Four of the eight components of the Restaurant Performance Index fielded monthly by the National Restaurant Association were up in March, but the other four were down. The same mixed result was true of the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index: half of the markers rose, half declined. Both indicators of capital spending fell…

Hendrix Restaurant Equipment & Supplies has opened a flagship location in Toronto. The 10,000-sq.-ft. store—the dealer’s 10th location in Canada—includes a showroom displaying supplies and equipment, a tableware gallery and a full-service professional test kitchen intended to host interactive cooking classes and vendor demonstrations. Hendrix, helmed by President Larry Vander Baaren, held its first event…

April was a month full of association and buying-group meetings for the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. We hope to have details in our next Dealer Report on a few that just concluded, including Allied Buying Corp.’s Spring Conference, April 28-30, in Memphis, Tenn. Also held last month were Excell’s Annual Conference, April 15-18, in…

Parrish Lucas has joined Heartland Reps as an Education and Healthcare Specialist. He brings more than a quarter-century of experience in E&S sales and marketing experience to his new post at the Kearney, Mo., rep firm. Lucas will focus on new business development for K-12 schools, institutions, colleges, universities and healthcare facilities throughout Kansas, western…

This week in Chicago, FEDA is hosting its previously announced two-day session on inventory management for distributors. The May 7-8 seminar, produced by Jason Bader and The Distribution Team, aims to show dealers how to find hidden cash inside of their organizations. Attendees will be exposed to solid inventory management and operational strategies. The course…