First Gordon Ramsay came for the sous-chefs and the sour managers. Now he’s here for the home cooks.

Mr. Ramsay, the infamous British chef and host of two reality shows on Fox, “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Kitchen Nightmares,” has added a third competition this summer, “MasterChef,” for amateurs who have dreams of fine-dining careers. It is the standout reality show of the summer, and Fox is on the verge of ordering a second season.

“He is our version of ‘CSI,’ ” said Mike Darnell, Fox’s president of alternative entertainment, referring to the three-legged CBS crime franchise. Presuming that all three shows continue, Mr. Ramsay “won’t be off the schedule for more than a couple weeks at a time,” Mr. Darnell said.

The volume says a lot about the TV and business savvy of Mr. Ramsay, 43, a stove-top tyrant who saw in “MasterChef” an opportunity to show off a more tender, nurturing side.

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Cassidy Lu looked over her near-empty restaurant Friday as uncovered chafing dishes filled with fried rice and crab Rangoon lined the buffet area.

“It’s lunchtime and look at it. People read the story and think everything is true,” Lu, owner of the Grand China Buffet, said.

Business has plummeted at the popular Route 44 eatery since disgruntled former employees and representatives of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health picketed outside last Wedndesday.

The workers held signs claiming wage violations and unjust firings. They issued a press release citing “unsanitary practices, such as taking food out of the trash to serve to customers” and a gas oven that exploded and injured a worker.

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Italian giant Michael White is the latest restaurateur to be slapped with a suit from employees seeking unpaid wages.

Three current servers at White’s upscale Italian Midtown restaurant Alto have filed suit against the chef in federal court, alleging that his partner Chris Cannon and their Altamarea Group violated state and federal labor laws by requiring the waitstaff to share tips with a general manager. The suit was filed on behalf of Arturo Reyes, Daniel Medino and Jose Arenas, all of Queens.

The suit also seeks full minimum wage for the employees. Under federal law, employees who earn tips can be paid a lower rate than employees who do not receive gratuities, provided that those workers retain the tips they earn. The suit alleges White and Cannon broke the law by distributing servers’ tips to a manager, thus entitling servers to be paid the full minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, up from $4.65 per hour.

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The Quick chain of 358 restaurants around France said it would boost its halal-only outlets to 22 on Wednesday after the trial in eight areas with a strong Muslim population also saw a doubling of customers and a rise in the amounts they spent.

Quick, which is a challenger to the U.S. hamburger chain McDonald’s and runs franchises in seven other countries including Belgium, Russia and Algeria, said the move was purely commercial.

“We’re in a very competitive market and we’re the challenger,” said General Manager Jacques-Edouard Charret, whose company competes against about 1,150 outlets for the U.S.-based McDonald’s.

“We are not a philanthropy or a charity,” he told a news conference. “Our ambition is to develop Quick’s turnover and create jobs. And it’s going well.”

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The union that represented employees at Murray’s Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis for decades has kissed the relationship goodbye, ending a fight over cuts to wages and benefits that created a schism among workers.

Unite HERE Local 17, which represented servers, cooks, dishwashers and bartenders at the landmark steakhouse, told the National Labor Relations Board earlier this month it would no longer press a charge of unfair labor practices against Murray’s owners. The union also said it had “disclaimed interest” in representing workers there.

Nancy Goldman, president of Local 17, said the contract was “substandard,” and that the relationship with the Murray family “is so tainted, I don’t think we can do business anymore.”

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Food trucks are coming to Santa Monica, but the mobile restaurants could be driving into the same hostile territory they’ve famously found in Los Angeles.

That’s because some restaurant owners are already upset about a once-a-week “food truck court” set to open Sept. 14 at California Heritage Museum on Main Street. They cite the same sentiment that’s been expressed by L.A.’s brick-and-mortar restaurants about food trucks: unfair competition.

Peter Lepore, co-owner of Bravo Pizzeria, an Italian café less than a mile from the museum, is concerned that he’ll lose as much as 30 percent of his business to the planned food truck court.

“I’m very upset about it,” Lepore said. “Most restaurateurs on the block are adamantly against it because we have worked hard to build Main Street together as a group.”

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Portions at popular chain restaurants are often super-sized servings, even when they are offered as a single entree or regular-sized meal, a new report says.

Many hamburgers, steaks, bagels and pasta entrees are at least two times bigger than the government’s definition of a serving, according to nutritionists with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-D.C.-based consumer group.

This is a trend that diet experts have been noticing for years, and it hasn’t gotten any better, the group says. “The super-sized portions are super-sizing our bodies,” says Bonnie Liebman, the center’s nutrition director.

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The midst of the worst recession in decades may seem like a tough time to take the reins of a restaurant company that sells discretionary treats not needed in the everyday diet. However, Nigel Travis, whom Dunkin’ Brands hired to head its Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins brands in January 2009, quickly showed he was up to the task.

Fresh from a four-year record of achieving excellent results at Papa John’s, Travis set out to do the same at the privately held, 60-year-old treats company. Dunkin’ Brands’ board of directors chose Travis to succeed CEO and industry veteran Jon Luther. Luther, who joined Dunkin’ Brands in 2003, remains as executive chairman of the board and worked with the board to develop an orderly succession plan.

In announcing Travis’ appointment, Luther singled out his accomplishments in several companies he headed of building strong franchisee networks, improving sales, and furthering global growth.

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List of Restaurant Winners Unveils the Spots Where Beautiful Vistas Enhance Dining Experiences

SAN FRANCISCO  (RestaurantNews.com)  OpenTable, Inc. (Nasdaq:OPEN), a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, today announced the winners of its 2010 Diners’ Choice Awards for restaurants with the Most Scenic Views. For diners who feel that a beautiful backdrop is what turns a meal out into a magical experience—this list provides 50 restaurant recommendations where seeing outstanding sights comes at no extra charge. The list of winners is derived from more than 7 million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“Special occasions have a way of feeling even more exceptional when a view has the ability to take your breath away,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer. “The real-estate adage about ‘location, location, location’ is alive and well when it comes to restaurant dining, too—and can be a defining factor when diners are making decisions about where to eat out.”

Based on feedback collected from OpenTable diners between August 2009 and July 2010, the following 50 restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, received the highest scores from OpenTable diners, indicating that they were considered among the best restaurants for scenic dining. For more information about this list, please visit http://www.opentable.com/scenic.

• A Caprice Kitchen – Tiburon, CA
• Aquarius Restaurant at the Dream Inn – Santa Cruz, CA
• Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant – San Francisco, CA
• Bertrand at Mister A’s – San Diego, CA
• Black Bass Hotel – Lumberville, PA
• Cannon’s Seafood Grill – Dana Point, CA
• Chart House Restaurant, Cardiff – Cardiff, CA
• Chart House Restaurant, Malibu – Malibu, CA
• Chart House Restaurant, Monterey – Monterey, CA
• Chart House Restaurant, Portland – Portland, OR
• Chart House Restaurant, Tower of the Americas – San Antonio, TX
• Chart House Restaurant, Weehawken – Weehawken, NJ
• Cite – Chicago, IL
• Coach Insignia – Detroit, MI
• Compass Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency – Phoenix, AZ
• Different Pointe of View – Phoenix, AZ
• Fish Hopper – Monterey, CA
• Flagstaff House – Boulder, CO
• Fog Harbor Fish House – San Francisco, CA
• Franciscan Crab Restaurant – San Francisco, CA
• Highlawn Pavilion – West Orange, NJ
• Jake’s Del Mar – Del Mar, CA
• La Costanera – Montara, CA
• Lynnhaven Fish House – Virginia Beach, VA
• Maximilien – Seattle, WA
• Monterey Bay Fish Grotto – Pittsburgh, PA
• Moss Beach Distillery – Moss Beach, CA
• Nana – Dallas, TX
• Pacific’s Edge Restaurant – Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA
• Peaks Restaurant – Palm Springs, CA
• Primavista – Cincinnati, OH
• Ray’s Boathouse – Seattle, WA
• Republic of Texas Bar & Grill – Corpus Christi, TX
• Riva – Chicago, IL
• River’s End – Jenner, CA
• Robert – New York, NY
• Scoma’s Sausalito – Sausalito, CA
• Seaglass Restaurant and Lounge – Salisbury, MA
• Simms Steakhouse – Golden, CO
• Skates on the Bay – Berkeley, CA
• Sutro’s at the Cliff House – San Francisco, CA
• The Marine Room – La Jolla, CA
• The Plantation House – Kapalua, HI
• The Shores Restaurant at the Shores Hotel – La Jolla, CA
• The Spinnaker – Sausalito, CA
• The View Restaurant – New York, NY
• Top of the Tower – New York, NY
• Top of the World Restaurant – Las Vegas, NV
• Two Times Square – New York, NY
• Yamashiro – Hollywood, CA

For more information on scenic dining, please visit the “Dining Check” blog on OpenTable at http://blog.opentable.com.

About OpenTable

OpenTable is a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants. The OpenTable network delivers the convenience of online restaurant reservations to diners and the operational benefits of a computerized reservation book to restaurants. OpenTable has more than 14,000 restaurant customers, and since its inception in 1998, has seated more than 160 million diners around the world. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and the OpenTable service is available throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. (OTCBB: UFFC) announced today that it has signed an area development agreement with the Robinson Hill Hospitality Group of Chicago for additional UFood Grill units at 5 major United States airports.

The development agreement follows the successful UFood Grill opening by Robinson Hill at Cleveland/Hopkins Airport in July. The Robinson Hill Hospitality Group has more than 9 years’ experience operating airport franchise food establishments.

Dee Robinson, President of the Robinson Hill Hospitality Group, said, “We are thrilled to be part of the expansion of the UFood brand to 5 more major United States airports. Our new Cleveland Hopkins Airport UFood Grill has exceeded our expectations and confirms our belief that consumers want healthier, attractively priced food options in airports and other venues. The extremely positive feedback from our guests was a driving force to enter into this agreement with UFood Grill.”

In June, UFood Restaurant Group signed a master license agreement with Hudson Group Retail LLC for UFood Grill units in 10 major U.S. airports. UFood also signed an agreement in July for the development of 35 UFood units with Congusto, L.P. a Texas based company. UFood Grills are also located in Boston’s Logan and Dallas-Fort Worth Airports as well as in other traditional locations.

George Naddaff, Chairman and CEO of UFood Restaurant Group said, “We are extremely proud of our association with Dee Robinson, President of the Robinson Hill Hospitality Group, who is also our franchisee of the new UFood Grill restaurant in the Cleveland/Hopkins Airport. The UFood brand has become very popular with travelers who frequent our restaurants now located in other major airports as well. More locations will soon be available in airports across the country. We are very excited to be expanding our UFood brand in airports and other non-traditional locations throughout the United States. Airports, colleges and hospitals are a natural fit and in demand for our concept, ‘Where Delicious Meets Nutritious.’”

UFood Restaurant Group is a franchisor and operator of fast-casual food service restaurants, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is led by franchise innovator George Naddaff, who founded Boston Market and led the franchising of several companies. The UFood Grill concept was the winner of ARN’s Best New Airport Concession in 2009. Travelers, airport workers and flight crews enjoy having a healthy, nutritious and quick service food option available.

Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ: SONC), the nation’s largest chain of drive-in restaurants, today announced that Leonard Lieberman has retired from the Board of Directors after 21 years of service, effective August 27, 2010. The company also announced that Jeffrey Schutz, managing director of Centennial Ventures, a leading venture capital firm, has been named to the Board.

Cliff Hudson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sonic Corp., stated, “We are very excited to welcome Jeffrey to the board and believe that his background in building and growing entrepreneurial businesses will be a valuable complement to the breadth of experience on our board. At the same time, Len has provided tremendous leadership, expertise and knowledge to the board and management team, and Sonic has benefitted substantially from his insight and wisdom. We thank Len for his dedicated service and many contributions to our company.”

Jeffrey Schutz is a managing director of Centennial Ventures, a Denver-based venture capital firm with approximately $500 million of assets currently under management. Schutz has been a general partner in seven Centennial-sponsored partnerships and involved with the start up, growth and development of approximately 50 companies over the past 23 years. Prior to joining Centennial Ventures in 1987, Schutz was Vice President and Director of PNC Venture Capital Group, an affiliate of PNC Financial. Schutz received a B.A. in economics from Middlebury College in Vermont, and an M.B.A. degree from the Darden School at the University of Virginia.

Lieberman is the former CEO of Supermarkets General Corporation and Outlet Communications. He joined the Board in December 1988, was a member of the Compensation Committee, of which he served as Chair for a number of years, and was a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Sonic, America’s Drive-In, originally started as a hamburger and root beer stand in 1953 in Shawnee, Okla., called Top Hat Drive-In, and then changed its name to Sonic in 1959. The first drive-in to adopt the Sonic name is still serving customers in Stillwater, Okla. Sonic has more than 3,500 drive-ins coast to coast, where approximately three million customers eat every day.

As a result of soft sales and traffic levels and a deteriorating outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s comprehensive index of restaurant activity remained essentially flat in July.  The Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 99.4 in July, down 0.1 percent from June and its fourth consecutive decline.  In addition, the RPI stood below 100 for the third consecutive month, which signifies contraction in the index of key industry indicators.

“While there were signs in recent months that the short-term outlook may be improving, the latest figures indicate that the restaurant industry’s recovery has yet to fully gain traction,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association.  “Restaurant operators continued to report declines in same-store sales and customer traffic in July, and their previously-optimistic outlook for sales growth and the economy softened in recent months.”

Watch a video of Riehle providing an industry update on the June RPI and how tourism drives restaurant sales growth.

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100.  Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.  The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 98.8 in July – unchanged from its June level.  In addition, the Current Situation Index remained below 100 for the 35th consecutive month, which signifies contraction in the current situation indicators. 

Restaurant operators reported negative same-store sales for the fourth consecutive month in July, with the overall results similar to the June performance.  Thirty-nine percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between July 2009 and July 2010, matching the proportion of operators who reported higher sales in June.  Meanwhile, 44 percent of operators reported a same-store sales decline in July, compared to 43 percent of operators who reported negative sales in June.   

Restaurant operators also reported a net decline in customer traffic levels in July.  Thirty-five percent of restaurant operators reported an increase in customer traffic between July 2009 and July 2010, up slightly from 33 percent of operators who reported higher customer traffic in June.  Forty-six percent of operators reported a traffic decline in July, up from 43 percent who reported lower traffic in June.

With sales and traffic levels remaining soft, restaurant operators reported relatively steady capital spending levels in recent months.  Forty-five percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, up slightly from 43 percent who reported similarly last month.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 100.0 in July – down 0.1 percent from June and its lowest level since December 2009.  In addition, the Expectations Index declined for the fourth consecutive month after reaching a three-year high in March.   

Restaurant operators have become less optimistic about their prospects for sales growth in recent months.  Thirty-eight percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), down from 42 percent last month and the lowest level in six months.  In comparison, 20 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, compared with 21 percent who reported similarly last month.

Restaurant operators are also much less bullish about the direction of the overall economy.  Twenty-six percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, down from 28 percent who reported similarly last month and the lowest level in 13 months.  In comparison, 21 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, matching the proportion who reported similarly last month. 

Despite the deteriorating outlook, restaurant operators reported a slight uptick in plans for capital expenditures.  Forty-three percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up slightly from 41 percent who reported similarly last month. 

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report is available online.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association’s subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. (CPK) (NASDAQ: CPKI), home to the Original BBQ Chicken Pizza and other innovative hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, creative salads, appetizers, soups, sandwiches and desserts, today announced the opening of its first restaurant in India. Opened by CPK franchise partner JSMGGC India Pvt. Ltd., a joint-venture between Mumbai-based JSM Corporation and Dubai-based Gourmet Gulf Company, it is located in the upscale Bandra Kula Complex (BKC) district of Mumbai.

BKC is a growing commercial district which hosts a variety of corporations and points of interest such as the American Embassy, NSE, Citibank and two of India’s top schools: The American School and the Dhirubai Ambani School.

The new CPK restaurant is located on the ground floor of one of the many BKC commercial complexes, Maker Maxity, which hosts numerous businesses including Reliance Industries, one of the largest companies in India, UBS, Volkswagen, Audi and Dow Jones.

The 4,000 square-foot restaurant seats approximately 180 people, including additional seating available on the covered outdoor patio. Tastefully decorated with warm colors and rich textures, the restaurant will open Monday through Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

The open-exhibition kitchen takes center stage where guests can watch as all of the innovative creations are prepared. The menu will include a variety of items from the popular Thai Chicken Pizza and Waldorf Chicken Salad to the Kung Pao Spaghetti and Avocado Egg Rolls. The new restaurant will also feature an extensive beverage menu from its full bar, including the CPK Ultimate Margarita and other signature favorites such as the Original Recipe Mojitos and Martinis.

Smashburger, a fast-casual “better burger” restaurant concept, has partnered with Bridging Culture Worldwide, a professional consulting, strategic planning and cross-cultural management service, to lead its expansion into South Korea. With Bridging Culture Worldwide’s assistance, Smashburger looks to sign its first South Korean multi unit franchise development agreement in 2011.

Smashburger’s entry into the South Korean market marks the beginning of a larger international expansion plan that includes other fast-growing economies like the Middle East, Canada, and other Asian countries. Smashburger’s product and concept has proved very appealing to consumers and successful with experienced franchise operators in the United States. International market expansion is a logical next step in Smashburger’s aggressive growth plan.

“We look forward to beginning our international expansion for Smashburger and know South Korea is a great launch pad for our ‘better burger’ concept in Asia,” says Smashburger Chairman and CEO David Prokupek. “We look forward to working with Don Southerton and Bridging Culture Worldwide to connect with multi-unit developers and operators for our expansion into South Korea.”

“As Smashburger looks to expand globally, South Korea is an excellent place to start,” says Bridging Culture Worldwide CEO Don Southerton. ”The South Korean market craves premier American brands like Smashburger and I know this concept will translate well.”

Planet Smoothie, LLC owned by Petrus Brands LLC, has named Bonnie Rhinehardt as its new president.  Bonnie Rhinehardt assumed the role of President on August 23, 2010. As president of the Planet Smoothie brand, Rhinehardt will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of operations, customer service, marketing, distribution and purchasing.

Rhinehardt has been in the hospitality business for over 20 years.  For the last 18 years, Rhinehardt was an executive with Hooters, one of the most recognized brands in the industry.  Most recently, she was responsible for the Southern Division of Hooters, including 60 company-owned restaurants.  Rhinehardt has vast experience in people development, team building, market development, community and charity involvement, as well as developing new programs that were responsible for top line sales growth and bottom line profits.  She has also been involved in developing new positions and departments for support of these programs.  During her time at Hooters, Rhinehardt has received the Presidents award 4 times, GM of the Year, Area Supervisor of the Year, Department of the Year and various others to include net profit and sales awards.

“We are very excited to welcome Bonnie Rhinehardt to our executive Planet Smoothie team,” said Petrus Brands Chief Executive Officer, Chris Morocco.  ”Adding Bonnie to our team gives us a solid foundation for operational excellence and superior customer service across the system.  Her commitment to the community is also a perfect compliment to the Planet Smoothie brand.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the Planet Smoothie team,” said Rhinehardt.  ”My heart and soul has been dedicated towards operations and customer service for the last 20 years, and after meeting the Petrus Brands [Planet Smoothie] executive team, I knew it was the right fit.  I am eager to jump in quickly and begin developing relationships with the Planet Smoothie franchisees.”

Rhinehardt resides in Smyrna and has two sons, Corey and Ryan.  She is an active member of the community and involved with various charities, including Operation Home Front and the MDA, raising over $40,000 to send over 50 kids to camp this year.

Logan’s Roadhouse, Inc. (Logan’s) announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Kelso & Company (Kelso). Logan’s is owned by affiliates of Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. Inc. (BRS), a New York-based private equity firm, Black Canyon Capital (Black Canyon), a Los Angeles-based private capital firm, Canyon Capital Advisors LLC (Canyon Capital), a Los Angeles-based alternative investment manager and members of Logan’s management. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Tom Vogel, Chief Executive Officer of Logan’s Roadhouse, said, “We are pleased to announce this transaction with Kelso. Kelso is committed to supporting Logan’s as we enter our next growth phase and we look forward to working closely with them as our future financial sponsor. BRS & Black Canyon have served as valuable partners to Logan’s, providing strong support for our continued growth as we’ve successfully navigated a very challenging economic environment.”

Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Credit Suisse and North Point Advisors acted as financial advisors to Logan’s in connection with the transaction.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal advisor to Logan’s Roadhouse and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP acted as legal advisor to Kelso & Company.

More than 40 restaurants throughout metropolitan Tucson will be serving three-course meals at special prices during Arizona Restaurant Week, Sept. 18 until the 26.

This is the second time Arizona Restaurant Week has taken place in the region and the third year the metropolitan Phoenix has hosted the event.

The Arizona Restaurant Association introduced the nine-day event to Arizona to entice diners to try some of the region’s finest cuisine at a set price, which will be $19, $29 or $39 per person, excluding tax and tip. Some restaurants are including an alcoholic beverage in the fixed price.

“Arizona Restaurant Week is an enjoyable way to dine out in and around Tucson without breaking the bank,” said Steve Chucri, president and chief executive officer of the Arizona Restaurant Association. “With so many local restaurants offering a variety of delicious cuisines, there is definitely a delicious experience awaiting everyone.”

Arizona Restaurant Week also has created an extensive social media presence, with regular updates about the event being posted on the Facebook (www.facebook.com/arizonarestaurantweek) Twitter (www.twitter.com/azrestaurantwk) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/AZRestaurantWeek) platforms.

Diners can even find out insider tips about participating restaurants and their menu offerings on the restaurant week’s new Foursquare account (www.foursquare.com/user/azrestaurantwk), which is a location-based social networking website that is gaining popularity.

“Our guests and restaurants are becoming extremely active with social media and we want them to be able to find out all the latest news and information about Arizona Restaurant Week in a way they prefer,” said Sara Anderson, marketing and events manager for the Arizona Restaurant Association.

For more information about Arizona Restaurant Week, visit http://www.arizonarestaurantweek.com.

Black Enterprise magazine has named Burger King Corp. (NYSE: BKC) one of the “40 Best Companies for Diversity” in the publication’s 6^th Annual Diversity Report, which is a comprehensive analysis of the top 1,000 publicly-traded companies and 50 leading global companies with U.S. operations. This is the third consecutive year BKC has been recognized for demonstrating diversity among the company’s suppliers and employees.

“At Burger King Corp., we have always strived to foster an inclusive work environment and have ensured that inclusion and diversity are woven into not only our business strategy, but also our culture,” said Robert Perkins, vice president, inclusion and talent management, Burger King Corp. “We are proud to see such efforts come to fruition, and we are honored to be recognized by such an esteemed publication as Black Enterprise.”

BKC has dedicated considerable effort to creating a diverse culture in the workplace. Centering on four key pillars led by the executive team, BKC’s inclusion efforts focus on the workforce, community, restaurant guests and operators/suppliers. Recognizing the powerful impact of diversity within the brand, BKC continually strives to create business opportunities in the BURGER KING® system for qualified suppliers owned by women and minorities and is committed to recruiting, retaining and developing its employees from various backgrounds through workshops, speakers and various networking opportunities.

“We are proud that our efforts and accomplishments have garnered the attention of such a prominent and established publication for African American professionals as Black Enterprise,” Perkins said. “By continually recognizing and appreciating the differences in each individual, BKC is committed to helping our employee base grow both personally and professionally.”

In addition, BKC was recently named to the Working Mother 2010 list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women, which honored 23 companies that are dedicated to bringing more perspectives to the decision-making table by promoting the advancement of multicultural women.

While the former chief executive officer of Charlie Brown’s Inc. awaits sentencing for taking kickbacks, his former employer says in a lawsuit that a secret business relationship with an Eatontown contractor cost the restaurant chain millions.

Charlie Brown’s alleges that former CEO Russell D’Anton and J. David Slabon, the owner of now-bankrupt Designline Construction Services Inc. in Eatontown, teamed up to buy properties, build Charlie Brown’s restaurants on them, and take home rent until they could sell the land at a profit.

“Not only did (they) receive above-market value rents for these properties, but they also received profits from the “flipped’ sales of these properties, all of which rightfully belong to Charlie Brown’s,” the lawsuit contends.

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Last Easter I attended my first pop-up restaurant, organised by two friends and colleagues, Joseph Trivelli and Stevie Parle, chefs from the River Café where I am a sommelier. In a boat club in Hammersmith, west London, they cooked an Easter lunch of roast kid for 50 people on long trestle tables.

I sat next to a photographer from Chelsea and a butcher from Battersea. Opposite me sat Kerstin Rodgers, or Ms Marmite Lover, a pioneer of the supper club movement. Rodgers has been serving dinners to paying guests in her home in Kilburn, north-west London, since January 2009.

Six months later I served wine at a pop-up restaurant, open for only eight weeks on the top floor of Selfridges. It was fine dining in the most glamorous of settings; a designated lift took customers into a world of white lights, white carpets and panoramic views. Secret, special and fully booked from the start, it marked the return of a legendary chef, Pierre Koffman, one of the few to achieve three Michelin stars at a London restaurant (La Tante Claire), and pig’s trotters, the dish that every foodie wanted to taste. (His new restaurant, Koffman’s, opened a few months ago at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge.)

You never know what to expect at pop-up restaurants. They are intimate and, usually, informal. You eat only what the chef loves to cook, and you sit wherever there is space on the tables.

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“Grade pending” signs are starting to sprout across the city as restaurants fight inspection scores that could force them to post Bs or Cs under the new letter-grading system.

Other restaurants are waiting anxiously for second inspections, which are supposed to take place two to three weeks after initial inspections, to give restaurants a chance to improve scores.

Because the letter-grading stakes are so high, some restaurants have hired consultants to do weekly walk-throughs. Others are avoiding putting most prepared foods on display, afraid of racking up temperature violations.

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Wendy’s International Inc. is putting emphasis on the second word in its name lately.

The Dublin, Ohio-based division of Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. since its 2008 acquisition has secured deals calling for more than 400 overseas restaurants in the next decade, a blueprint to more than double its global reach.

“They’re playing catch-up, but they should be doing that,” said Jay Anand, a professor of corporate strategy and international business at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. “The U.S. and Canada are saturated markets. You need to be in growing markets.”

The fast-food chain, which included about 300 restaurants outside North America as of April, disclosed two deals earlier this month—one calling for 180 dual-brand restaurants in Russia with Wenrus Restaurant Group Ltd., and another for 24 Wendy’s in Trinidad and Tobago and the eastern Caribbean.

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Growing amid a protracted economic slump requires first admitting that the economy is indeed in one.

“Talk to my customers, and you will know the truth,” said Cheryl Bachelder, chief executive of AFC Enterprises, the Atlanta-based franchiser of nearly 2,000 Popeyes restaurants around the globe.

Remember in April when a bunch of misguided cheerleaders, possibly from another planet, dominated headlines? The cover of Newsweek heralded “the remarkable tale of our economic turnaround.” The Dow Jones industrial average was at 11,000. And first-quarter growth in the nation’s gross domestic product was making market observers embarrassingly giddy.

This is when I boldly introduced “the fried-chicken indicator,” based on my interview with Bachelder and her prescient economic theory: “You have to have a job to eat.”

The ravages of unemployment have been especially hard on the Popeyes customer, a demographic that is about 40 percent white, 40 percent black and 20 percent other minorities.

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Denny’s Corporation today announced that Robert Rodriguez has been appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer, effective no later than September 13, 2010. Mr. Rodriguez brings deep leadership and restaurant operations experience. Since 2008 he served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Pick Up Stix, a multi-divisional franchise company in the Asian quick casual segment owned by Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. Prior to 2008 he was President at Dunkin’ Donuts. In his new role, Mr. Rodriguez will be responsible for the leadership of Denny’s operations for all franchise and company units.

Debra Smithart-Oglesby, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair of Denny’s Corporation, stated, “We are confident the Denny’s team will truly benefit from Robert’s vast industry experience, from both an operations and executive leadership perspective. His expertise in working with franchise concepts complements Denny’s long-term franchise driven growth strategy. Robert’s operational expertise will also contribute to our effort to enhance the Denny’s experience for all of our guests at our more than 1,500 locations.”

At Pick Up Stix, Mr. Rodriguez led the successful execution of a turnaround strategy that delivered improvements in the company’s operational efficiencies and transaction counts. From 2004 to 2008 Mr. Rodriguez held positions at Dunkin’ Brands, including serving as President of Dunkin’ Donuts, where he was responsible for 5,700 units across the U.S. and over 1,500 franchisees. In that role, he grew the new unit pipeline by over 2,000 stores, increased revenue, and led the creation efforts for a national advertising campaign as part of a new branding effort that focused on the ever-changing needs of the consumer. During his time at Dunkin’ Brands, Mr. Rodriguez also served as Brand Officer for Togo’s. Mr. Rodriguez previously held executive positions with Mrs. Field’s Famous Brands, Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, McDonald’s and PepsiCo. He began his career at Taco Bell, owned by PepsiCo, Incorporated, where he held numerous operations positions. Mr. Rodriguez received his MBA from Northwestern University and his B.S. at University of Redlands.

The Compensation and Incentives Committee of Denny’s Board of Directors approved the following incentive awards to Robert Rodriguez: (i) 250,000 performance-based restricted stock units, to be granted on or about September 13, 2010, and (ii) a non-qualified stock option to purchase up to 100,000 shares of common stock, to be granted on October 1, 2010 (the first trading day of the calendar quarter following Mr. Rodriguez’s start date).

The performance-based restricted stock units represent the right to earn up to 250,000 shares of Denny’s common stock, based on the closing price of the common stock exceeding specific price hurdles for 20 consecutive trading days, and subject to Mr. Rodriguez’s continued employment with Denny’s.

The stock options will have an exercise price per share equal to the fair market value of the underlying shares as of the grant date. The options will vest in equal annual installments on each of the first three anniversaries of the grant date, subject to Mr. Rodriguez’s continued employment with Denny’s. The stock options have a maximum term of ten (10) years.

The awards were negotiated and approved as an incentive to Mr. Rodriguez’s entering into employment with Denny’s in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

Saladworks, the nation’s first and largest fresh-tossed salad franchise concept, has signed an agreement with a multi-unit developer for three locations in Northern Orange County, CA.

Saladworks’ nationwide expansion continues with this deal, following previous agreements for stores in Southern Orange County, CA, Knox County, TN, and Wake County, NC.

“I didn’t want to bring another donut shop or unhealthy fast food franchise to California,” new franchisee, Bomby Ahuja said. “We believe in the product, the system, and the support that we’ll receive.”

“With this latest franchise signing, Saladworks is communicating our commitment to expand rapidly in the all important southern California market,” said Saladworks’ President, Paul Steck. “Bomby Ahuja is a most welcome addition to the Saladworks family of franchisees. We are extremely confident that accelerating growth in Orange County will be a boon to our franchisees, our customers in Orange County, and our entire franchise system.”

If you don’t want fast food and you don’t want an expensive full service meal, a fast casual restaurant might be just the ticket. According to a recent Mintel foodservice report, the fast casual restaurant category accounted for estimated sales of $23 billion in 2010, up nearly 30% since 2006.

Restaurants in this market claim to combine the quality of family casual with the convenience of fast food. At $6-12 per ticket, pricing falls between fast food and casual dining. Fast casual restaurants distinguish themselves from fast food through their modified table service, higher food quality, greater attention to healthful foods and, in some cases, availability of beer and wine.

“The relatively new fast casual category has fared well through the recession as people can see the added value in the food and atmosphere, despite the slightly higher price point,” comments Eric Giandelone, director of foodservice research at Mintel. “The majority of restaurant-goers say quality is the most important determinant in their choice of a restaurant, which will continue to help this category grow.”

Fast casual restaurants have not yet displaced fast food, casual dining, pizza or family dining restaurants, but this fairly young category makes its strongest statement during the lunch hour, with patronage levels almost equaling that of casual dining (26% of respondents have visited a fast casual restaurant in the past month and 28% a casual dining restaurant.) However, fast food still holds a strong lead with nearly 60% of Mintel respondents frequenting a fast food establishment for lunch within the past month.

According to Eric Giandelone, the main reason fast casual restaurants lag so far behind fast food is simply that there aren’t as many of them. One of the most successful fast casual chains, Panera Bread, had 1,388 locations as of March 2010, meanwhile fast food leader, McDonald’s had 10 times that number of restaurants in the US.

Nearly 30% of those surveyed cite the reason for not frequenting a fast casual restaurant in the past month as “there are no/not many fast casual restaurants by me.” Just over a quarter of respondents (26%) claim they are too expensive and 22% prefer a regular wait staff when they dine out.

Visits to U.S. restaurants are forecasted to grow less than one percent a year over the next -decade, slower than the 1.1 percent a year growth in the country’s population, according to recently released foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. The report, A Look into the Future of Foodservice, forecasts that annual visits to restaurants will increase by 8 percent over the next ten years.

The report, which provides forecasts of restaurant segments, categories, visit situations, and beverage and food products based on the aging of the U.S. population, population growth, and recent trends, finds that the aging of the U.S. population over the next decade will not benefit the restaurant industry.

“The aging effect on the restaurant industry will be slightly negative because of aging Baby Boomers,” says Bonnie Riggs, NPD’s restaurant industry analyst and author of A Look into the Future of Foodservice. “A greater share of visits will source to those 50 years and older in 2019, but as consumers age they become less frequent restaurant users. This means the restaurant industry will have heavier dependence on lighter buyers.”

Trend momentum, which captures behavioral momentum based on the past nine years and includes such factors as new menu items, promotions, and restaurant openings and closings, has not been working in the industry’s favor.

“In addition to being hit hard by the recession, Americans are eating more suppers at home, and fewer women entering the workforce have negatively impacted restaurant industry traffic,” says Riggs. “The current trend momentum may not appear favorable for the industry moving forward, but it’s the area where the industry has the greatest opportunity to change the direction of the forecast. There isn’t much that can be done about the aging of the population and population growth.”

She points out that the growth at the breakfast and PM Snack dayparts are examples of trends that present opportunities for the foodservice industry.

“Forecasts are something to be worked against, but are not cast in stone,” says Riggs. “They are used to assess potential opportunities and risks for the purpose of long-term planning. The future course can be altered.”

A Sardinian snack bar owner who incurred the legal wrath of McDonald’s for daring to use the prefix ‘Mc’ on his shop front has become an unlikely hero for Italian politicians and food campaigners fed up with the global clout of the American hamburger chain.

Ivan Puddu, 32, decided to give his restaurant in Santa Maria Navarrese a fast-food feel by naming it McPuddu’s, only to receive two legal warnings. Lawyers for McDonald’s said that customers might confuse his tiny outlet with the US giant.

Puddu pointed out that his speciality – a Sardinian form of stuffed pasta filled with local sheep’s cheese, potato and mint – was unlikely to be confused with a Big Mac.

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