Tim Hortons Announces Agreement to Launch in Thailand

Tim Hortons announced today that it has entered into an exclusive master franchise and development agreement to develop the Tim Hortons brand in Thailand with WeEat Company, part of the Wattanavekin family group of companies.

"We are very excited to grow the Tims brand in Thailand as part of our broader global growth strategy," said Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo. "Thailand has a thriving coffee market and our partner has a deep understanding of the Thai market, which we believe will position us well for success in the country."

Tim Hortons believes that it can replicate in Thailand its recent successes in other international markets by featuring a strong core hot and cold beverage platform, a localized food menu and prominent Canadian branding in the restaurant design to celebrate the brand's Canadian heritage...

Popeyes Announces Agreement to Launch the Brand in Spain

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. ("Popeyes") today announced an exciting new agreement to open Popeyes restaurants in Spain with the aim of becoming the market leader.

"We have an ambitious long-term goal for RBI of reaching 40,000 restaurants over the next 8 to 10 years. Today, we're excited to share big news from Europe where we have announced ambitious plans for one of our iconic brands – Popeyes – in Spain," said Josh Kobza, Chief Operating Officer of Restaurant Brands International Inc. ("RBI"), parent company of Popeyes. "We believe we have the best tasting chicken, biscuits and side items and that Popeyes can become Spain's number one choice for chicken as we develop...

McDonald's Workers Walk Out

Hundreds of workers at McDonald's Corp. restaurants walked off the job on Thursday to protest what they described as low pay, unsafe workplaces and sexual harassment.

The walkouts prompted operators to close 10 restaurants in St. Louis, and workers picketed outside McDonald's in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The day's events are among the most visible disruptions to the chain's operations in the years since unions have sought to organize McDonald's workers.

Several hundred workers from restaurants in 13 cities left their posts during the breakfast and lunch rushes...

Taco Bell Embarks On Next Chapter of Global Growth

Taco Bell, the world's largest Mexican-inspired restaurant chain, is continuing its major global expansion with the signing of its largest master franchise agreement in India, as well as unveiling new international markets for the brand.

Technomic: Canadians’ Routines and Habits Present Challenges for Emerging Bakery and Coffee Cafes

In the 2019 Canadian Bakery & Coffee Cafe Consumer Trend Report, Technomic found that many coffee cafe customers stick to the same restaurant brand and, oftentimes, the same cafe location, due to their coffee preferences and demands for convenience. On the other hand, bakery-cafe customers are open to mixing up the brands they visit, challenging these operators to build up loyal customer bases.

“For emerging coffee cafes, the challenge is in getting consumers to break from their routines and try something new,” explains Charles Winship, manager of consumer insights at Technomic. “While specials and limited-time offers can help draw in new visitors, whether these guests habitually return will ultimately come down to value, convenience and, in many cases, coffee.”

Key takeaways from the report include...

Restaurant Food Costs: What does ASF Mean for Protein Prices in the US?

Rabobank expects food costs in the US to increase in the second half of the year, as protein prices are impacted by stronger export demand following the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak. Pork and chicken prices will be the most impacted. Beef will be the last to see increases materialize, but QSR patty prices are expected to be the most vulnerable component. If a trade agreement with China were to be brokered, price increases would be faster and steeper.

Restaurants Should Expect Rising Protein Prices

For the past two years, restaurants have been favored by a relatively benign food cost environment, which helped compensate for rising costs in other areas (labor, real estate). We expect this situation to change (for proteins) towards the second half of the year and...

Little Caesars And Impossible Foods Team Up For Impossible Supreme Pizza

Little Caesars, the pizza chain celebrated for meat-centric products including a pizza wrapped in three feet of bacon, has teamed up with Impossible Foods to offer a plant-based sausage on the new Impossible™ Supreme pizza.

The Impossible Supreme is a large pizza topped with sauce made from fresh-packed, vine-ripened California crushed tomatoes, covered with mozzarella and Muenster cheese, and loaded with a generous portion of seasoned Impossible™ Sausage made from plants, caramelized onions, mushrooms and green peppers.

Impossible Supreme Pizza is now available exclusively in three Little Caesars test markets in Florida, New Mexico and Washington state...

Nathan’s Famous Names James Walker Senior Vice President, Restaurants

Nathan’s Famous announced today that it has hired James Walker, CFE, as the company’s Senior Vice President, Restaurants. Walker comes to Nathan’s Famous from Subway where he was Vice President, North America, overseeing all franchised restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

“We are excited to have James on board to lead our all-important restaurant division,” said Eric Gatoff, CEO of Nathan’s Famous. “While our success over the last decade has largely come from our product licensing and foodservice businesses, Nathan’s started as a restaurant company in 1916. James’ skill set includes extensive experience in restaurant operations, franchising and product development. Adding someone as accomplished and innovative as James demonstrates our continued commitment to...

The Wendy's Company Reports First Quarter 2019 Results

The Wendy's Company (Nasdaq: WEN) today reported unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

"We delivered strong earnings growth in the first quarter and are proud of our continued progress to build an even stronger foundation for the Wendy's brand," President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "We are executing on our plan to accelerate same-restaurant sales in North America and drive global restaurant expansion, fueled by a healthy restaurant economic model. Our relentless focus on bringing every element of The Wendy's Way to life by providing food our customers love, friendly service, value, and an inviting atmosphere will continue to drive growth in the future...

Del Taco Restaurants Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Del Taco Restaurants, Inc., (NASDAQ: TACO), the second largest Mexican-American quick service restaurant chain by units in the United States, today reported fiscal first quarter 2019 financial results for the 12-week period ending March 26, 2019. Del Taco also reaffirmed its previously announced guidance for fiscal year 2019.

Fiscal First Quarter 2019 Highlights

• System-wide comparable restaurant sales decreased 0.1%;
• Company-operated comparable restaurant sales decreased 0.6%. Company-operated comparable restaurant sales were comprised of average check growth of 4.9%, including nearly 1% of menu mix growth, offset by a transaction decline of 5.5%;
• Franchised comparable restaurant sales grew...

Shake Shack Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Shake Shack Inc. (“Shake Shack” or the “Company”) (NYSE: SHAK) today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 27, 2019, a period that included 13 weeks.

Financial Highlights for the First Quarter 2019 compared to the First Quarter 2018:

• Total revenue increased 33.8% to $132.6 million.
• Shack sales increased 33.8% to $128.6 million.
• Same-Shack sales increased 3.6%.
• Shack system-wide sales increased 33.5% to $195.2 million.
• Operating income was $5.2 million, or 3.9% of total revenue, which included the impact of costs associated with Project Concrete and other one-time items totaling $0.5 million, resulting in a decrease of 20.8%.
• Shack-level operating profit...

Dunkin' Brands Reports First Quarter 2019 Results

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN), the parent company of Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins (BR), today reported results for the first quarter ended March 30, 2019.

"While we are still in the early innings of the implementation of our Blueprint for Growth, Dunkin' U.S. delivered a strong first quarter, including 5.5 percent systemwide sales growth and a 2.4 percent increase in comparable store sales, which was the largest quarterly comparable store sales increase in four years. This solid performance, across both morning and afternoon, was driven by consistent, compelling national value promotions and continued beverage sales momentum. In particular, the relaunch of our highly successful...

Sonic Drive-In Says Aloha with New King's Hawaiian Clubs

SONIC® Drive-In adds a taste of Hawaii to its menu this month with the all-new KING’S HAWAIIAN® Clubs. Complete with island flair, SONIC transforms its Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich and SONIC Burger to create the irresistible KING’S HAWAIIAN Chicken Club and KING’S HAWAIIAN Burger Club.

Guests can choose between the KING’S HAWAIIAN Chicken Club made with 100-percent all white meat crispy chicken or the KING’S HAWAIIAN Burger Club made with a savory 100-percent pure beef patty, both piled high with fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, crunchy bacon, and natural Swiss cheese layered on the iconic KING’S HAWAIIAN Bun. Starting at just...

Wendy's Releases New Chicken Lineup 

Wendy's recently released the Made to Crave menu – a sandwich line dedicated to unlocking a whole new world of flavors. Now, Wendy's Made to Crave menu is bringing you a new chicken lineup guaranteed to satisfy those craveable taste buds. Introducing three new chicken sandwiches to Wendy's chicken menu: Avocado BLT, S'Awesome Bacon Chicken and Barbecue Chicken.

Made to Crave Chicken sandwiches takes Wendy's core menu that much further, driving more flavor variety to your go-to chicken sandwiches while never sacrificing quality. The best part? The Made to Crave Chicken lineup features each of Wendy's different fillets. We're talking the lightly breaded and specially seasoned homestyle, grilled and for when you want to raise the temperature a bit – spicy. Each sandwich is made with...

McDonald's Reports First Quarter 2019 Results

McDonald's Corporation today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

"We started the year strong with our 15th consecutive quarter of positive global comparable sales, reflecting continued broad-based momentum across each of our global segments," said McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook. "We remain focused on running better restaurants and elevating the experience for our customers by providing convenience on their terms through delivery, Experience of the Future, and our evolving digital channels."

First quarter highlights...

Dunkin' Introduces Two New Breakfast Bowls 

In our busy, on-the-go lives, it's not always easy to make better decisions while eating on the run. That's why Dunkin' is continuing to introduce new, delicious menu items to help guests power through the day, including its new Dunkin' Bowls which are now available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time. The new lineup includes an Egg White Bowl that provides guests another easy way to be a little better and joins other better-for-you Dunkin' products like the popular Power Breakfast Sandwich.

Available today at participating Dunkin' restaurants nationwide, guests can choose from two new Dunkin' Bowls to pair with their favorite Dunkin' beverages...

Domino’s Delivers Real-Time Pizza Location

Domino’s Pizza is creating transparency in the store-to-consumer supply chain.

The pizza chain is piloting a test of GPS-enabled delivery driver tracking in 27 corporate stores in Phoenix, Arizona. Customers who order from one of these stores can track the location of their order and driver via a map from the order confirmation page on the Domino’s site or the Domino's app.

Customers receive an estimated delivery time and can opt into SMS text notifications that let them know when their order is about two minutes away. The tracking feature also provides optional navigation and one-touch customer callback capabilities to delivery drivers. In addition, store managers have a driver-tracking screen that will show where all of their drivers are out on the road...

Starbucks Reports Q2 Fiscal 2019 Results

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today reported financial results for its 13-week fiscal second quarter ended March 31, 2019. GAAP results in fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018 include items which are excluded from non-GAAP results. Please refer to the reconciliation of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures at the end of this release for more information.

“Starbucks delivered another quarter of solid operating results, demonstrating that our ‘Growth at Scale’ agenda is working,” said Kevin Johnson, president and ceo. “We are especially pleased with our comparable store sales growth in our two lead markets, the U.S. and China, where we are also continuing to drive strong new store development with industry-leading returns. With solid first-half financial results, we are on track to deliver on our full-year commitments...

Church's Chicken Offers New Spicy Tenders LTO

Fried chicken with a spicy kick that's not only hot, but flavorful too, is a Church's Chicken® tradition that's been going strong for 66 years and counting. It started with guests squeezing the juice of a jalapeño pepper over the brand's hand-battered fried chicken, but it hasn't stopped there. Today, Church's menu still prominently features jalapeño peppers, but also includes the brand's one-of-a-kind Spicy Chicken recipe made from a signature blend of red pepper, cracked black pepper, chipotle, and habanero peppers, in addition to jalapeño peppers. The bold, Texas-inspired heat and savory flavor is a big fan favorite with guests, but what many don't know is that there's a Church's menu "secret" for...

Subway Restaurants Open the Club Doors to its New Collection

While a club sandwich traditionally features bacon, turkey and lettuce, Subway® Restaurants is once again proving its new innovative approach to the classic sandwich is far from traditional. The NEW! Club Collection turns the rules upside down by modernizing these iconic sandwiches with a kick of spicy jalapeños, delicious steak and creamy guacamole.

These crave-worthy, chef-inspired recipes for the Club sandwiches are...

Little Caesars Brings Back Pizza Creation Especially for Meat Lovers

Little Caesars, the home of HOT-N-READY® pizza, is bringing back its mouthwatering meat masterpiece, the 5 Meat Feast. This pizza is loaded with pepperoni, bacon, sausage, beef and ham* for only $9 plus applicable tax at participating U.S. locations. Starting April 25, the 5 Meat Feast is available for a limited time.

"Our research shows that people want more meat, so we designed this pizza to satisfy America's cravings," said Ed Gleich, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Little Caesars. "And, at $9, the pizza stays true to our brand's commitment to value."

The 5 Meat Feast is available alongside other Little Caesars options including the $5 HOT-N-READY classic pizza and EXTRAMOSTBESTEST® pizzas. Customers can walk in and have a hot, fresh 5 Meat Feast ready and waiting for them between...

Chipotle Announces First Quarter 2019 Results

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) today reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2019.

First quarter highlights, year over year:

• Revenue increased 13.9% to $1.3 billion
• Comparable restaurant sales increased 9.9%, net of 30 bps from loyalty deferral, and included 5.8% of comparable restaurant transaction growth and 2% in mix contribution
• Digital sales grew 100.7% and accounted for 15.7% of sales for the quarter
• Restaurant level operating margin was 21.0%, an increase from...

Papa John's International Opens Its 2000th Restaurant Outside North America

Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) continues to expand its global presence, recently opening its 2000th restaurant outside North America. The milestone restaurant opened in Moscow, Russia. Russia, with more than 200 restaurants, is one of the company’s fastest growing markets.

Papa John’s international business has been growing rapidly since the company took its pizza to the world by opening a restaurant in Mexico City in 1998. A decade later, Papa John’s marked another milestone with the company’s 500th international restaurant opening in Turkey in 2008, followed by the celebration of the 1000th restaurant opening in 2013.

Just over five years later, with a concerted focus on ramping up global development, the number of international restaurants has...

Domino's Pizza Announces First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, announced results for the first quarter, comprised of healthy growth in global retail sales and earnings per share. Global retail sales increased 4.6% in the first quarter, or 8.5% without the negative impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. U.S. same store sales grew 3.9% during the quarter versus the year-ago period, continuing the positive sales momentum in the Company's U.S. business.

The international division also posted positive results, with same store sales growth of 1.8% during the quarter. The first quarter marked the 101st consecutive quarter of international same store sales growth and the 32nd consecutive quarter of U.S. same store sales growth. The Company had first quarter global net store growth of 200 stores, comprised of...

White Castle Announces New Limited Time Menu 

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, today announced the addition of its new BBQ bash lineup featuring the BBQ Brisket Slider, 99¢ BBQ Original Slider, and, for the first time since White Castle became the first fast-food chain to offer the Impossible™ Slider, a spin on the iconic slider made from plants – the BBQ Impossible Slider. Joining the new BBQ lineup are White Castle's fan-favorite Fried Pickles and a line of Summer Smoothies to keep Cravers cool. The new menu items are available at most White Castle restaurants for a limited time or while supplies last.

White Castle's new BBQ bash lineup includes the BBQ Brisket Slider, with smoked and sliced brisket, the BBQ Impossible Slider, featuring the tastier, beefier Impossible patty, and ...

Dunkin’ Pilots Multi-Tender Participation for its DD Perks Rewards Program

Choice and convenience – two of the values that have helped Dunkin’ earn the loyalty and passion of its on-the-go guests – are now distinguishing the brand’s rewards program and benefiting its members in even more powerful ways. Today the brand announced a pilot of multi-tender participation in its DD Perks® Rewards Program at more than 1,000 locations across the country, giving guests the opportunity for the first time to earn DD Perks points regardless of how they pay.

Whereas previously DD Perks members could only earn points towards free beverages by paying via an enrolled Dunkin’ gift card, at the pilot locations they can now earn points whether they pay by cash, credit, debit or a Dunkin’ gift card. Guests at the participating locations can accumulate points with ...

Popeyes Launches On-Demand Delivery With Postmates

Postmates and POPEYES® announced today that they've partnered to bring their delicious fried chicken direct to your door. With more than 2,000 POPEYES locations in the US, customers across the country can have their favorite Cajun dishes delivered. Postmates knows that POPEYES wouldn't be the same without that hot, flakey biscuit, so they are giving customers one for free when they order through the platform. To further celebrate the new partnership, Postmates is waiving the delivery fee on POPEYES orders with the promo code BISCUITS.

"Over the years we've made hundreds of thousands of deliveries from POPEYES, so we are thrilled to officially partner and work closely with them to continue to ...

Panera Bread Takes On Breakfast to Eliminate Trade-Offs Between Morning Convenience And Quality

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; yet mornings can be hectic, and the quickest option isn't always the best quality option. To usher in a new era of breakfast on the go, Panera is refreshing its offerings, focusing on new menu items and an elevated coffee platform to meet the untapped consumer demand for a convenient, yet high-quality, delicious breakfast.

Many of today's fast breakfast options include frozen, microwaved food items that lack flavor or nutritional value; and made-to-order foods can often come with a wait time that impacts the morning commute. Panera's 100% clean breakfast options ...

Tim Horton's Introduces Tims Rewards in the U.S. 

The number seven is about to become the new favorite number for Tim Hortons® guests. Not only was the number seven hockey legend Tim Horton’s retiring jersey number, but also starting today, Americans will be rewarded after every seventh visit with new Tims Rewards.

With the new rewards program, guests will be eligible for a free hot brewed coffee or hot tea (any size), or baked good (except for Timbits® and bagels) after every seventh visit*.

Tims Rewards is simple and easy to use ...

Sonic Brings the Bacon with the New BBLT

As the year goes on, 2019 is proving to be the year of the bacon battles. After McDonald's introduced the first nationwide bacon bash called "Bacon Hour" back in January, Wendy's created its own limited time offer to celebrate the American favorite. Wendy's offer included a free baconator and $0 delivery through DoorDash with a $10 purchase during a short time in Janury through February. Now, quick service restaurants like Sonic are creating their own take on consumer's love for bacon.

Sonic has added a twist to an iconic favorite to create the BBLT, a sandwich with so much bacon, there is ...

Little Caesars Hires Jeff Klein as New Senior Vice President of Global Marketing

Little Caesars is excited to announce that Jeff Klein will take on the role of Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at the nearly 60-year-old pizza company.

Klein has served nearly 20 years in progressive marketing leadership positions, most recently spending the last 2 years at PepsiCo as chief marketing officer for global foodservice. Prior to that Jeff spent 10 years at Frito-Lay North America in ...

Subway Announces Expansion of Global Food Innovation Partnership with Tastemade

Subway and Tastemade have announced an expansion of their first-of-its-kind global food innovation alliance. The world's largest restaurant chain and the modern media brand, made up of creators and food explorers united by their love and passion for great tasting food, are collaborating to create menu items designed to complement Subway's current offerings while inspiring new tastes that guests can't find anywhere else.

Subway and Tastemade first announced their innovative collaboration to deliver unique food offerings in North America and Latin America in August 2018. Since the inception of the partnership, hundreds of menu items have been developed using unique data and insights derived from the Tastemade audience, and ...

Bojangles’ Names Jackie Woodward Chief Marketing Officer

Bojangles’, Inc. today announced that brand strategist and marketing veteran Jackie Woodward has joined the company as its new Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to Jose Armario, Chief Executive Officer. Woodward will work alongside the brand’s respected long-time marketing chief Randy Poindexter over the next several months to ensure a seamless transition. The company recently announced Poindexter’s retirement after 28 years as the iconic brand’s top marketing executive.

Woodward comes to Bojangles’ with more than 30 years of marketing experience in domestic and global markets. In addition to recently serving as Global Chief Marketing Officer for North Carolina-based Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation, she also served as ...

Burger King Restaurants Test the Impossible Whopper 

Can a plant-based patty deliver all the flame-grilled, juicy craveability of the revered BURGER KING® restaurants WHOPPER® sandwich? We think so, but can you really believe anything you hear on April Fools’ Day? In a new video, BURGER KING® restaurants surprised its loyal guests by serving the Impossible™ WHOPPER® instead of the classic WHOPPER® -- and filmed their reactions. Watch the Impossible™ WHOPPER® film at www.YouTube.com/BurgerKing.

Starting today, 59 exclusive BURGER KING® restaurants in and around St. Louis will be testing the Impossible™ WHOPPER® -- a flame-grilled, plant-based patty topped with ...

Domino's Pizza Celebrates the Opening of Its 10,000th International Store

Domino's Pizza, (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, is celebrating the opening of the brand's 10,000th international store today. The store is located in the IBC Mall at 3008 Buxin Road in the Luohu District of Shenzhen, China.

"Not only are we excited to open the 200th Domino's location in mainland China, but we are thrilled that it marks the brand's 10,000th store outside of the U.S.," said Frank Krasovec, chairman of Dash Brands Ltd. – Domino's master franchisee in China. "We look forward to bringing our delicious pizzas, quality products and ...

Papa John’s Appoints Karlin Linhardt as Global Chief Marketing Officer

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA), one of the world’s largest pizza delivery companies, today announced the appointment of Karlin Linhardt as its Global Chief Marketing Officer. Mr. Linhardt is a veteran marketing leader with deep Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) category experience and C-suite executive roles at global Fortune-500 restaurant companies, consumer brands and top professional services firms, including Anheuser-Busch, McDonald’s, Accenture and Subway.

In his most recent role, Mr. Linhardt served as Senior Vice President of Marketing for North America for Subway Restaurants, where he led brand management and guest experience for 30,000 restaurants and designed the company’s global brand transformation plan. Prior to Subway, Mr. Linhardt served as ...

Carl’s Jr. Launches New Bacon Truffle Angus Burger and Bacon Truffle Cheese Fries

Carl’s Jr.®, known for impossible to ignore flavors and craveable menu items, today introduced its latest menu innovations, the Bacon Truffle Angus Burger and Bacon Truffle Cheese Fries, now available for a limited time at participating Carl’s Jr. locations.

The new Bacon Truffle Angus Burger features a decadent truffle-infused white cheddar sauce*, which has a deep, rich and savory flavor including notes of garlic, toasted onion and aged parmesan. The burger includes a charbroiled 100% Black Angus beef patty topped with ...

MLB Fans will Enjoy 18.3 Million Hot Dogs and Nearly Four Million Sausages at Ballparks in 2019

When it comes to what we eat at Major League Baseball (MLB) parks, the top dogs for well over a century have been hot dogs and sausages—and once again, they will reign supreme in 2019. According to a survey by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), MLB fans this season are expected to consume about 18.3 million hot dogs and nearly four million sausages.

"It's easy to see why hot dogs and sausages have been stadium staples since the very beginnings of Major League Baseball itself," said NHDSC President Eric Mittenthal. "They are delicious, convenient and nostalgic. What would America's pastime be without these most American of foods?"

While it might not take the sting out of two straight World Series losses, the Los Angeles Dodgers will still top the big leagues wiener-wise, with projected sales of...

McDonald’s to Acquire Dynamic Yield

McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) and Dynamic Yield Ltd. today announced an agreement by which McDonald’s will acquire Dynamic Yield, a leader in personalization and decision logic technology. With this acquisition of Dynamic Yield, based in New York and Tel Aviv, McDonald’s builds on its significant technology investments for growth.

McDonald’s will utilize this decision technology to provide an even more personalized customer experience by varying outdoor digital Drive Thru menu displays to show food based on time of day, weather, current restaurant traffic and trending menu items. The decision technology can also ...

Wendy's Introduces New Parmesan Caesar Chicken Salad 

Balance can be hard to achieve when you're constantly on the go, but when it comes to finding middle ground between delicious flavors and quality ingredients, Wendy's has you covered with its fresh made-in-restaurant daily salad line. From savory to sweet and simple to bold, Wendy's offers a variety of flavor combinations that you wouldn't expect from fast food salads.

And now, Wendy's takes salad craveability even further with the addition of the Parmesan Caesar Chicken Salad to its lineup of freshly made salads. The newest addition puts a unique twist on ...

Domino's and Xevo Deliver In-Car Ordering to New Vehicles in 2019

Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, knows that some people practically live in their car, so why not make the car a great place to order pizza too? Domino's is working with Xevo Inc., the global leader of in-vehicle commerce and services for automakers, to launch the latest AnyWare pizza ordering platform pre-loaded in cars starting in 2019. The new in-vehicle Domino's app is powered by Xevo Market, an automotive commerce platform for connected cars.

"At Domino's, we want pizza ordering to be simple and always within reach, no matter where a customer happens to be," said Chris Roeser, director of digital experience at Domino's. "This new AnyWare platform will make ordering pizza easy, whether you're in the car waiting for ...

Domino's Pizza Opens First Store in Bangladesh

Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, is continuing its global growth momentum with the opening of its first store in Bangladesh. Residents of the capital Dhaka can now enjoy hot, freshly-baked pizza in-store or delivered to their doorstep by Domino's master franchisee Jubilant FoodWorks Limited and their local operator Golden Harvest.

"We are excited to launch the first Domino's restaurant in Dhaka and look forward to offering a menu that keeps the needs and preferences of local customers in mind, while also offering the best of the brand's international menu," said Pratik Pota, chief executive officer and director of Jubilant FoodWorks Limited. "We believe that our high-quality products and ...

Checkers & Rally’s Launches Deepest and Most Franchisee-Friendly Delivery Platform in QSR

Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, Inc., today announced the launch of the brand’s new delivery platform, the most comprehensive and franchisee-friendly delivery system in all of QSR. The platform brings five national delivery services – Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, Grubhub and Amazon Restaurants – together under one single, seamless point-of-sale (POS) system. Integrations via Olo will give guests the ability to order the brand’s “Crazy Good Food” from their favorite delivery service, while giving franchisees and restaurant operators a profitable and operationally simple way to fulfill those orders.

“While some of the biggest brands in QSR have committed to a single delivery service, we wanted to give Checkers & Rally’s guests more ways to bring our amazing burgers, famous seasoned fries and exciting flavors to their front doors ...

KFC is Bringing Back Chicken & Waffles in Limited Time Offer 

Kentucky Fried Chicken® will reintroduce Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles to fans this month after an overwhelmingly positive response from customers during its debut last November. Available for just four weeks, the sought-after menu item will return to participating KFC U.S. restaurants from March 23 until April 29, or while supplies last.

Due to the immense demand, this is the fastest KFC has brought a limited-time offering back to its menu in recent years.

Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles offers the ultimate sweet and savory menu item and pairs the Colonel's Extra Crispy fried chicken with scrumptious Belgian Liege-style waffles. The fan favorite first became available in November of 2018 and was offered until ...

Millennials with Kids Are a Growth Group for U.S. Restaurants

Millennial parents, just like parents from the generations that preceded them, are increasingly looking to restaurants to take on the task of cooking for their families. Millennials with children increased their restaurant visits by 5 percent in 2018 compared to prior year, reports The NPD Group. Their visit increase is in comparison to flat traffic growth for the total foodservice industry in 2018, according to NPD, which tracks on a daily basis U.S. consumers’ use of restaurants and other foodservice outlets.

Millennials overall make the most restaurant visits per capita although their visits have been slowing. As teens and young adults they influenced the growth of the fast casual category, the “fresh” movement, and were early adopters of the hottest sauces and an assortment of ethnic flavors. Now as parents with hectic lives they’re turning to restaurants for ...

Little Caesars Announces Return of Bacon Wrapped Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza

Little Caesars® Pizza is bringing back its beloved Bacon Wrapped DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish pizza to its U.S. restaurants to satisfy even the most passionate bacon fans. Bacon lovers who download the Little Caesars app or order online can get early access to the product on March 18. Then, starting March 21, the Bacon Wrapped DEEP!DEEP! Dish pizza will be available as an item to walk-in customers from 4-8 P.M., or all day, every day by request at U.S. Little Caesars restaurants for a limited time.

The Bacon Wrapped DEEP!DEEP! Dish pizza is an 8-corner deep dish pizza wrapped in a wall of over 3 ½ feet of whole strips of thick-cut, crispy bacon, and then topped with pepperoni and even more delicious pieces of smoky, crumbled savory bacon decadence. This pizza offering is an extension of ...

Restaurant Chains Support Packaging Initiative

Three giant restaurant companies have joined forces to support an initiative addressing packaging waste issues that challenge the foodservice industry. The plans include development of a sustainable cup that is recyclable and compostable.

Starbucks, McDonald’s and Wendy’s, all recognizing the need for increased and improved sustainable packaging, are participating in the NextGen Consortium, which is focused on creating environmentally friendly food packaging solutions.

The effort, led by sustainable investment firm Closed Loop Partners, began last September, with the NextGen Cup Challenge, a contest highlighting sustainable packaging innovations, such as the creation of a cup the companies could serve at their units worldwide. NextGen said 12 firms are now ...

Papa John's Announces National Partnership with DoorDash 

Today, Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) announced a national partnership with DoorDash, the fastest-growing on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery, offering delivery from more than 1,400 restaurants. To celebrate the launch, lucky pizza lovers can get $0 delivery during St. Patrick’s Day weekend from March 15-17 on all orders over $10 delivered through the platform at participating locations.

By working with partners like DoorDash, Papa John's continues to find ways to reach new customer segments and expand its off-premise offerings through delivery and takeout.

“This partnership extends our continued commitment to meet customers wherever they are and provide simple, easy ordering for guests in addition to our own ...

Jack in the Box Transforms 'On-the-Go' Dining with Cognizant

Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) announced it is developing a new digital strategy for Jack in the Box® restaurants, one of the largest hamburger chains in the U.S. The initiative includes a mobile app that enhances the brand's "on-the-go" experience by enabling customers to view menus, exclusive promotions, and everyday value deals, find the nearest location, place orders in advance, and pay using their mobile phones. The app is now available for use with all 2,200+ Jack in the Box locations in the U.S.

San Diego-based Jack in the Box partnered with Cognizant digital experts to understand customer requirements, workflows and to create a scalable digital platform. As part of its engagement, Cognizant surveyed customers about their restaurant experiences and preferences. Cognizant worked with industry experts to identify operational efficiencies and best practices. The resulting app, the chain's first, provides ...

Chipotle Rewards Launches by Giving Fans a Quarter of a Million Dollars on Venmo

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG), announced today the national launch of its highly anticipated loyalty program, Chipotle Rewards. To show people how good it feels to get rewarded, Chipotle is using Venmo payouts to give away up to a quarter of a million dollars, to approximately 25,000 Chipotle fans per day, from now through March 15, 2019.

This is the latest advancement in Chipotle's efforts to make the brand more accessible and to strengthen the relationship with its community. To start earning free Chipotle with Chipotle Rewards, people can sign up in the Chipotle app or at Chipotle.com/Rewards. Those who enroll will earn 10 points for every $1 spent in the restaurant, online, or in the app, with 1,250 points resulting in ...

Dunkin' Brands Announces Appointment of New Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN), the parent company of Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins, today announced the appointment of David Mann as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. He will serve on the Company's leadership team and will report directly to Dave Hoffmann, Dunkin' Brands CEO and Dunkin' U.S. President. Mann replaces Rich Emmett, who is retiring as Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer from the Company.

Before joining Dunkin' Brands, Mann was Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Marriott International, a leading global hospitality company that manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and lodging facilities. Mann joined Marriott in 1995 and held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in the legal department, including serving as ...

Del Taco Elevates Fast Food Box Quality and Value with Fresh Faves Boxes

Grilled Chicken Tacos made with fresh-grilled chicken, Half-Pound Bean & Cheese Burritos crafted with slow-cooked beans made from scratch in each restaurant, and the signature Del Taco, loaded with hand-grated cheddar cheese. These are just a few of the items that Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ: TACO), the nation’s second leading Mexican quick service restaurant,** is offering in its new line-up of Fresh Faves Box Meals that deliver quality and quantity at a price point that only Del Taco can deliver.

“For Del Taco, value means offering guests an unbeatable combination of freshly prepared, craveable items served at a price that’s less than the national competition,” said Barry Westrum, Del Taco’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We created these Boxes based on ...

KFC U.S. Names Staci Rawls First Chief Communications Officer

KFC Corporation today announced it has named Staci Rawls chief communications officer of KFC U.S., effective immediately. As the brand's first CCO, Rawls will oversee the development of KFC's overall business narrative and lead all external and internal communications including public relations, crisis and issues management, public affairs, and social purpose efforts. Rawls, a four-year veteran of KFC U.S., has led the communications efforts for the brand's most iconic moments during its turnaround.

"Staci has been a key leader in KFC's brand turnaround in the U.S.," said Kevin Hochman, president of KFC U.S. "In this new expanded role, I am confident that she will continue to ...

Sonic Puts an Egg on It with the All-New Brunch Burger

SONIC® Drive-In brings you brunch on-demand any time with the new limited-time Brunch Burger. Made with a 100-percent pure beef patty topped with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and a perfectly fried egg, served on a bakery-soft brioche bun, this glorious combination of breakfast and lunch with a side of medium crispy Tots is available all day for just $2.99*.

For the extra-hungry brunch fan, SONIC also offers the Bigger Brunch Burger that doubles the beef, available a la carte for $4.99*. Guests can even take their brunch all the way by ...

Church's Chicken Welcomes New Global Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President

Church's Chicken® has added a new member to its already stellar leadership team. Announced today, Brian Gies, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer, will take the reins of the global chicken brand's marketing efforts as it moves to expand its presence and grow worldwide market share. Gies comes to Church's with nearly 20 years of top-level restaurant marketing experience improving the value of each of the brands he has led. Gies will also be responsible for implementing the Church's recently launched new global brand positioning and its new domestic marketing approach focused on Bringin' That Down Home Flavor™.

"Brian is joining the team at a very exciting time. He has proven successful in building winning teams, delivering results and ...

Domino's to Celebrate the Opening of 16,000th Store

Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, is celebrating the monumental grand opening of its 16,000th store in the world today, in Cheektowaga, New York.

"This is an incredible milestone for Domino's, and I am beyond excited it is happening in Cheektowaga," said Ritch Allison, Domino's president and CEO. "We've grown our total global store count by nearly 4,800 stores in the past five years, and we couldn't be more thrilled to commemorate our 16,000th store in the world ...

Chipotle Extends Lifestyle Bowls With Meatless "Plant-Powered" Options

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced its "Plant-Powered" Lifestyle Bowl options, which include a new preconfigured organic plant-based protein "Vegan" bowl as well as a "Vegetarian" bowl that includes guacamole. Plant-Powered bowls are the first extensions in the brand's Lifestyle Bowl offering, which launched earlier this year with Keto, Paleo, Whole30 and double protein diet-approved menu options.

Whether following a vegetarian, flexitarian, or vegan diet or just looking to make healthier choices, Chipotle's customizable menu allows customers to select the items that best fit their needs. In 2014, Chipotle was an early entrant into the plant-based conversation, introducing ...

Bold New Flavors Highlight Additions to Subway Restaurants' Signature Wraps Collection

Today, Subway® restaurants is launching two daring additions to its Signature Wraps collection – Sesame-Ginger Glazed Chicken Signature Wrap and Sweet N' Smoky Steak & Guac Signature Wrap. These protein-packed wraps, which feature double the meat of an average 6-inch sub, will be available until April 24 at participating restaurants, so try them while you can!

The Thai-inspired Sesame-Ginger Glazed Chicken Signature Wrap delivers a refreshing and exotic flavor combination, while the Sweet N' Smoky Steak & Guac Signature Wrap highlights rich flavors and subtle spices with the help of Subway's smoky Guajillo Mesquite Sauce. The two new mouth-watering builds are ...

Technomic Reports that Foodservice Achieved Strong Sales Growth in 2018

According to Technomic's 2019 Top 500 Chain Restaurant Advance Report, restaurant chains achieved stronger sales growth in 2018 than what was observed the prior year. This growth comes despite diminishing consumer foot traffic, labor challenges, and volatile operating conditions. For 2018, cumulative sales for the top 500 chains grew to $318 billion. Meanwhile, sales growth for casual dining rebounded to 1.3% in 2018, after dipping to 0.3% in 2017. Fast casual remains to be the fastest growing segment, increasing its sales 7.3% for the year. While sales have seen increased growth, new locations growth fell to a rate of 0.7% in 2018.

Also, total U.S. sales for the top quick service food chains is above $10 billion, whereas last year ...

Tillster Serves the Stats on QSR and Fast-Casual Delivery

Delivery is on a meteoric rise in QSR and fast-casual dining. People are willing to pay a premium to get food without picking it up. In situations when restaurants don't provide delivery on their own, firms like DoorDash, UberEATS, and Postmates have built themselves on connecting consumers and restaurants across the last mile.

 

A recent study by digital ordering solutions firm Tillster aimed to summarize consumer preferences on food delivery. They found that in the past year more than half of all QSR and fast casual customers placed a delivery online, and a majority of customers would order more if delivery was available.

 

One of the biggest takeaways from Tillster's study was consumer preference for first-party ordering solutions. Consumers don't want to look for a restaurant on ...

Pizza Hut Joins Forces with FedEx to Test the Future Of Pizza Delivery

As part of an ongoing effort to modernize and enhance the pizza delivery experience, Pizza Hut is collaborating with FedEx, specifically to explore the use of the FedEx SameDay Bot, a new autonomous delivery device aimed to revolutionize local delivery. When tested, the bot will serve as support to existing delivery staff in an effort to improve efficiency of the delivery process without compromising the quality of America's favorite pizza.

"Our success is built around the best-in-class experiences we provide to our customers," said Nicolas Burquier, chief customer and operations officer, Pizza Hut, U.S. "As we look to advance our business and continue providing experiences that our customers deserve, exploring technology solutions that allow our team members to do what they do on an even greater scale is critical to our success. Testing of the SameDay Bot with FedEx is just one more way ...

Papa John's Announces Fourth Quarter 2018 Results and Provides 2019 Outlook 

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA)today announced financial results for the three months and full year ended December 30, 2018.

Highlights

• Loss per diluted share of ($0.44) and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.15 in the fourth quarter of 2018, excluding the impact of Special items; adjusted earnings per diluted share down 72.2% from the fourth quarter 2017 of $0.54
• Earnings per diluted share of $0.05 and adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.34 for full year 2018, excluding Special items; adjusted earnings per diluted share down 46.6% from full year 2017 of $2.51
• System-wide North America comparable sales decreases of 8.1% for the fourth quarter and 7.3% for the full year
• International comparable sales decreases of 2.6% for the fourth quarter and 1.6% for the full year ...

White Castle Lures Cravers with Limited-time 3 for $3 Value Deal

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, is giving fans even more power to pick their Crave with the new 3 for $3 value deal. With "Threedom to Choose," customers can now mix and match any three sliders out of five tasty varieties for only $3 at restaurants across the country. White Castle also announced the return of the Seafood Crab Cake Slider and Shrimp Nibblers®, available at most White Castle restaurants for a limited time beginning February 25.

White Castle's bold new 3 for $3 value deal gives customers the "Threedom to Choose" any three sliders out of five hot and steamy options for just $3. Customers will have their choice from the Seafood Crab Cake Slider, the Bacon Cheese Slider, the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Waffle Slider, the Fish Slider or the Chicken Ring Slider. The new "Threedom to Choose" deal is available for ...

Wendy's Strengthens Commitment to Sustainability Through Partnership with the NextGen Consortium

Company's Squarely Sustainable Approach Embraces Partnership to Advance Sustainable Packaging

Today, The Wendy's Company announced a commitment to advance sustainable packaging solutions in the foodservice industry and its own operations through its partnership with the NextGen Consortium.

The NextGen Consortium is a multi-year partnership of foodservice industry leaders convened by Closed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy. Wendy's® joins the Consortium as a Supporting Partner, alongside other industry leaders, to address single-use food packaging waste. Currently, the Consortium is executing its NextGen Cup Challenge, which is focused on identifying new and existing cup solutions designed to optimize ...

Jack in the Box Inc. Reports First Quarter FY 2019 Earnings

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK) yesterday reported financial results for the first quarter ended January 20, 2019.

The company completed the sale of Qdoba Restaurant Corporation ("Qdoba") on March 21, 2018. Qdoba results are included in discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Earnings from continuing operations were $31.1 million, or $1.19 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 compared with $12.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2018.

Operating Earnings Per Share, a non-GAAP measure, were $1.35 in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 compared with $1.23 in the prior year quarter ....

Watch the Throne: BK Challenges KFC over Chicken Crown

Domino's Pizza Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2018 Financial Results

Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE: DPZ), the largest pizza company in the world based on global retail sales, announced results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2018, comprised of strong growth in global retail sales and earnings per share. Global retail sales increased 6.5% in the fourth quarter, or 9.5% without the negative impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. U.S. same store sales grew 5.6% during the quarter versus the year-ago period, and 6.6% for the full year, continuing the positive sales momentum in the Company's U.S. business. The international division also posted positive results, with same store sales growth of 2.4% during the quarter and 3.5% for the full year. The fourth quarter marked the 100th consecutive quarter of international same store sales growth and the 31st consecutive quarter of U.S. same store sales growth.

The Company had fourth quarter global net store growth of 560 stores, comprised of 125 net new U.S. stores and 435 net new international stores. In fiscal 2018, the Company opened 1,058 net new stores, comprised of 258 net new U.S. stores and ... 

The Wendy's Company Reports Preliminary 2018 Results; Announces 2019 Outlook And New 2020 Goals

The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) today reported preliminary unaudited results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 30, 2018. The Company plans to release its audited financial results on or before February 27, 2019.

"We are proud of the progress we made in 2018 to strengthen our brand by ensuring more customers enjoy Wendy's® more often including expanding our number of restaurants, reimaging existing restaurants, and executing a well-balanced marketing approach that strives to drive profitable growth for our franchisees," President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Penegor said. "Our resilient business model generated significantly higher cash ...

Church's Chicken Announces U.S. Launch of New Brand Position and Marketing Campaign

Following one of its most successful years in a decade, Church's Chicken® is showing no sign of slowing down on its quest to become America's favorite destination for hand-battered fried chicken, home-style sides, and scratch-made Honey-Butter Biscuits™. The brand is officially announcing the U.S. launch of its new positioning, which invites guests to Savor the Flavor of the South, Texas Style. It's a bold, new direction, with a nod to the storied past for the popular brand that spent much of 2018 preparing restaurants – and guests – for a new marketing campaign across consumer touchpoints, and ...

Foodservice Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Charming Limited Time Offers 

Whether consumers are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a significant other, family, friends, coworkers, or plan to splurge on oneself, foodservice is providing exclusive limited time offers for those celebrating.

According to research from the National Restaurant Association, more than 30% of consumers will celebrate the holiday by dining out with their loved ones on February 14th, and since Valentine's Day falls on a Thursday this year, consumers will be celebrating their love well into the weekend. While the National Retail Federation reports that fewer consumers are celebrating the holiday this year, those that do are spending more than ever before. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that foodservice operators are looking to entice consumers during this commercial holiday to earn a cut of the record amount of spending expected to take place this year...

Wendy's Draws Dieters with Low-Carb Menu Hacks 

Following a growing demand for health conscious menu offerings, fast food chain Wendy's is putting a healthy spin on menu classics. Wendy's offers low-carb menu options along with keto-friendly items. These items include half-size salads, grilled chicken sandwiches, and hamburgers either served without a bun or as a lettuce wrap.

In addition to appealing to today's health-conscious consumer, the chain is also appealing to the consumer demand for convenience as these menu hacks are also available for mobile ordering through DoorDash. Now, consumers can receive ...

Wendy's is Giving Away Free Baconator Fries this Week with Any Purchase in Mobile App Offer

The bacon battle is not over yet, as Wendy's is back with a new bacon limited time offer. Now throught February 17th, Wendy's is giving away free Baconator Fries with any at-restaurant purchase through the Wendy's mobile app. The free Baconator Fries with purchase offer will refresh daily within the app, so consumers can take advantage of the offer every single day it is available.

The offer is valid at-restaurant only at participating Wendy's locations, and can only be redeemed once per day per mobile app account. The limited time offer is designed to encourage ...

Chipotle Opens 2,500th Restaurant, Highlighting Continued Growth

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced that it has opened its 2,500th restaurant at The Shops at Todos Santos in Concord, CA. The milestone opening is a tangible example of Chipotle's continued growth, which includes notable executive hirings and a newly-digitized restaurant experience. To mark the achievement, Chipotle will host a ribbon cutting today at 10:45am PST with the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce.

Recently, Chipotle announced the completion of its executive leadership team with the hiring of Roger Theodoredis as the company's chief legal officer and Tabassum Zalotrawala as chief development officer. Zalotrawala's role as chief development officer will become increasingly vital as Chipotle continues opening restaurants, maintaining top-notch hospitality, supporting local growers, improving the ...

Taco Bell Announces Nationwide Delivery 

Taco Bell fans have been wishing for delivery for years and now it's coming true. Today, Taco Bell is announcing nationwide delivery available via Grubhub, uniquely designed for an even faster experience. And for a limited time, all Taco Bell orders over $12.00 come with free delivery excluding tax.

To ensure faster delivery, Taco Bell has integrated its point-of-sale system directly into the Grubhub app, which means pickup is timed to the moment an order is ready, helping precious cargo like Bean Burritos and Crunchwrap Supremes® make it to the doorstep hot, fresh and Fire Sauce-ready. Grubhub is also bringing more drivers to areas with Taco Bell restaurants so more fans can satisfy their cravings from home ...

Dunkin' Brands Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2018 Results

Fiscal year 2018 highlights include:

• Dunkin' U.S. comparable store sales growth of 0.6%
• Baskin-Robbins U.S. comparable store sales decline of 0.6%
• Added 392 net new restaurants worldwide, including 278 net new Dunkin' locations in the U.S.
• Revenues increased 3.6%
• Diluted EPS of $2.71, a decrease of 7.8% driven by the impact of tax reform in the prior year
• Diluted adjusted EPS increased 40.1% to $2.90

Fourth quarter highlights include:

• Flat Dunkin' U.S. comparable store sales
• Baskin-Robbins U.S. comparable store sales decline of 3.7%
• Added 148 net new Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins locations globally, including ...

Nathan's Famous, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results

Nathan's Famous, Inc. (NASDAQ: NATH) today reported results for the third quarter of its 2019 fiscal year that ended December 23, 2018.

For the fiscal quarter ended December 23, 2018:

• Revenues were $20,222,000, as compared to $22,021,000 during the thirteen weeks ended December 24, 2017;
• Adjusted EBITDA, as subsequently defined, was $16,306,000, as compared to $5,855,000 for the thirteen weeks ended December 24, 2017;
• Income before provision for income taxes was $13,349,000, as compared to a loss before benefit for income taxes of $7,086,000 for the thirteen weeks ended December 24, 2017;
• Net income was $9,722,000, as compared to a net loss of $3,779,000 for the thirteen weeks ended December 24, 2017;
• Earnings per diluted share were $2.30 per share, as compared to a loss per diluted share of ...

Wendy's Beefs Up its Menu with Three New Made to Crave Cheeseburgers

Trying to take your go-to cheeseburger to new heights? We Got You™! Wendy's® new Made to Crave menu unlocks a whole new world of cheeseburgers made with unforgettable flavors that take craveability to its peak. The new Made to Crave line introduces a trio of cheeseburgers to the fresh, never frozen beef* family: S'Awesome Bacon Cheeseburger, Peppercorn Mushroom Melt and Barbecue Cheeseburger.

Let's face it, foodies want maximum craveability and quickly get hooked on the Deliciously Different® flavors Wendy's is known for bringing to the table – but sometimes, these on-trend flavors are offered for a limited time. Now, Made to Crave offers the same deliciousness as an exclusive menu item, but is here to stay, so you can have flavor for days ... 

Papa John’s Announces Strategic Investment from Starboard and Appointment of Three New Directors

Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with Starboard Value LP pursuant to which Starboard is making a $200 million strategic investment in the Company with the option to make an additional $50 million investment through March 29, 2019, as described below.

In connection with the investment, the Papa John’s Board of Directors is expanding to include two new independent directors, including Jeffrey C. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Starboard, who has been appointed Chairman of the Papa John’s Board, and Anthony M. Sanfilippo, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. These directors bring substantial experience in the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries, with skill sets spanning operational turnarounds, corporate finance and corporate governance. Their expertise and new perspectives will help support ...

Menu Price Increases Help Boost McDonald's Q4 Sales Up 2.3% in U.S.

McDonald's Corporation today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2018.

"Our performance in 2018 was strong, driven by the Velocity Growth Plan with broad-based momentum across each of our global segments. We continued to transform our business by making substantial progress on modernising our restaurants and offering more convenience, choice and value to our customers," said McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook. "We've now achieved 14 consecutive quarters of positive global comparable sales and our customers rewarded us with more visits in 2018, helping us to achieve two consecutive years of global guest count growth for the first time since 2012...

Church's Chicken Adds Four New Franchisees to Further Expand Brand in Canada

On the heels of a recent report by Canadian Poultry Magazine, which identified a steady and growing preference for chicken as the most chosen protein source among Canadians, the popular global fried chicken chain, Church's Chicken®, has announced the addition of four new franchisees to the brand's growing Canadian landscape.

"The growing chicken market in Canada has been a key component of our expansion strategy in the western hemisphere," said Eduardo Garcia, Senior Director of Americas Business for Church's Chicken. "The fact that we've been able to successfully initiate not just one, but four new franchise relationships, is a testament to the brand's reputation of having a quality product and ...

Bojangles’ Becomes a Private Company with New Executive Appointments 

Bojangles’, Inc. (“Bojangles’” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BOJA) announced that its all-cash acquisition by Durational Capital Management LP and The Jordan Company, L.P. is complete, effective today. The acquisition was previously announced on November 6, 2018.

Bojangles’ will operate as an independent, privately-held company and will remain based in Charlotte, N.C.

“We are pleased to have successfully completed this transaction in partnership with Bojangles’ and The Jordan Company,” said Eric Sobotka, Managing Partner at Durational Capital Management. “We are excited to begin working with ...

Yum! Brands Promotes David Gibbs to President and Chief Operating Officer

Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) today announced the promotion of David Gibbs, 55, to President and Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Greg Creed. Gibbs, a 29-year veteran of the Company, has served as President and Chief Financial Officer for the last two years. In his expanded role as President and COO, Gibbs will assume operating leadership of global KFC Division as well as the U.S. and international businesses of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, with the respective brand leaders reporting to him. Gibbs will retain his current Yum! Brands CFO role, title and responsibilities overseeing corporate strategy, finance, supply chain and information technology, while the Company conducts a search to identify a successor CFO.

“I’m happy to announce our promotion of David Gibbs to President and Chief Operating Officer. David is an extraordinarily talented commercial leader with a strong track record of results and deep experience in all three of ...

KFC'S Newest Value Offering: Two Chicken Littles for Just $3

Kentucky Fried Chicken® is offering a two for $3 deal on a menu favorite, KFC Chicken Littles®, for a limited time only, starting today.

A bestseller for KFC, Chicken Littles pack an impactful, unmistakably crispy, fresh-from-the fryer, golden brown crunch only KFC can provide. Customers can enjoy the classic sandwich – featuring a freshly hand breaded chicken tender, served with pickles and mayo on a sesame-seed bun – or they can mix and match by adding their favorite KFC flavors – Georgia Gold Honey Mustard BBQ, Smoky Mountain BBQ or Nashville Hot.

With its latest offering, KFC is committed to providing customers with quality food and abundant value ...

Wendy's Launches Baconator LTO Following McDonald's Bacon Hour Announcement

In celebration of bacon's limited time arrival to menu classics such as the Big Mac Bacon burger, Quarter Pounder Bacon burger, and cheesy bacon fries, McDonald's is providing consumers with even more bacon. On January 29, from 4:00-5:00 pm local time, McDonald's is hosting the first nationwide bacon bash called Bacon Hour. For 60 minutes, customers will be able to get Applewood smoked bacon with anything on the menu, at no additional cost. As if bacon on the three classics was not enough, McDonald's will also be giving customers two half pieces of bacon on the side with any purchase, and it can be added to any items they wish.

In response to McDonald's Bacon Hour, Wendy's has created their own limited time offer to celebrate the American favorite. Beginning January 28 through February 4, Wendy's is offering a free Baconator and $0 delivery through DoorDash ...

Starbucks Reports Q1 Fiscal 2019 Results

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today reported financial results for its 13-week fiscal first quarter ended December 30, 2018. GAAP results in fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018 include items which are excluded from non-GAAP results. Please refer to the reconciliation of GAAP measures to non-GAAP measures at the end of this release for more information.

“Starbucks delivered solid operating results in the first quarter, demonstrating continued momentum in our business, as we drive our growth-at-scale agenda with focus and discipline,” said Kevin Johnson, president and ceo. “We are particularly pleased with the sequential improvement in quarterly comparable store transactions in the U.S., underpinned by our digital initiatives and improved execution of our in-store experience. With this solid start to the fiscal year, we are on track to deliver on our full-year commitments ...