York Capital Management has signed a definitive agreement to buy the parent company of Houlihan’s Restaurants, the Leawood, Kan.-based chain, from a subsidiary of Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison. Terms were not disclosed, but the transaction was expected to close in December.Restaurant veteran Michael Archer is investing along with York and will become the CEO…

TravelCenters of America has purchased Quaker Steak & Lube’s restaurants and related assets for approximately $25 million. Founded in 1974 in Sharon, Pa., Quaker Steak & Lube has more than 50 locations across 16 states. TA operates 500 full- and quick-serve restaurants, principally located in 253 full-service travel centers and 184 c-stores in 43 states. In addition…

Last week’s announcement that Marriott Int’l. has bought Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has created the world’s largest hotel company. The $12.2 billion merger will see Marriott operate more than 5,500 hotels across 30 hotel brands; Starwood’s 11 brands include Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis and W hotels. The deal was unanimously approved by the boards…

Sales of equipment and supplies rose 5% in the third quarter 2015 compared with the third quarter ’14, according to reps reporting for the Manufacturer’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry Business Barometer. The strong gain comes on the heels of a 5.1% increase in the second quarter and a 4.7% uptick in the first…

Seven of the 11 foodservice markets tracked by the NPD Group’s CREST consumer research experienced traffic gains in the second quarter 2015 vs. the same quarter year prior. “Optimism, though cautious, abounds throughout the global foodservice market,” said Bob O’Brien, Senior V.P.-Global Foodservice at NPD. Snacks and morning meals drove the gains in most markets,…

Food prices at the wholesale level fell 1.4% in October, as beef and egg prices recorded decreases, and prices of most other food commodities were flat, according to Producer Price Index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The decline follows a 1.6% drop in September and was the ninth month in the last…

Low global demand for oil and the strong U.S. dollar continue to depress oil prices, and refineries are coming off of their seasonal maintenance programs. The results are some of the lowest gasoline prices Americans have seen since the Great Recession. The average prices of a gallon of regular gasoline fell to $2.078 on Sunday,…

Holidays or not, freight expenses remain a concern, and transportation classifications are under review for a variety of foodservice equipment and supplies categories. In September, the Commodity Classification Standards Board (CCSB) approved commodity class modifications for ovens, ice-cream makers/freezers and metal grease traps; the changes go into effect Dec. 19. In January, dishwashers are on…

Popularity has its complications, as In-N-Out Burger and KFC recently have discovered. The 300-unit In-N-Out has filed a lawsuit against delivery startup DoorDash for delivering its burgers. “We have asked DoorDash several times to stop using our trademarks and to stop selling our food,” the privately owned chain’s general counsel Arnie Wensinger told CNBC. He…

Jack Cobb, the former owner and long-time president and CEO of Henny Penny Corp., died November 20. He was 83. When he joined Henny Penny in 1959, Cobb was the Eaton, Ohio, manufacturer’s fourth employee. By 1970, he was vice president, and four years later, he became Henny Penny’s president when he and a business…