Changes are afoot at Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC in the U.S., while Yum! Brands executives remain bullish on overseas expansion. Execs, including CEO David C. Novak, made their comments in a second-quarter earnings conference call in late July. Novak maintained that Taco Bell’s breakfast experiment in Tucson, Ariz., has reached "break-even" status, and…

Carlson Cos. has acquired the remaining 60% stake in T.G.I. Friday’s U.K. operations from its joint-venture partner, European buyout firm AAC Capital Partners, for $50 million. Now it says it plans to invest another $30 million to open new U.K. restaurants. It also will spend $20 million to remodel and maintain existing locations there. The…

David J. Sebastianelli is starting work in his new post as v.p. of sales and marketing at Edlund Co., the Burlington, Vt., maker of equipment and smallwares. Sebastianelli is an industry veteran with wide-ranging experience in the distribution chain in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Most recently, he was v.p. of sales for the cooking division…

Hooters is planning to translate its slogan—”delightfully tacky yet unrefined”–into a few more languages. The chain has announced intentions to debut units in Turkey, India and Japan. Those countries are some of the new markets the casual-dining franchise will target in an expansion plan announced Thursday that would increase new restaurant locations by at least…

With only half a dozen stores, Tossed is a small chain. But its new expansion plans might change that profile. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., gourmet salad chain is taking its concept into kiosks. The modular kiosk design, available in multiple configurations, takes the Tossed concept into malls, food courts and open-air settings where the 12-year-old…

A boffo opening at its first New York store is spurring Texas-based CiCi’s Pizza to continue expanding into new franchise markets. The chain, which has more than 600 stores in 35 states, debuted its first restaurants in Wisconsin and New York; the latter opening was the best in the company’s history, and sales have remained…

There’s a new business model operating at Electrolux Professional. Alberto Zanata, the company’s president, said Electrolux is expanding its project-oriented, full-systems approach to broaden its focus on serving new customer segments. The structure includes three teams—operations, R&D and commercial–and three business units. The Food Service Business Unit is headed by Philippe Zavattiero. Mark Whalen, formerly…

Planet Hollywood International will be expanding Buca di Beppo into the Boston area. The 83-unit casual-dining chain will open four restaurants in Dedham, Lexington, Seekonk and Shrewsbury this fall. According to David Crabtree, Planet Hollywood’s new president and CEO, the units will be conversions from former sister brand Vinny T’s. "We have been looking for…

A high-end hamburger joint that hasn’t opened yet already has more than 300 friends following its construction and menu plans on Facebook. Why all the interest in Tom & Eddie’s? The new suburban Chicago restaurant is the brainchild of former McDonald’s execs Ed Rensi—the man behind the Arch Deluxe—and Tom Dentice. The first Tom &…

Baskin-Robbins is busy with numbers. The chain, now in the midst of its 65th anniversary, just opened its 1,000th store in Japan. The new outlet is located at Decks Tokyo Beach in Tokyo. The Canton, Mass., chain has been in Japan for 37 years. As with the other 999 Baskin-Robbins there, the store is operated…