Foodservice Equipment Reports is once again a finalist for a top business-to-business media honor. The magazine’s September 2015 cover story, “It’s About Time…And Motion,” written by founding editor Brian Ward, is nominated for a gold medal for Best Single Article in the 62nd Annual Jesse H. Neal Awards competition. The award will be presented April…
Burger King is making room on its grills next week for hot dogs. The Miami-based chain has begun offering flame-grilled hot dogs at select locations, a precursor to a February 23 nationwide rollout to its more than 7,000 domestic outlets. The hot dog was tested in five markets last year: Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis…
BD’s Mongolian Grill wants a bigger share of the fast-growing Asian segment. In February, the Minneapolis-based company acquired the nine-unit Chicago chain Flat Top Grill. Flat Top Grill was founded on Chicago’s north side in 1995 and serves create-your-own Asian fare. BD’s Mongolian Grill operates 11 locations in the U.S. and franchises 16; it also…
The Tampa-based craft tavern continues to roll out new locations. It cut the ribbons on 22 new outlets last year, and now the 77-unit chain says it should have more than 100 locations opened by the close of 2016. World of Beer has a footprint in 20 states, and will debut in Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oklahoma,…
In an acquisition that merges the foodservice industry’s leaders in food safety certification, the National Restaurant Association has acquired the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals. The NRA’s ServSafe program, which recently issued more than million ServSafe certifications, is the leader in food safety training; NRFSP, a U.S.-based certification body, focuses on providing certificates for…
We’ve been repeating for some time now that the big five drivers of foodservice in the general economy are employment trends, disposable income, consumer spending, consumer confidence, and gasoline prices. Since we’ve already touched on the outlook for the first three in this issue (all three are very positive), we might as well look at…
Chances of passage are slim, but legislation to change the Food and Drug Administration’s menu-labeling requirements made it through the House last week and now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. The Obama Administration opposes the measure. The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 (H.R. 2017) would allow a foodservice establishment…
No Happy Meal for Supermac’s. The 100-unit Irish QSR chain has lost its two-year trademark battle with McDonald’s to expand across Europe. The Galway-based chain had been fighting protests from the U.S. company over the use of “Mac” in the name of its restaurants outside of Ireland. In a split decision, the European Union’s Office…
The National Restaurant Association announced February 10 the recipients of its 2016 Kitchen Innovations Awards, honoring forward-thinking equipment and technologies that increase efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations and benefit restaurant operators. Each recipient and their product will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the 2016 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, held…
Ali Group has promoted Jennifer Ward to the newly created position of Vice President-National Accounts for Ali Group North America. Starting April 1, Ward will oversee national accounts relationships on behalf of Ali Group North America and its operating companies, including Aladdin Temp-Rite, ACP/Amana, Belshaw/Adamatic, Beverage-Air, Burlodge North America, Carpigiani U.S.A., the Champion Group including…