a 10- to 14-course tasting menu, served at a chef’s counter with only 10 seats. Bickelhaupt was a guest on the Menu Talk podcast by Restaurant Business last year, and he spoke about his former struggles with sobriety and operating the concept with his wife, who was also sommelier.
The casual-dining chain is introducing two new menu categories, bowls and bites, featuring a selection of items ranging in price from under $10 to $16. The new options also bring more flexibility to the menu. The Cheesecake Factory also has an appetizers menu, with heavier items like sliders and quesadillas. Sign up here.
David Wheeler, Bonchon Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon announced two new additions to its development team to double down on franchise expansion. McIntyre is a classically trained chef with deep experience in both menu development and operations.
" As we mark the fifth anniversary, MRM magazine surveyed restaurant insiders about the pandemic’s lasting impact on their businesses and the industry. Running a successful restaurant isn’t measured solely by what’s on the menu anymore. Most widely felt is the labor epidemic. Innovate or die was the new mantra.
His early moves have included simplifying the chain’s menu and operations and upgrading some core items, such as pizza. It is in California The Bottom Line: Data from Technomic’s Price Pulse shows that the average price for a medium Big Mac meal in California is about the same as the price for a Big Smasher on Chili’s 3-for-Me menu.
Fryer sheds light on the "perfect storm" brewing and offers Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine readers insights into how restaurants can navigate these turbulent times. We found that while menu prices vary only 38 percent across markets, wages fluctuate up to 90 percent.
This edition of Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Research Roundup features dining trends, hiring trends, tech trends, brunch trends, alcohol trends, and egg prices. For franchise systems, this connectivity translates into stronger P&Ls, justifiable tech fees and a more compelling pitch to prospective franchisees.”
Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025. Careful operational improvements—like labor optimization, menu engineering, and cost control—will replace debt-fueled expansion as the key to growth.
News casual_dining finance franchising Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
Premium Food White Castles iconic chicken slider gets a makeover Behind the Menu: To play harder in the fast-food chicken sandwich space, the chain created a crisper, bigger, tastier slider, complete with a new sauce.
He will replace longtime leader Bob Johnston, who began working at Melting Pot as a dishwasher at 14 and later bought the concept with his brothers, growing it into a national franchise. He has held various franchise and operations leadership roles. It also unveiled a new incentive program to help spur franchise growth.
Now Cheek is back at Newk’s, which is part of the FSC Franchise Co. A classically trained chef, McIntyre will help shape the evolution of the chain’s menu, as well as sourcing ingredients, optimizing vendor relationships and streamlining inventory. Chris Cheek has returned to Newk’s Eatery as chief development officer.
It has been franchising for decades. We talk about the chain’s extensive menu of ice cream flavors and how it trains franchisees to make that ice cream on site. " Now the structure is in place to accelerate expansion outside California, without franchising. This is a great conversation.
Most recently, he was CEO and CFO of Quality Restaurant Group, a multi-brand franchise operation. Pirone previously spent two decades with Domino’s Pizza leading operations, training and franchise development. And Eric High is the chain’s new director of franchise relations.
" Now the structure is in place to accelerate expansion outside California, without franchising. Premium Financing Explaining Crumbls franchise profitability The Bottom Line: The dessert chain has updated its franchise documents to show a median per-store net profit far better than was initially reported.
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