Technomic Inc., the Chicago-based foodservice research firm, sometimes revises its forecasts of operator sales trends in late summer or early fall. Given the slowing in jobs growth and the August turmoil in the equities markets, FER Fortnightly asked V.P. Joe Pawlak for an update. “We have not revised 2016 and have no plans to do…

Have you ever wondered how rearranging your kitchen layout can reduce labor and speed service? If your chain is growing, is your supply chain ready to grow with you? And what are the potential benefits and challenges of solar energy, heat recovery and super-efficient appliances in your operations? Once again, FER’s Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium…

As reported in our story in the September 16 Fortnightly, the Commodity Classification Standards Board approved the following commodity class modifications for ovens, grease traps and ice cream makers and freezers at its September 29 meeting. These changes go into effect December 19. The disposition on the changes can be found here.

The nation’s top chicken chain has made it everywhere else, so it’s giving it a go in New York, New York with its first freestanding unit. The three-story, 5,000-sq.ft. store that opened last month in the city’s Garment District is the largest Chick-fil-A in the country, with eight registers to handle traffic, and featuring tables…

The National Conference hosted by Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management is just weeks away. SHFM’s meeting, October 28-30 at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, includes a full lineup of educational programs and networking opportunities, as well as the presentation of the group’s annual awards. Winners of SHFM Directors’ Awards, which recognize honorees who…

With a new franchise partner on board in Egypt, Smashburger will soon expand its footprint to nine countries. The Denver-based “better burger” chain has added the Pearll Investment Group as a new franchise partner there and will launch 25 restaurants in the next several years. Pearll currently operates more than 10 chain restaurants in the…

Several components of the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index fell sharply in August from record or near record highs in July. Current same-stores sales and traffic and both measures of capital spending activity recorded big drops, as the overall index fell 1.2 points to 101.5. It was the lowest reading for the RPI in…

Breakfast/morning meal visits grew by 5% for the year ended June 2015, according to new data released by the NPD Group. Breakfast is the only foodservice meal period that has shown sustained traffic growth during the past several years. NPD’s CREST research shows the strong 2014-15 gain by breakfast came on top of a 2%…

Sometimes one sees consumer economic research that just makes one’s jaw drop. How about this? Consumers are only slightly more positive about the general economy and their own finances than they were back in 2010 as we were just crawling out of the Great Recession. Just for reference, during that five-year period, real GDP has…

Comments are not rolling in for the FDA’s draft guidance on chain restaurant menu labeling. The agency issued the document, “A Labeling Guide for Restaurants and Other Retail Establishments Selling Away-From-Home Foods–Part II,” late last month, hoping that it would help operators understand nutrition labeling requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C…