The owner of the 400-unit Huddle House chain is branching out and acquiring Checkers Drive-In Restaurants.Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm, has inked a deal to purchase Checkers and its stablemate Rally’s from Wellspring Capital Management. The Tampa, Fla., company has about 800 drive-in outlets in more than two dozen states. The deal, announced…

Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, already one of the nation’s fastest-growing chains, just got a boost to its nationwide expansion plans. The Dallas chain has struck a 100-store development deal in Southern California, the largest development deal in its history. Two former KFC franchisees, Kevin Roche and Bryan Roche, along with partner Phil Fontes, head up the…

The healthy-eating focus that underlies Saladworks’ name and concept is moving into new territories overseas. The Conshohocken, Pa., fresh-tossed salad franchise concept has signed four international master franchise agreements for more than 50 stores in major markets in Canada, Qatar, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Fifteen stores, including one that opened last summer, are…

“Glorious” fall weather helped drive a 2% gain in restaurant traffic in the third quarter in the United Kingdom, versus the year-earlier third quarter, but traffic was flat or negative in nearly all the other markets tracked by The NPD Group’s global foodservice practice during the quarter ended September. Traffic was negative in Italy, Spain…

Roger Bowne Skillman, a friendly and familiar face in the E&S industry, died Jan. 11 of a heart attack. He was 57. Skillman went straight into foodservice management after graduating from Florida International University. Most recently, he was regional account executive-Southeast for Burlodge USA. He is survived by his mother and sister. Services were held…

Diversified Foodservice Supply has acquired Mill Hardware & Food Service, a Willoughby, Ohio-based distributor of foodservice parts, supplies and accessories to foodservice chains and their franchisees. Mill Hardware will continue to operate as a leading brand in the combined company and joins other DFSI-owned brands, including AllPoints Foodservice Parts and Supplies, Franklin Machine Products and…

Foodservice traffic and sales in the United Kingdom were stronger than anticipated during the fourth quarter of 2013, according to research and analysis from Horizons FS Ltd., a London-based foodservice research firm. And with the general economy improving, Horizons expects the first two quarters of 2014 “to build on the growth of Q4.,” according to…

Two major paper distributors are merging. Unisource Worldwide and xpedx will join forces and create a new publicly traded company. The definitive agreement was signed by xpedx parent International Paper and by UWW Holdings, the holding company of Unisource and owned indirectly by an affiliate of Bain Capital and by Georgia-Pacific. Norcross, Ga.-based Unisource is…

Parts Town LLC has strengthened its position as one of the leading national distributors of OEM restaurant repair and maintenance parts for the foodservice industry. Growth equity investor Summit Partners has made a majority investment in the Addision, Ill., company, and Parts Town founder Bill Reedy, CEO Steve Snower and their management team will remain…

After four decades under Ed Baker as president, Nieco has a new name at the top. Korey Kohl has moved up from his post as v.p./g.m., and has been named president of the Windsor, Calif., company. He’s assumed day-to-day responsibilities from Baker, and is directing and managing all business operations. “Korey’s expertise and ability to…