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Higher gasoline prices and softening jobs growth earlier this spring finally caught up with consumer spending at restaurants, according to the National Restaurant Association. The group’s monthly Restaurant Performance Index data on current same-store sales and customer traffic took strong hits in April, though both remained in positive territory. And operators remained optimistic about future…

Mild winter weather prompted consumers to eat out at restaurants more often in the first quarter, according to data from The NPD Group’s CREST. Overall restaurant traffic was up 1% in the January through March period, compared to the first quarter last year. It was the strongest gain in visits since the second quarter 2008.…

The consensus forecasts of the 50 major economic forecasting groups polled monthly by Blue Chip Economic Indicators fell again in the June survey. The group cut its forecast for growth of real gross domestic product in the U.S. by 0.2 point to 2.1% for this year and by 0.1 point to 2.4% for 2013.  Another…

The Austin, Texas-based chain has signed its largest franchise deal to date, inking a deal with a Houston franchisee to open 18 new Mama Fu’s Asian House restaurants in that city’s metro area. The chain plans to open between eight and 10 new stores around the country in the next 12 months. The ‘flex-casual” chain,…

Dunkin’ Brands Group, the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, has appointed Neil Moses as its chief global strategy officer. Moses, who was serving as CFO, had lately been focusing on the company’s strategic initiatives. In his new post, he will oversee the company’s strategy, finance, global supply chain and information technology functions.  Moses…

Starbucks Coffee Co. is reconfiguring and strengthening its three-region operating  model. The Seattle chain has made several leadership changes to its ranks. Lucy Lee Helm has been named executive v.p., general counsel and secretary; Arthur Rubinfeld, chief creative officer and president-global development and Evolution Fresh retail; Annie Young-Scrivner, executive v.p./ president-Starbucks Canada; Colin Moore, senior…

The Atlanta chain has opened its fifth stand-alone restaurant in the Houston area. The Deer Park, Texas, unit is the latest of 96 locations Chick-fil-A plans to open nationwide in 2012. It projects adding 79 stand-alone, two mall and 15 licensed locations. Last year, the chain continued expanding in Chicago and debuted in Hollywood, Calif.,…

Peerless Food Equipment has added Colleen Francis, CFSP, to its sales team as its new international sales manager-Latin America. She will oversee direct sales and work with the manufacturer’s Latin American agents on all its bakery-equipment product lines, including Fedco, Peters and SuperGrain. Francis brings Peerless more than 18 years of experience selling in Latin America.…

In a large examination of the product offerings in chain restaurants, meals at the vast majority of major U.S. chain restaurants are exceeding the recommended daily limits set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says a new report conducted by the Rand Corp. According to “What’s on the Menu?,”  96% of main adult meal…