Martin Desmarais reports at IndUS Business Journal that new franchise chain Freshii is in the middle of an aggressive expansion campaign and the brand is counting on a number of South Asian franchisees to lead the way including a pair of Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners.
Read More »Steve Silva and Derek Weilbaecher are founders of Yellow Mountain, LLC. They have been involved in the quick service restaurant business for over six years and together own and operate eight Zaxby’s restaurants, two in Douglas County, GA and six in Jefferson County, AL. James Laskaris, president of Ioan Donuts, LLC and Stephen Attard, director of operations of Ioan Donuts, LLC have been Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees since 2000 and currently have 16 open locations in Atlanta.
Read More »Mike Dempsey reports at Nation’s Restaurant News that nearly all public restaurant companies reported fourth-quarter same-store sales results this month, and winter storms and lingering economic pressures pushed most into negative territory. Some, mainly because of value messaging, moved in a positive direction.
Read More »The world’s largest quick-service chain said global same-store sales increased 4.8 percent in February, including a 0.6-percent uptick in the United States. The positive performance followed a 0.7-percent decrease in domestic same-store sales in January, the third negative result of the previous four months.
Read More »Chicago-based research firm Mintel reported that restaurants added more than 460 new breakfast products to their menus in 2009, more than in the previous two years.
Read More »In the U.S., McDonald’s performance improved _ edging up 0.6 percent after a 0.7 percent decline in January. Citi analyst Greg Badishkanian said the U.S. results were hurt by the series of snowstorms that pounded much of the country during the month. Still, U.S. sales were driven by strong demand for the chain’s breakfast dollar menu, McCafe drinks and a Chicken McNugget promotion centered around the Winter Olympics.
Read More »The latest reorganization could’ve been torn from the playbook of Gordon “Greed is Good” Gekko: A troika of private equity firms, lead by the likes of Bain Capital and Goldman Sachs Funds, orchestrated a controversial public offering in May 2006 — but not before pocketing more than $700 million in fees and dividends. Financing this avarice was almost $1 billion in debt heaped on the balance sheet inherited by the new shareholders (and the equity funds still own a 32 percent stake, at an essential cost basis of pennies per share).
Read More »Molly Gise and Sarah E. Lockyer of Nation’s Restaurant News report that CKE Restaurants’ $928 million buyout offer last month from a private-equity firm has sparked speculation that more suitors will line up for the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. parent, according to sources familiar with the restaurant M&A environment.
Read More »Dunkin Donuts franchise owner Michael Geller plans to open the first of his dozen planned St. Louis stores at 5 a.m. at 1210 South Kirkwood Road.
Read More »Brandweek reports that with slate floors and subdued lighting, Arne Jacobsen-inspired egg-chairs and printed wall panels by French architect Philippe Avanzi, a certain lunch spot in Manhattan’s uber-hip Chelsea district fits right in with the nearby boutiques and art galleries. Less predictable is the place’s name: McDonald’s.
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