National Restaurant Association Registers Support for Tax Extenders

Washington, D.C.  (RestaurantNews.com)  In a statement for the record for today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing, “Extenders and Tax Reform: Seeking Long-Term Solutions,” the National Restaurant Association’s David Koenig, Vice President of Tax and Profitability, called for the extension of several tax provisions that are critical for the restaurant industry, the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer.

“Tax reform presents an opportunity to provide taxpayers with certainty, simplicity, and fairness, while encouraging economic growth and job creation,” said Koenig. “Done properly, a comprehensive and nuanced review of the tax system would eliminate those tax policies that detract from these objectives, while promoting those that advance them. Specifically, the U.S. economy would benefit from reform efforts that make permanent the 15-year depreciation schedule for leasehold improvements, restaurant improvements and new construction, and retail improvements, which would advance these goals. We also urge continued support for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the deduction for donations of food inventory, and an increase in the deduction for business meals. These provisions provide significant benefits to the economy and should be continued as permanent aspects of the tax code. Moreover, we urge immediate and seamless extension of expired tax provisions, which is essential to continuing the tax relief and access to capital that is critical to our nation’s economic and financial recovery.”

Read the Association’s full statement for the record here.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

Wendy’s new CEO on Monday called the dour results of the past few years “self-inflicted wounds” and vowed to do better, laying out plans that included hiring top-tier workers and reclaiming market share from higher-end competitors like Five Guys and Smashburger.

Emil Brolick, the CEO since September, told investors on Monday that he was intent on winning back customers, jaded by a stale menu and inconsistent service, as well as investors, who have grown weary of “a little bit of overpromising and under-delivering.”

And rather than blaming the struggling economy for the revenue declines and quarterly losses of the past few years, Brolick said that the company’s problems were its own fault. Though Wendy’s Co. had carved out a niche in the restaurant business as fast food for grownups, it had lost its way in recent years.

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Humperdinks Offers a Guide to the Best Valentine's Day in Dallas

Dallas, TX  (RestaurantNews.com)  Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery is pleased to announce that they will be offering a holiday special for Valentine’s Day in Dallas. From February 10 through February14, guests can enjoy the “Lover’s Special,” a three-course meal that consists of an appetizer, entrée selections for each person, and a shared dessert.

The three-course meal opens with an appetizer for the couple to share. The choices include Spinach Artichoke Dip, Small Plate Calamari, Fried Pickle Chips or Hummus and Veggies.

The couple can then each choose a main course. Entrée selections include Steak and Shrimp, Angel Hair Bolognese, a 12oz Top Sirloin, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Tuscan Salmon or Blackened Chicken Alfredo.

The final course of the evening is dessert. The couple can choose to share a Skookie, Personal Mud Pie or Personal Bread Pudding.

No additional discounts or coupons are valid with the 3-course Lover’s Special from Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery.

For the most memorable Valentine’s Day possible, Humperdinks suggests you spend a romantic day with your date before completing it at the restaurant. There are plenty of sites to see and things to enjoy in Dallas. For example, many couples enjoy watching a live performance and spending time outside at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Others might prefer a more adventurous route and go on a hot air balloon ride, enjoying a view of the city from more than 1000 feet in the air. For a more down-to-earth experience, couples may go ice skating at a local rink or visit the Dallas World Aquarium.

No matter how couples choose to spend their Valentine’s Day in Dallas, a dinner at Humperdinks is a great way to wrap up a romantic day together.

About Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery

With five locations around Dallas, Texas – Addison, Arlington, Greenville, Northwest Highway and Richardson – Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery has been serving the Metroplex area for 35 years. Humperdinks is an American restaurant serving gourmet burgers, award-winning micro brews, steaks, seafood and more.

Their award-winning Brewmasters create beers that celebrate seasonal changes. Many of these beers have been awarded medals at the Great American Beer Festival. Humperdinks proudly presents these fine Craft Beers from their Gold Medal Winning Breweries. Freshly brewed on premise and served ice cold in pints, mugs or giant goblets. A brewery and a restaurant with two happy hours a day…it doesn’t get much better than that! Come and watch the big games in any sport on one or more of their big screens, grab a hamburger, a house-made microbrew, relax and watch the game!

Latest Ice Cream Cake Bites Offer New Spin on a Classic Valentine’s Day Treat

Baskin-Robbins Sweetens February with Introduction of Valentine's Day Ice Cream Cake Bites and "Box of Chocolates"

Canton, MA  (RestaurantNews.com)  Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, is making Valentine’s Day even sweeter this February with the introduction of two new flavors to its popular line of Ice Cream Cake Bites, the brand’s delicious culinary creation that combines both ice cream and cake into a single, bite-sized serving. The new flavors, available for a limited time only through the end of February, are Love Potion #31 and Chocolate Dipped Strawberry.

Baskin-Robbins’ Ice Cream Cake Bites feature ice cream with an indulgent ganache-style covering and are finished with a decorative drizzle of chocolate, caramel, raspberry or strawberry. The first new Ice Cream Cake Bite includes Love Potion #31 ice cream resting over rich chocolate cake, covered in a chocolate-flavored coating and finished with a raspberry-flavored chocolate drizzle. The Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Ice Cream Cake Bite is made with Very Berry Strawberry ice cream over chocolate cake, covered in a chocolate-flavored coating and finished with a strawberry glaze drizzle and mini chocolate hearts.

The two new Ice Cream Cake Bites flavors will be featured in Baskin-Robbins’ Valentine’s Day “Box of Chocolates,” a mix-n-match four-pack retail box combined with two of Baskin-Robbins’ classic, decadent Ice Cream Cake Bite flavors, including:

• Chocolate Mint: Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream over chocolate cake with a chocolate-flavored coating, finished with a green drizzle
• Double Chocolate: Chocolate ice cream over chocolate cake with a chocolate-flavored coating, finished with a fudge rosette and chocolate accent

The addition of Love Potion #31 and Chocolate Dipped Strawberry marks the first time Baskin-Robbins has introduced new Ice Cream Cake Bites flavors since they first launched in October 2011.

“We are excited to offer more indulgent flavors as part of our line of Ice Cream Cake Bites just in time to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” said Stan Frankenthaler, Baskin-Robbins Executive Chef and Vice President of Innovation at Dunkin’ Brands. “Our Valentine’s Day Ice Cream Cake Bites ‘Box of Chocolates’ provides our guests an elegant dessert option that is the perfect gift for that special someone or to share with a group.”

Now available at participating Baskin-Robbins stores nationwide, guests can purchase Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Cake Bites individually for a suggested retail price of $2.99 and in mix-n-match four-packs, including in a special Valentine’s Day “Box of Chocolates,” for a suggested retail price of $9.99.

About Baskin-Robbins

Named the top ice cream and frozen dessert franchise in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine’s 31st annual Franchise 500® ranking, Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops.  Baskin-Robbins creates and markets innovative, premium ice cream, specialty frozen desserts and beverages, providing quality and value to consumers at more than 6,600 retail shops in nearly 50 countries.  Baskin-Robbins was founded in 1945 by two ice cream enthusiasts whose passion led to the creation of more than 1,000 ice cream flavors and a wide variety of delicious treats.  Headquartered in Canton, Mass., Baskin-Robbins is a subsidiary of Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: DNKN). For further information, visit www.baskinrobbins.com.

Teriyaki Madness Launches Expansion Plan with New Dine-in Prototype in the $18.4 billion Asian Dining Segment

Las Vegas-Based Asian Quick Service Franchise Prepares to "Spread the Madness"

Las Vegas, NV  (RestaurantNews.com)  Equipped with a new prototype featuring a dine-in model and a user-friendly menu, Teriyaki Madness is looking to bring its authentic Asian dishes and signature sauces to the Southwest United States, providing potential franchisees with an opportunity to offer an alternative to the typical fast-food burgers and sandwiches.

Capitalizing on a special niche in a growing market segment, Teriyaki Madness is looking to expand its footprint outside of Las Vegas. With seven locations currently open and operating in Las Vegas, the company is focusing franchise growth efforts in several Southwestern states—including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah. Company plans call for growing to a total of 10 restaurant locations by the end of 2012, 25 by the end of 2015, 50 by the end of 2017, with a total of 200 locations throughout the next 10 years.

Consumer interest in Asian food, fueled by its reputation for being exotic and healthful, has chains carving out a new fast-casual niche. According to a 2011 study by reports research firm Technomic, the Asian dining segment brings in $18.4 billion annually.

In addition, according to The NPD Group, 23 percent of consumers say they are interested in more Asian-type flavored foods. Teriyaki Madness is providing an alternative to traditional fast food with its fresh, Asian-inspired dishes, such as chicken teriyaki and spicy chicken, both served with made-from-scratch sauces and a secret blend of spices. The average ticket price for lunch ranges from $10-$12 while dinner is around $13.

“Sales for the Asian segment grew faster than any other category in 2011,” said Rod Arreola, president and co-founder of Teriyaki Madness. “This is due to the growing number of consumers who are craving alternatives to traditional quick-service meals.”

In 2003, Teriyaki Madness founders Rod Arreola, Alan Arreola and Eric Garma stopped dreaming and went “all in.” Heading for Las Vegas, which had enormous business potential and explosive growth, the three aspiring entrepreneurs started their own teriyaki concept similar to their favorites back home in Seattle. Their first restaurant opened in August 2003. Teriyaki Madness launched its first franchise opportunity in 2005.

“Our new prototype shifts the dining focus from take-out to dine-in, allowing customers to fully enjoy the Teriyaki Madness experience,” Arreola said. “The new model will include more space, booths, fun decor and big screen televisions to provide our customers with a more comfortable and entertaining atmosphere.”

Teriyaki Madness prides itself on an authentic menu that combines the freshest ingredients with its signature sauces made 100 percent from scratch, and proprietary cooking methods to create unique flavors which thrill the taste buds.

To augment the company’s growth, Teriyaki Madness is seeking passionate, hard-workers with the resources and capacity to create and manage a niche restaurant that effectively recruits, retains, trains and motivates people.

The average total investment to open a Teriyaki Madness franchise is between $198,098 and $390,213, which includes the initial franchise fee. The new Teriyaki Madness prototypes will be 1,800-2,000 square feet, seating approximately 50-75 guests and will employ, on average, 12 people.

About Teriyaki Madness

Founded in 2003 and franchising since 2005, Teriyaki Madness is a fast casual Asian restaurant concept headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada committed to unconditionally satisfying our guests by offering delicious, made to order Teriyaki dishes prepared with fresh ingredients, that are served quickly at a reasonable price in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. We will “Spread the Madness” spirit and concept so that everybody can experience the best teriyaki on earth. For more information, visit the company website at www.TeriyakiMadness.com.

Flippers Pizzeria Celebrates 25 Years in Central Florida

Orlando, FL  (RestaurantNews.com)  This month, January 2012, Flippers Pizzeria, an Orlando pizza restaurant with eleven locations and a central commissary that supports the growth of the pizza franchise,celebrates its twenty?fifth year in Central Florida.

When Flippers Pizzeria opened its first location in 1987 near Sea World, business owners had a specific goal in mind for the new pizzeria—creating delicious pizzas from the freshest ingredients possible and treating every guest with five?star customer service.

Eleven locations, a commissary, and a wholesale division later, Flippers Pizzeria’s mission remains the same since 1987, but owners say that after 25 years, it’s still just the “opening inning” for the flourishing pizza maker.

“During these past few years, we have really stepped up our game,” said said Scott Kousaie, Co? President & Founding Partner. “And it’s only beginning of where we’re headed… we’re just getting up to bat here, and all of us are really excited about the future possibilities for our business.”

When consumers walk into a Flippers Pizzeria restaurant today, things don’t look the way that they did in 1987, but the friendly, neighborhood atmosphere and delicious food that made Flippers Pizzeria a success in the first place, is still thriving.

“Our stores have been enhanced over the years due to evolving customer tastes, available technologies, and new conveniences that are now available to us as restaurant owners,” said Flippers founders. “Also critical in our success is the fact that that we have been perfecting the operational structure of the business for more than 25 years; retooling it over time so that every process works in the most efficient and productive way possible.”

Recently, Flippers Pizzeria went through a major rebranding. Stores were remodeled, new menu items added, and a future expansion plan went into effect, offering franchise opportunities to qualified investors who shared a passion for making delicious pizza.

Online ordering was developed, catering menus were improved, and plans to feature a mobile website and iPhone application were set into motion.

Flippers Pizzeria is constantly evolving. “We know that we must remain connected to our customers in order to prosper for another 25 years,” said a Flippers executive team member. “We never rest on our laurels. Our team is constantly searching for the best ingredients, modifying our recipes, and communicating with our patrons to make sure that we are always exceeding their expectations.”

Recently, flat screen TVs and free wireless Internet access were added in restaurants. The Flippers brand also retains a strong social media and Web presence with more than 5,000 active followers who are very vocal and passionate about the Flippers brand.

We are always improving our menu and communicating with our consumers on a daily basis— both online and off,” said a Flippers marketing team member. “Currently, we’ve been promoting our newest menu items on our social media profiles; we enjoy receiving consumer feedback and getting them involved in our conversations and decisions.”

It’s clever uses of today’s technology like this that keeps Flippers Pizzeria at the top of its game.

“We are very proud to have been part of the Central Florida community for more than twenty? five years, and we look forward to celebrating our milestone 25th year in 2012,” said a Flippers representative.

Later this year, Flippers Pizzeria plans to open its twelfth location in The Villages area of Central Florida.

Flippers Pizzeria was recently ranked “Number 1” on MyFoxOrlando’s Mojo Pages for “Best Pizza in Orlando.” Earlier this year, the Orlando pizza franchise began to offer t?shirts for fans of the pizza restaurant to show their support for the brand. The shirts are now available at all locations.

About Flippers Pizzeria

“Fresh Honest Ingredients.” From authentic brick?oven baked pizzas and pastas, to handcrafted calzones and flatbreads, Flippers Pizzeria maintains consistency in taste and freshness. Customers have the option of enjoying a delicious Flippers meal in the comfortable, family friendly environment of their restaurants or the convenience of pick?up and delivery services, as well as Orlando catering services. Flippers Pizzeria is one of the only delivery services that offer the quality of authentic brick?oven?baked pizza. Follow Flippers Pizzeria on Facebook (facebook.com/flipperspizzeria) and Twitter (@flipperspizzaus).

Like an analogue world-munching Pac-Man, the modern smartphone has morphed into instant messenger, mailbox, camera, flashlight, computer, map, dictionary, newspaper, personal assistant and social media portal.

And as such its use at the table has become so prevalent that “restaurants are now forced to incorporate how to deal with them into the sequence of service and table maintenance,” says Eric Rosenfeld, the general manager of the lush trattoria Il Covo, in Los Angeles, which has begun offering diners small plates to hold their phones in order to shield them from potential spills and dinner debris.

Some fine dining restaurants frown upon mobile phone use – at Patina, the menu requests, “This restaurant is a quiet haven from the stress and tumult of everyday life. Please help us by turning your cell phone to vibrate while dining.” And a few places, such as Sushi Nozawa, go as far as to post “no cellphone” signs.

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Sbarro Names Dynamic, New Management Team to Lead Company's Growth Initiative

Melville, NY  (RestaurantNews.com)  The Board of Directors of Sbarro, Inc., a leading Italian quick service restaurant company, today announced that James Greco, 54, has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Greco was the former CEO of Bruegger’s Enterprises and credited by industry experts with the strong performance and growth of the 28-year-old national bagel bakery chain. Nicky McGrane, who has been serving as Sbarro’s interim President and CEO will be leaving the Company to pursue other opportunities.

In addition, J. David Karam, 53, formerly President of Wendy’s International, has agreed to serve as Sbarro’s new Chairman, and the Company has appointed two additional directors to its board, Desmond Hague, CEO of Centerplate, and David Wiggins, a turnaround expert. Karam takes over as Chairman from Michael Feder, a Managing Director at Alix Partners, a leading management consulting firm, who has served as Sbarro’s Interim Chairman since November 2011. Feder will continue as an advisor to the company.

“We’re extremely pleased to have attracted a top-tier talent like Jim to Sbarro,” Karam said on behalf of the Board. “Jim has outstanding credentials and will provide strong leadership as the company continues to grow. At the same time, we want to recognize the contributions that Nicky made as interim CEO. His stewardship during a difficult time for Sbarro was immensely valuable.”

McGrane led Sbarro through a successful Chapter 11 reorganization, with Sbarro emerging with significantly less debt and substantial liquidity to invest in future growth.

Greco, who partnered with Sun Capital to acquire Bruegger’s in 2003, served as CEO until the company was acquired by Groupe Le Duff SA, a leading French operator of bakery-cafes, in 2011. Sun Capital earned a return of 36% per year on its investment in Bruegger’s. While CEO, Greco successfully turned around the business, produced more than 20 consecutive quarters of positive same store sales and total sales growth, and completed numerous smaller acquisitions including the successful acquisition of Timothy’s World Coffee’s retail brands. In 2009, he was named Operator of the Year by Nation’s Restaurant News, one of the industry’s highest honors. Prior to Bruegger’s Bagels, Greco was CEO of Fieldbrook Foods Corporation for seven years, and he also served as Chief Operating Officer of Natural Country Farms for five years. Greco has a degree in Economics from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Miami.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead and grow Sbarro,” Greco said. “As the company’s recent performance demonstrates, this is an iconic brand with a strong foundation upon which we can build.”

Karam was most recently the President of Wendy’s International. During his tenure at Wendy’s, Karam led a successful turnaround of Wendy’s, which included significant improvements in product quality, operational execution and brand profitability. Under his leadership, Wendy’s rose to become the second largest QSR Hamburger chain in the U.S., surpassing Burger King for the first time in Wendy’s 42 year history. Prior to joining Wendy’s in 2008, Karam was President of Cedar Enterprises, a Wendy’s franchisee, operating 150 Wendy’s restaurants in Indianapolis, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Hartford and Seattle.

While a franchise owner, Karam was recognized with the R. David Thomas Founders Award and the Diamond Award National Marketer of the Year. He was also recently inducted into Wendy’s Hall of Fame. Karam has a degree in accounting from Ohio State University and is a graduate of the Owner President Management program at Harvard Business School.

Hague is President and CEO of Centerplate, North America’s largest hospitality business, which operates in more than 40 states within convention centers, and the sports and entertainment industries. Prior to Centerplate, Hague was President of IHOP and a member of Dine Equity (NYSE: DIN), the world’s largest casual dining restaurant operator.

Wiggins has extensive turnaround management expertise, having worked as an Operating Advisor for a number of portfolio companies acquired by Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. since 1998. In this capacity, Wiggins served as Chairman and CEO of Hain Pure Protein Corporation, President and CEO of Halo Purely for Pets, and Chairman and CEO of Salerno Plastics Corporation.

About Sbarro, Inc.

Based in Melville, New York, Sbarro is the world’s leading Italian quick service restaurant concept and largest shopping mall-focused restaurant concept in the world. Sbarro has more than 1,000 restaurants in more than 40 countries, and features a menu of popular Italian food, including pizza, a selection of pasta dishes and other hot and cold Italian entrees, salads, sandwiches, drinks and desserts. Additional information is available at http://www.sbarro.com.

35th McDonald’s All American® Games coincides with the release of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All American Players List

McDonald's Celebrates 35 Years of All American Basketball Games

Chicago, IL  (RestaurantNews.com)  Today, the McDonald’s All American Games unveiled its list of 35 of the Greatest McDonald’s All Americans, released in celebration of the 35^th Anniversary of the McDonald’s All American High School Boys Basketball Game and in an effort to honor all the elite athletes that have participated in the Games over its history.

The 35 of the Greatest McDonald’s All Americans list is comprised of some of the top names in basketball history, and features past and present Olympics, NBA and NCAA stars, including: Earvin “Magic”  Johnson (McDonald’s All American class of 1977), Clark Kellogg (1979), Ralph Sampson (1979), Isiah Thomas (1979), Dominique Wilkins (1979), James Worthy (1979), Sam Perkins (1980), Glenn “Doc” Rivers (1980), Patrick Ewing (1981), Michael Jordan (1981), Chris Mullin (1981), Kenny Smith (1983), Danny Manning (1984), Larry Johnson (1987), Christian Laettner (1988), Alonzo Mourning (1988), Bobby Hurley (1989), Shaquille O’Neal (1989), Grant Hill (1990), Glenn Robinson (1991), Jason Kidd (1992), Jerry Stackhouse (1993), Vince Carter (1995), Kevin Garnett (1995), Paul Pierce (1995), Kobe Bryant (1996), Jay Williams (1999), Carmelo Anthony (2002), Amare Stoudemire (2002), LeBron James (2003), Chris Paul (2003), Dwight Howard (2004), Tyler Hansbrough (2005), Kevin Durant (2006) and Derrick Rose (2007).

“This list of great McDonald’s All Americans recognizes 35 years of basketball excellence,” said Douglas Freeland, director of the McDonald’s All American Games. “These players are a veritable ‘who’s who’ of basketball’s modern era.”

Each of the players was selected by members of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee. In determining the list, all past McDonald’s All Americans were considered based on his high school career and performance in the McDonald’s All American Games, success at the collegiate and professional level, and post-career accomplishments.

“For 35 years, the McDonald’s All American Games have showcased the top high school basketball players nationwide,” said Morgan Wootten, McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee Chairman. “These 35 players are representative of all the great players that have played in the McDonald’s All American Games over the years.”

Each of the 35 Greatest McDonald’s All Americans will receive a custom-designed basketball, produced by Anaconda Sports^® The Rock^®, to commemorate this special honor.

History of the McDonald’s All American Games

McDonald’s selected the first McDonald’s All American High School Team in 1977. In 1978, the inaugural McDonald’s All American Game was played at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. Since then, more than 800 boys have been selected to play in the McDonald’s All American Games which benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities^® (RMHC^®).

2012 McDonald’s All American Games

The 35^th Annual McDonald’s All American Boys Game will tip-off on Wednesday, March 28 at 8:30 p.m. CT and is broadcast live on ESPN. Immediately preceding the Boys Game will be the 11^th Annual McDonald’s All American Girls Game, beginning at 6 p.m. CT and is broadcast live on ESPNU. McDonald’s will announce the 24 boys and 24 girls participating in the 2012 McDonald’s All American Games via a Selection Show airing on ESPNU on February 9 at 5 p.m. ET.  Tickets are available through Ticketmaster with free parking the night of the games.

For more details about the McDonald’s All American Games, please visit www.mcdaag.com.

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome food made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the more than 12,000 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

About RMHC

Ronald McDonald House Charities, a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporations, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 52 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House^®, Ronald McDonald Family Room^® and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile^®, and millions of dollars in grants to support children’s programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better.  For more information, visit http://rmhc.org or follow us on Twitter (@RMHC) and Facebook (Facebook.com/RMHCGlobal).

Restaurant operators reported strong same-store sales and customer traffic levels in December; Operators’ plans for capital spending at highest level in more than four years

Restaurant Performance Index Rose to Highest Level in Nearly Six Years in December

Washington, D.C.  (RestaurantNews.com)  Fueled by solid same-store sales and traffic results and a bullish outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 102.2 in December, up 1.6 percent from November and its highest level in nearly six years. In addition, December represented the third time in the last four months that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Aided by favorable weather conditions in many parts of the country, a solid majority of restaurant operators reported higher same-store sales and customer traffic levels in December,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “In addition, restaurant operators are solidly optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, and their outlook for the economy is at its strongest point in nearly a year.”

“Coupled with the solid November results, the RPI’s impressive December performance bodes well for continued positive industry momentum in the year ahead,” Riehle added. “The ripple effect will likely be felt throughout the supply chain as well, with restaurant operators’ plans for capital spending rising to its highest level in more than four years.”

Watch a video of Riehle summarizing the December RPI.

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 102.1 in December – up a solid 1.9 percent from November and its strongest level in seven years. December also represented the third time in the last four months that the Current Situation Index stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

Building on a solid November performance that saw the strongest same-store sales results in more than four years, restaurant operators reported even better numbers in December. Sixty-nine percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between December 2010 and December 2011, while only 18 percent reported a same-store sales decline. This marked the strongest net positive sales performance since February 2004, when 70 percent of operators reported a sales gain and 17 percent reported lower sales.

Restaurant operators also reported solid customer traffic results in December. Fifty-seven percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between December 2010 and December 2011, while just 23 percent reported a traffic decline. In November, 41 percent of operators reported higher customer traffic, while 32 percent reported a traffic decline.

In addition to positive sales and traffic levels, capital spending activity among restaurant operators continues to trend upward. Forty-eight percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, the highest level in six months.

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 102.3 in December – up 1.3 percent from November and its highest level in a year. In addition, December marked the fourth consecutive month that the Expectations Index stood above 100, which represents a positive outlook among restaurant operators for business conditions in the months ahead.

For the first time in a year, a majority of restaurant operators expect their sales to be higher in the months ahead. Fifty-one percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), up from 41 percent who reported similarly last month. In comparison, only seven 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, down from 12 percent last month.

Restaurant operators are also much more optimistic about the direction of the overall economy in the coming months. Thirty-nine percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up from 27 percent last month and the strongest level in nearly a year. In comparison, only 11 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, down from 16 percent who reported similarly last month.

With higher sales and an improving economy expected in the months ahead, restaurant operators are also beefing up plans for capital spending. Fifty-five percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 47 percent last month and the strongest level in more than four years.

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 and a video summary are 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.

National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index
Values Greater than 100 = Expansion; Values Less than 100 = Contraction
Source: National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

In time for Valentine’s Day, eat your hearts out with two varieties of Dunkin’ Donuts’ heart-shaped donuts

A Sweetheart Deal at Dunkin' Donuts: Heart-Shaped Donuts Return

Canton, MA  (RestaurantNews.com)  February may be the shortest month of the year, but at Dunkin’ Donuts it might also be the sweetest, thanks to the return of heart-shaped donuts. Beginning today, in time for Valentine’s Day season, Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, has two delicious ways for sweethearts to show their love.  The Cupid’s Choice Donut is a heart-shaped donut filled with Bavarian Kreme, topped with strawberry icing and a festive mix of pink, white and red heart-shaped sprinkles.  The new Chocolate Heart Donut is a chocolate frosted heart-shaped donut with vanilla buttercreme filling, topped with chocolate chips. Both donuts will be available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide through the end of February.

Chocolate lovers seeking a perfect pairing for the new heart-shaped donuts can look outside the box to Dunkin’ Donuts’ famous Mocha Coffee and Lattes.  Available hot or iced, Dunkin’ Donuts’ Mocha Coffee and Lattes satisfy your chocolate cravings while providing a boost to keep yourself running any time of day.

“We introduced heart-shaped donuts last Valentine’s Day as our first-ever shaped donuts, and they were extremely popular with our guests as a fun, delicious and inexpensive treat for enjoying the holiday at work or at home,” said Stan Frankenthaler, Dunkin’ Brands’ Executive Chef and Vice President of Product Innovation.  “We are pleased to bring back our Cupid’s Choice Donut, and offer our new Chocolate Heart Donut, as two sweet ways for sweethearts and all donut lovers to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.”

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).

About Dunkin’ Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for five years running. The company has more than 10,000 restaurants in 32 countries worldwide. In 2010, Dunkin’ Donuts’ global system-wide sales were $6 billion. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: DNKN). For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

Guests Can Enjoy More than 100 Beverage Brands with their Favorite Noodles Dish

Noodles & Company to Launch Coca-Cola Freestyle Across the U.S.

Broomfield, CO  (RestaurantNews.com)  Noodles & Company announced today that it will launch Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage machines in restaurants nationwide.  Guests at the fast-casual restaurant chain, which offers noodles, soups, salads, and sandwiches from around the world, will now be able to pair their Noodles dish with more than 100 different beverage brands.

Guests at Noodles have come to expect unique flavors and the ability to customize their dish when dining at their neighborhood Noodles restaurant.  The restaurant brand is known for offering cooked-to-order dishes using fresh ingredients, allowing guests to enjoy their Noodles dish exactly as they like.  The inclusion of Coca-Cola Freestyle complements the wide variety of menu options with an equally wide variety of beverage options.

Noodles sees Coca-Cola Freestyle as a great way to give guests more beverage options and more control over their entire dining experience.  “Over the years, we’ve received feedback from our guests asking that we offer more low-calorie, caffeine-free, and non-carbonated drink options,” said Kevin Reddy, president and CEO, Noodles & Company. “Coca-Cola Freestyle is the right solution for us to solve our guests’ needs.”

Coca-Cola Freestyle provides more than 100 sparkling and still beverage brands including more than 70 low/no-calorie options, more than 90 caffeine-free choices and 80+ unique brands offered nowhere else.

The decision to launch Coca-Cola Freestyle system-wide comes after Noodles & Company initially tested the innovative fountain dispensers in restaurants in Utah, Pittsburgh, and Colorado.  “We were interested to learn how our guests would react to the selection that Coca-Cola Freestyle provides. The results indicate that our guests really enjoy the ease and variety that it offers,” added Reddy.

“Coca-Cola Freestyle offers people something they’ve never experienced before and helps our restaurant partners like Noodles & Company grow both their beverage business and their overall business,” said Gene Farrell, Vice President and General Manager, Coca-Cola Freestyle.  “With Coca-Cola Freestyle, guests at Noodles will be able to choose their own custom beverage to complement their fresh, cooked-to-order Noodles meal.”

About Noodles & Company

Noodles & Company is about serving real food, real quick. Our menu features made-to-order noodles, salads and sandwiches inspired from around the world that make everyone happy from kids to adults. Think Mac & Cheese, Pad Thai, Chinese Chop Salad, Pesto Cavatappi and a Wisconsin Cheesesteak Sandwich all under one roof. Within minutes of ordering a fresh, made-to-order dish will be delivered to the table on real china with real silverware. Nothing fake here. You also don’t have to clear your table or leave a tip. We just aim to please.

Noodles & Company is a collection of more than 280 neighborhood restaurants in 23 states and growing. Please visit www.noodles.com to find a restaurant near you. If you’re craving more, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter or on our Noodles & Company blog affectionately called “& Company“.

About Coca-Cola Freestyle

Coca-Cola Freestyle allows people to select from more than 100 regular and low-calorie brands. Many varieties of waters, sports drinks, lemonades and sparkling beverages are now available to people in the U.S. exclusively on Coca-Cola Freestyle.  The dispensers use unique, proprietary PUREPOUR TECHNOLOGY™and have the capacity to offer more than 100 brands in the same footprint as a standard eight-valve machine.  Coca-Cola Freestyle can be found in many markets across the U.S., including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.  To learn more about Coca-Cola Freestyle, visit www.coca-colafreestyle.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cocacolafreestyle and Twitter @ccfreestyle.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, our Company’s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, please visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo.

Contact

Mandy Melby
Noodles & Company
720-214-1971
mmelby@noodles.com

Susan Stribling
Coca-Cola
404-676-4120
sstribling@coca-cola.com

Domino’s expects to sell over 11 million slices this Sunday

Domino's Pizza Hustles to Prepare for Biggest Day of the Year

Ann Arbor, MI  (RestaurantNews.com)  Domino’s Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, is counting down to kickoff this weekend and training hard to handle a rush in orders. While referees make calls on the football field, households across America will call on Domino’s to deliver on the company’s biggest day of the year.

As the New York and New England football teams get ready for their biggest Sunday of the season, Domino’s anticipates delivering over 11 million pizza slices nationwide on game day – nearly an 80 percent increase from a typical Sunday.

“Every night in a Domino’s store is a dress rehearsal for big days like Sunday,” said Chris Brandon, Domino’s Pizza spokesperson. “As friends and family gather around the TV to cheer on their favorite teams, it’s a perfect occasion for Domino’s to deliver pizza, pasta, sandwiches and wings. Our team is ready to tackle the anticipated rush with smart hustle and precision. We’re poised and ready to deliver a great game day meal to millions of football fans nationwide.”

Domino’s Pizza Game Day Stats

Over the years, Domino’s has observed how certain game day scenarios seem to affect sales. For instance, sales tend to increase when the game is close and viewers are glued to their TVs. Also, while both the New York and New England Domino’s stores will see high sales at the beginning of the game, the city of the winning team will likely see higher sales at the end of the night.

Other Interesting Facts:

• During last year’s game, Domino’s delivered enough pizzas to stretch across more than 5,000 football fields.
• Pepperoni pizzas are America’s favorite every day, and the same should hold true for this Sunday. Domino’s anticipates almost 60 percent of pizza orders will be for pepperoni pizzas, with sausage being the second most popular topping.
• Domino’s delivery drivers will cover up to 4 million miles this Sunday in the U.S. alone.

About Domino’s Pizza^®

Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. Domino’s is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “DPZ.” As of the third quarter of 2011, through its primarily locally-owned and operated franchised system, Domino’s operated a network of 9,541 franchised and Company-owned stores in the United States and over 70 international markets. During the third quarter of 2011, Domino’s had global retail sales of nearly $1.6 billion, comprised of over $771 million domestically and nearly $813 million internationally. Domino’s Pizza had global retail sales of over $6.2 billion in 2010, comprised of over $3.3 billion domestically and over $2.9 billion internationally.

In May 2011, Pizza Today named Domino’s its “Chain of the Year” for the second straight year – making the company a three-time overall winner, and the first pizza delivery company to receive the honor in back-to-back years. In 2011, Domino’s was ranked #1 in Forbes Magazine’s “Top 20 Franchises for the Money” list.  Helped by the launch of its Domino’s Smart Slice school lunch pizza in late 2010, Domino’s is collaborating with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to serve healthier school foods and beverages in the United States. In late 2009, Domino’s debuted its “Inspired New Pizza” – a permanent change to its hand-tossed product, reinvented from the crust up.

Order – http://www.dominos.com
Mobile – http://mobile.dominos.com
Info – http://www.dominosbiz.com
Twitter – http://twitter.com/dominos
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/Dominos

America to Consume More Than 16 Million Slices of Pizza Hut Pizza on Sunday

$10 Any Deal Preps for MVP Performance on Company’s Busiest Day of the Year

Pizza Hut Expects to Surpass 2 Million Pizzas Sold on Football's Biggest Day

Dallas, TX  (RestaurantNews.com)  When teams from New York and New England meet on the gridiron in Indianapolis this Sunday, professional football’s ultimate crown will be on the line.  When it comes to choosing a meal for the Big Game, fans across the nation will look to Pizza Hut to deliver a championship spread just in time for kickoff. This year for the Big Game, Pizza Hut is expecting to surpass 2 million pizzas sold – more than 16 million slices – making it the chain’s busiest day of the year.

“There’s no question that football’s biggest day of the year will be the busiest day of the year at Pizza Hut,” said Kurt Kane, Pizza Hut CMO.  “Drivers, cashiers and cooks at more than 6,000 Pizza Hut restaurants are prepping for the madness of game day. With our famous $10 Any deal in place, we’re prepared to sell more pizzas on Feb. 5 than any day in Pizza Hut history.”

While Pizza Hut offers other fan favorites like pasta, wings and breadsticks, the No. 1 Big Game order will be pizza, to the tune of more than 2 million pies! To better demonstrate the sheer amount of Pizza Hut pizzas expected to exchange hands Sunday, the Pizza Hut research team released some mind-bending statistics.

• 442: Miles of Pizza Hut pizza to be sold on the big day, enough pizza  to lap the historic speedway in Indianapolis 176 times
• 1,200: Tons of dough that will be used to make Pizza Hut pizza for Big Game orders– more than 5-times the weight of the Statue of Liberty
• 90,000: Gallons of marinara sauce that will be spread across Pizza Hut pizzas on game day – enough to fill 5.7 million Boston Cream Donuts
• 80: Percentage of Big Game orders that will include America’s favorite topping, pepperoni; more than 14 billion pepperonis were consumed last year at Pizza Hut – enough to circle Earth 13.5 times

MVP: Most Valuable Pizza

With the epic return of the $10 Any Pizza deal – any pizza, any crust, any size for just $10 – fans can order crowd-pleasing favorites for one low price. For an additional charge, customers can enjoy Pizza Hut’s signature crust, Stuffed Crust Pizza.  The Pizza Hut $10 offer is available for a limited time, and no coupon is required.

Online Ordering – Why Wait?

Pizza lovers are encouraged to place early orders online at PizzaHut.com starting today. In addition to online ordering, fans can place orders for their favorite pizza, pasta and wings from their mobile devices via apps on the Apple iPhone, Apple iPad and Android smart phones, as well as text message and mobile web.

About Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, America’s Favorite Pizza, delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant. The only pizza company to be named a top ten franchise in 2012 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began 50 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and today operates nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries. Pizza Hut, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM). To check out what’s new at Pizza Hut visit PizzaHut.com, or keep up with the brand via its social media channels at social.PizzaHut.com.

Five Lucky Guests Will Win Free Pies for a Year

Fast Pizza, Fast Growth: Pie Five Pizza Co. Opens Fifth Location In North Dallas

The Colony, TX  (RestaurantNews.com)  Today, the name says it all. Pie Five Pizza Co. is celebrating the grand opening of its fifth location with a new restaurant at 15250 North Dallas Parkway near Beltline and the North Dallas Tollway. Five lucky guests will also win free pies for a year in honor of the occasion. People can sign up for a chance to win at www.piefivepizza.com.

“We have redefined fast-casual dining for our speed in creating pies as well as our speed in developing stores,” said Charlie Morrison, president and CEO of Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. “This new address marks the perfect way to start this year, and we’re not done yet.”

Pie Five Pizza, which has grown to five locations in seven months, has created a new pizza dining experience, giving customers the option of any sauce and topping combination or one of 12 specialty pies on the menu, assembled before them on a 9-inch Crispy Thin or Classic Pan crust, baked and ready to eat in less than five minutes.

Doors open today at 11 a.m. at the new North Dallas location. New sites echoing the industrial chic design are already in development at Midway and Park in Carrollton and in Arlington. Pie Five is on track to have eight locations open by June of this year for the chain’s first anniversary.

A complete menu and more information on Pie Five^™ restaurants is available at www.piefivepizza.com. The company is also on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/PieFivePizza) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/PieFivePizza).

About Pie Five

Pie Five is a subsidiary of Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. Headquartered in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, TX, Pizza Inn, Inc., is an international pizza chain with restaurants featuring traditional and specialty pizzas, as well as freshly made pastas, sandwiches, and desserts. Founded in 1958, publicly traded Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:PZZI) franchises approximately 300 restaurants and directly owns and operates nine restaurants. More information is available at www.pizzainn.com.

Popeyes Introduces New Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken

Atlanta, GA  (RestaurantNews.com)  Popeyes^® Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFCE), brings back Wicked Chicken with a twist this February with all new Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken. For a limited time only, Popeyes lovers can experience the flavor spin of Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken with Cajun fries, a buttermilk biscuit, Garlic Pepper Parmesan Dipping Sauce and a mini bottle of TABASCO^® brand Pepper Sauce for only $3.99 now through February 19.

Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken boasts the same great taste of Popeyes Wicked Chicken with enhanced roasted garlic and black pepper flavors. Like the original, Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken is wickedly good, thin strips of tender, juicy, all white meat chicken marinated with authentic Louisiana seasonings, hand-battered and breaded in the restaurants, served up crispy, twisty and curly! To heighten the garlic pepper flavor, Popeyes also introduces a unique new creamy Garlic Pepper Parmesan Dipping Sauce.

“Popeyes fans have experienced, and loved, the crazed Wicked Chicken for the past two years, and the success of the product sparked the idea to expand on the flavor varieties,” said Dick Lynch, Chief Global Brand Officer. “Popeyes has the culinary heritage, passion and ability to take an already unique product in Wicked Chicken and make it even better with the new and exciting flavors of garlic and pepper in both the chicken and the dipping sauce.”

Visit www.Popeyes.com to search for a restaurant near you to take advantage of this incredible limited time offer.

About Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen

Founded in 1972 in New Orleans, Popeyes is a leader in the New Orleans segment of the foodservice industry and is the world’s second largest quick-service chicken concept based on the number of units. As of December 25, 2011, Popeyes had 2,034 operating restaurants in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands and 26 foreign countries. For more information, visit the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Web site at www.popeyes.com.

TABASCO^® is a registered trademark exclusively of McIlhenny Company, Avery Island, LA 70513.

Connecticut Franchisee Takes Honor for 2011

Panchero's Mexican Grill Announces First Franchisee Of The Year Winner

Shelton, CT  (RestaurantNews.com)  Panchero’s Mexican Grill has given a Franchisee of the Year award for the first time. Lou Kathrakis, owner of the Panchero’s located at 704 Bridgeport Ave. in Shelton, Conn., received the honor. Kathrakis, 30, opened the restaurant in 2007.

“I feel honored to be the first recipient of the award and look forward to getting it again hopefully,” Kathrakis said. “Things are going very well and I am looking to expand in 2012.”

While this is the first time Panchero’s has bestowed a Franchisee of the Year honor, the company plans to make it an annual award.

“We have many great franchise owners so we thought it was time to start recognizing their achievements,” said Barry Nelson, vice president of operations for Panchero’s. “Lou was a great first choice. He’s a military veteran so he is great at following the system and his restaurant has been doing very well for more than four years. We are excited for him to continue to grow with Panchero’s and open additional locations in Connecticut.”

About Panchero’s Mexican Grill

Founded in 1992 by Rodney L. Anderson and his father, Thomas R. Anderson, Coralville, Iowa-based Panchero’s Mexican Grill is a quick-serve, fresh-Mexican franchise that serves its signature fresh-pressed tortillas filled with the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. Burritos are customized and mixed with “Bob the Tool” to get every ingredient in every bite and the menu also includes quesadillas, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. Panchero’s currently has more than 50 locations in the United States and the company plans to have 65 restaurants open across the country by the end of 2013. For more information, visit www.pancheros.com.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Opens in California Tuesday, January 31st

Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Santa Maria is Giving Away 100 Free Sandwiches on Tuesday

Santa Maria, CA  (RestaurantNews.com)  Come join Dickey’s Barbecue Pit as it celebrates its first day open on Tuesday January 31st. The first 100 people will get a free pulled pork big barbecue sandwich.

This new store is located at 2212 South Bradley Road, Suite D-3. The hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

People are encouraged to check out this Dickey’s facebook page at http://on.fb.me/wku2ei. Franchise owners Christine M. Bagby and Jim Bailey Jr. will be choosing one of their facebook fans on Sunday, February 12th; the winner will receive a voucher for free barbecue for one month valid only at this Dickey’s location.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened its first location in Dallas in 1941. Dickey’s began franchising in 1994 and has continued to grow across the country. Dickey’s currently has 206 locations in 36 states nationwide.

Dickey’s Barbecue offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides and tangy barbecue sauce. All meats are slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. Kids eat free every day at all participating Dickey’s locations until February 29th. For more information, including a full menu, other restaurant locations and franchising opportunities, please visit www.dickeys.com.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants

Founded in 1941, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey’s is now the leader of fast-casual barbecue in the country. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and 206 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeys.com. Also visit our corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dickeysbarbecuepit. Dickey’s: Passionate about the Art of Great Barbecue.

Media Contact

Kate Morganelli
972.248.9899
kmorganelli@dickeys.com

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Gives Away 100 Free Barbecue Sandwiches in Nevada this Tuesday

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Opens in Carson City

Carson City, NV  (RestaurantNews.com)  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise owner Farrokh Hormazdi will be opening his doors for business tomorrow, Tuesday January 31st. The first 100 people receive a free big barbecue pulled pork sandwich.

“I am extremely excited to open and begin serving authentic barbecue to our community,” said Hormazdi.

The new 1,448 square foot store is located at 3250 Retail Drive, Suite 100. The hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

People are encouraged to check out this Dickey’s facebook page at http://on.fb.me/xhMZgt. Hormazdi will be choosing one of the facebook fans on Sunday, February 12th; the winner will receive a voucher for free barbecue for one month valid only at this Dickey’s location.

“This location will have much success,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., president of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “I am sure they will have a line out the door on Tuesday.”

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened its first location in Dallas in 1941. Dickey’s began franchising in 1994 and has continued to grow across the country. Dickey’s currently has 206 locations in 36 states nationwide.

Dickey’s Barbecue offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides and tangy barbecue sauce. All meats are slow smoked on-site in each restaurant. Kids eat free every day at all participating Dickey’s locations until February 29th. For more information, including a full menu, other restaurant locations and franchising opportunities, please visit www.dickeys.com.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants

Founded in 1941, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey’s is now the leader of fast-casual barbecue in the country. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and 206 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeys.com. Also visit our corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dickeysbarbecuepit. Dickey’s: Passionate about the Art of Great Barbecue.

Media Contact

Kate Morganelli
972.248.9899
kmorganelli@dickeys.com

Dairy Queen® brings newest treat concept to Peoria and Tempe

Two DQ Orange Julius Locations Open in Greater Phoenix

Peoria and Tempe, AZ  (RestaurantNews.com)  The Dairy Queen® system always has been about sharing smiles and stories. Now the treat category leader and one of the leaders in quick service restaurants has opened two new DQ® Orange Julius® locations in Peoria and Tempe. Both locations offer all of the amazing Dairy Queen soft-serve treats and cakes as well as Orange Julius products including an array of fruit-blended beverages and smoothies. The Peoria DQ Orange Julius is located at 10100 West Lake Pleasant Parkway, Suite 1320 with indoor seating for 36 and a staff of 15. The Tempe restaurant is located in the Arizona Mills Mall at 5000 Arizona Mills Circle and employs a staff of 15.

“We are thrilled to have the DQ Orange Julius locations in Peoria and Tempe open and ready to serve our customers,” said Jim Kerr, vice president of Franchise Development for American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ). “The Dairy Queen system is the world-wide treat leader and we’ve paired an innovative exciting design with a fabulous selection of cravable treats including all of the Dairy Queen and Orange Julius favorites, as well enticing new menu items. Customers will love what we’re bringing to the Peoria and Tempe communities.”

Both DQ Orange Julius restaurants feature DQ favorites, such as iconic Blizzard® Treats, MooLatté® frozen coffee-flavored beverages, Blizzard Cakes and a wide variety of other soft-serve items, as well as the full line of Orange Julius premium fruit smoothies and fruit-blended beverages. In addition, the Tempe DQ Orange Julius also will serve Dairy Queen signature Iron Grilled Sandwiches as well as hot dogs.

For more information about the Dairy Queen system, visit DairyQueen.com. Become a Dairy Queen friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dairyqueen and follow the Dairy Queen system on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/DairyQueen.

Peoria at a glance:
Address: 10100 West Lake Pleasant Parkway, Suite 1320, Peoria, AZ 85383
Employees: 15
Hours of operation:
Sun. – Thurs. from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Fri. and Sat. from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Indoor Seating: 36
Contact Information:
Store phone number: 623-566-0448

Tempe at a glance:
Address: Arizona Mills Mall at 5000 Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, AZ 85282
Employees: 15
Hours of operation
Mall hours:
Mon. – Sat. from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sun. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Contact information:
Store phone number: 480-839-4976

About ADQ

American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ), which is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., develops, licenses and services a system of more than 5,900 Dairy Queen® stores in the United States, Canada and 18 other countries. ADQ is part of the Berkshire Hathaway family, a company owned by Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. For more information, visit DairyQueen.com.

The Wendy's Company Plans to Build 20 and Remodel 50 "Image Activation" Company-Operated Restaurants in 2012

New York  (RestaurantNews.com)  The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ: WEN) today announced plans to build 20 and remodel 50 Company-operated restaurants in the U.S. and Canada in 2012 with new, bold and contemporary designs that greatly enhance the customer experience. This follows the opening of 10 “Image Activation” restaurants in 2011. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the sleek, ultra-modern restaurant features one of four designs being evaluated for inclusion in Wendy’s design portfolio. The Company also plans to test the designs with select franchisees this year.

Contact

The Wendy’s Company
Media and Investors:
John Barker
(614) 764-3044
john.barker@wendys.com
or
Dave Poplar
(614) 764-3311
david.poplar@wendys.com

Waffle House Restaurants Says Farewell to the T-bone

Norcross, GA  (RestaurantNews.com)  After over 40 years, Waffle House restaurants will retire the T-bone steak from its menu after a year-long farewell campaign paying homage to this menu favorite.

The T-bone steak debuted on the Waffle House menu in the early 1960s when a “Grill Man” at the first Waffle House restaurant in Avondale Estates, Ga., ran out of steak one night and replaced them with T-bone steaks he bought at a local grocery store. They have been on the menu ever since. It became a customer favorite, and now Waffle House is the world’s leading server of USDA Choice T-bone steaks.

“It has been a good run, this may be the final year for the Waffle House T-bone,” says Pat Warner, Waffle House Vice President of Marketing. “Say goodbye to an old friend and order one today, while you still can.”

Waffle House restaurants launched an online and in-store campaign to bid adieu to the T-bone steak.

“We want to hear our customers’ reactions,” says Warner. “It may be that we will have multiple farewell tours; like a classic rock band.”

Waffle House restaurants serve a grilled,10-ounce USDA Choice steak which is available anytime of the day. Whether a customer orders a T-bone with eggs or the world famous hashbrowns, it will be missed by its loyal fan following. Customers are encouraged to tell us their T-bone stories via the Waffle House Facebook page so that it goes out with a bang.

About Waffle House® restaurants

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Waffle House® restaurants have been serving Good Food Fast® since 1955. Today the Waffle House system operates more than 1,600 restaurants in 25 states and is the world’s leading server of waffles, T-bone steaks, hashbrowns, cheese ‘n eggs, country ham, pork chops and grits.

Come eat $1 pulled pork big barbecue sandwiches and enter into a drawing to win free barbecue for a year

Grand Opening of Dickey's Barbecue Pit in High Point

High Point, NC  (RestaurantNews.com)  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit will be celebrating its grand opening this Friday, January 27th. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. customers will be able to buy $1 big barbecue southern pulled pork sandwiches and will have a chance to win free barbecue for a year.

“I am so happy to be open and serving my community delicious barbecue,” said local franchise owner Tom Moore. “This has been such a great experience so far and I look forward to our grand opening on Friday.”

Dickey’s is located at 5872 Samet Drive. Don’t forget that Dickey’s caters any event, any size so make sure you call the store at 336-905-7777 to get more information.

At the grand opening Q104 radio station will be there to entertain the crowd. Customers will be able to enter into a drawing where three lucky people will win free barbecue for a year—that’s $480 worth of barbecue per person.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened its first location in Dallas in 1941. Dickey’s began franchising in 1994 and has continued to grow across the country. Dickey’s currently has 206 locations in 36 states nationwide.

Dickey’s Barbecue offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides and tangy barbecue sauce. All meats are slow smoked on site in each restaurant. Kids eat free every day at all participating Dickey’s until February 29th, contact your local Dickey’s for more details.

For more information, including a full menu, other restaurant locations and franchising opportunities, please visit www.dickeys.com.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants

Founded in 1941, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey’s is now the leader of fast-casual barbecue in the country. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and 206 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeys.com. Also visit our corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dickeysbarbecuepit. Dickey’s: Passionate about the Art of Great Barbecue.

Media Contact
Kate Morganelli
972.248.9899
kmorganelli@dickeys.com

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Brings Excellent Customer Service and Delicious Barbecue to North Carolina

Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Greenville Welcomes New Owner

Greenville, NC  (RestaurantNews.com)  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Greenville is now locally owned and operated by the award-winning management of Jerry Brooks.

“I want to let the community of Greenville know that my main focuses are serving great quality barbecue and excellent customer service,” said Brooks. “I want customers coming back because of our delicious food, but I also want them to visit our friendly employees.”

Brooks is no stranger to Dickey’s Barbecue. He successfully owns and operates the Dickey’s in Knightdale. Brooks will bring his skill set and passion to the Greenville location and will not except anything but the best for his newest store.

This store is located at 3103 E. Tenth Street. The store phone number is 252-353-0190. Don’t forget that Dickey’s caters any event, any size.

“Jerry is an excellent franchise owner who understands the importance of customer service and food quality. I know he will bring success to this location,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., president of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened in 1941 in Dallas, Texas and began franchising in 1994. Dickey’s has 206 locations in 36 states nationwide. There are currently eight locations in North Carolina.

Dickey’s Barbecue offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides and tangy barbecue sauce. For more information, including a full menu, other restaurant locations and franchising opportunities, please visit www.dickeys.com.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants

Founded in 1941, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants began in Dallas, Texas. More than 70 years later, Dickey’s is now the leader of fast-casual barbecue in the country. Beginning with an aggressive growth strategy and proven business model, and since implementing its proprietary five revenue streams for business growth, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants can now be found in 36 states and 206 locations nationwide. For more information on partnering with Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants in any location, call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeys.com. Also visit our corporate Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dickeysbarbecuepit. Dickey’s: Passionate about the Art of Great Barbecue.

Media Contact
Kate Morganelli
972.248.9899
kmorganelli@dickeys.com

Granite City Food & Brewery Receives NASDAQ Delisting Notice

Minneapolis, MN  (RestaurantNews.com)  Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd. (NASDAQ: GCFB) announced today that it has received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The NASDAQ Stock Market notifying the Company that its common stock is subject to delisting from The NASDAQ Capital Market at the opening of business on February 1, 2012, unless the Company requests an appeal of this determination.

The notice stated that the delisting is attributable to the Company’s failure to comply with the minimum shareholders’ equity requirement for continued listing set forth in NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(b)(1). NASDAQ staff did not accept the Company’s plan for compliance submitted on January 4, 2012.

“We believe our plan for regaining and sustaining compliance merits continued listing of our common stock and we have therefore decided to appeal the staff’s determination to a listing qualifications panel,” said Chief Financial Officer James G. Gilbertson. “We believe that many of the actions we have taken since the CDP transaction have added significant value to the Company and that we are only beginning to see the results of such actions, as reflected in our recently filed Form 8-K/A containing pro forma financials that show the impact of the Cadillac Ranch asset acquisitions.”

The Company anticipates that the listing qualifications panel hearing will be scheduled within the next four weeks.

If the Company’s common stock does not continue to be listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, the shares would become subject to certain rules of the SEC relating to “penny stocks.” Such rules require broker-dealers to make a suitability determination for purchasers and to receive the purchaser’s prior written consent for a purchase transaction, thus restricting the ability to purchase or sell the shares in the open market. In addition, trading, if any, would be conducted in the over-the-counter market in the so-called “pink sheets” or on the OTC Bulletin Board, which was established for securities that do not meet NASDAQ listing requirements. Consequently, selling the shares would be more difficult because smaller quantities could be bought and sold, transactions could be delayed, and security analyst and news media coverage of the Company may be reduced. These factors could result in lower prices and larger spreads in the bid and ask prices for the shares. There can be no assurance that the Company’s common stock will continue to be listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market.

About the Company

In May 2011, the Company sold $9.0 million of convertible preferred stock to Concept Development Partners (CDP) in partnership with Dallas-based private equity firm, CIC Partners, and entered into a $10.0 million credit facility with Fifth Third Bank. The transaction brought the Company capital, additional management and several new, experienced board members, including Mike Rawlings, former President of Pizza Hut, a Founding Partner of CIC Partners, and current Mayor of Dallas, Lou Mucci, former CFO of BJ’s Restaurants, Michael Staenberg, President of THF Realty, Fouad Bashour, a Founding Partner of CIC Partners, and Rob Doran, former Executive Vice President of McDonalds’s. Rob Doran now serves as the Company’s CEO. Since CDP’s investment, the Company has been developing growth plans for existing Granite City restaurants as well as the construction of new Granite City restaurants, such as the Troy, Michigan location set to open in early 2012.

In late 2011, the Company acquired the assets of five Cadillac Ranch restaurants and related intellectual property, and Fifth Third Bank increased the Company’s credit facility by $12.0 million. The Company has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of a sixth Cadillac Ranch restaurant, namely, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania location, subject to issuance of the required liquor license.

Granite City Food & Brewery is a modern American restaurant and brewery. Everything served at Granite City is made fresh on site using high quality ingredients, including Granite City’s award-winning signature line of craft beers. The extensive menu features moderately priced favorites served in generous portions. Granite City’s attractive price point, high service standards, and great food and beer combine for a memorable dining experience. The Company opened its first Granite City restaurant in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 1999 and currently operates 26 Granite City restaurants in 11 states and 5 Cadillac Ranch restaurants in 4 states. Additional information can be found at the Company’s website (www.gcfb.net).

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release of a non-historical nature constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in economic conditions, changes in consumer preferences or discretionary consumer spending, a significant change in the performance of any existing restaurants, our ability to continue funding our operations and meet our debt service obligations, our ability to maintain our NASDAQ listing, and the risks and uncertainties described in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 17, 2011.

Contact

Granite City Food & Brewery Ltd.
James G. Gilbertson
Chief Financial Officer
952-215-0676

Hunt Valley, MD  (RestaurantNews.com)  United Capital Business Lending, a national business lender specializing in franchised restaurant finance, announced today that it will allocate $42 million to qualified, multi-unit Popeyes franchisees in 2012. The Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen chain recently designated United Capital as one of its lending partners for the franchisor’s 2012 reimaging initiative.

Qualified Popeyes operators may borrow from United Capital to refinance debt, acquire existing restaurants, develop new locations or reimage stores. Financing for these needs is typically structured as fixed rate loans ranging from $250,000 to $5 million or more, with terms up to ten years.

The decision to increase the available funding to Popeyes franchisees was based on United Capital’s 2012 business strategy to support experienced, multi-unit owners within franchise concepts showing consistent performance. “United Capital is proud to be a part of Popeyes® growth,” says Andrew Jones, Vice President and Business Development Officer at United Capital. “Popeyes® is the world’s second largest quick-service chicken concept, so it’s fitting that we focus our dollars to supporting a winning organization.”

United Capital Business Lending is a subsidiary of BankUnited (NYSE: BKU), the largest bank in Florida with over $12 billion in assets.

In addition to Popeyes®, the United Capital team has financed franchisees for Five Guys® Burgers and Fries, SUBWAY®, Burger King®, Dunkin’ Donuts®, Denny’s® and Buffalo Wild Wings,® among others.

For information about financing for franchise acquisition, new restaurant development, equipment, remodeling or refinancing, call United Capital at 866-218-4793 or visit the company’s website at www.unitedcapitalbusinesslending.com.

Momentum Continues In New Year

Jersey Mike's Saw Record Growth In 2011

Manasquan, NJ  (RestaurantNews.com)  Jersey Mike’s Subs’ 55th anniversary year in 2011 was cause for celebration as the popular chain, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled East Coast-style subs, opened its 500th restaurant, adding 69 new locations during the year, for record unit growth of 15 percent. In addition, in 2011, the company awarded contracts to open 216 restaurants in 76 territories, attracting multi-brand, multi-unit franchisees as well as providing expansion opportunities to existing franchise owners.

“Our 55th year has been full of milestones, from opening our 50th restaurant in the Los Angeles area to entering new markets including San Antonio, Philadelphia and Louisiana,” said Hoyt Jones, president, Jersey Mike’s. “While we’ve seen record growth this year, we remain focused on the right growth – finding franchise partners who are savvy business people and share our passion for serving the best subs in the industry and giving back to our local communities.”

In addition to awarding new territory to 33 existing franchise owners, Jersey Mike’s also joined forces with restaurant industry veterans such as Bryan Selden of the Lone Star Restaurant Group which operates 11 Great American Cookies, two Pretzel Times, six Wingstops, and six Smashburgers (out of a 20-store agreement) and Steve Rosenfield and Linda Nash who own and operate 100+ Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Restaurants throughout the country.

Jersey Mike’s will continue its steady growth in 2012, opening new units in 23 states including California, Illinois, Texas, Virginia and Florida. Target markets for new franchisees include Seattle, New York, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Orlando and Tampa, Fla., Portland, Ore., New Jersey and Houston. The company will award territories to those who are passionate about the Jersey Mike’s brand including existing Jersey Mike’s franchisees, experienced multi-brand/multi-unit restaurant operators, experienced multi-unit QSR area managers and entrepreneurs with a track record of building successful businesses.

Jersey Mike’s wins best sub awards in virtually every market it enters. Fans crave their subs made Mike’s Way™ with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and a signature blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and spices. The company uses only private labeled meats and cheeses that are sliced fresh for each sub sandwich and piled high on in-store baked bread. Everything is quickly made to order for each customer, just the way the first subs were made at the original Jersey Mike’s more than 50 years ago. The Jersey Mike’s experience always includes its trademark neighborly banter served up by a high-energy Jersey Mike’s team.

CEO Peter Cancro started the company at age 17, before he was even legally able to slice a sub. The company remains committed to making a difference in the communities it serves. In 2011, locations throughout the country raised more than $2 million for worthy local charities and distributed more than 200,000 free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes.

About Jersey Mike’s

Jersey Mike’s, a sub sandwich franchise with more than 600 stores open and under development nationwide, has a long history of community involvement and support. Started at the Jersey Shore in 1956, Jersey Mike’s serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled East Coast-style subs. The company’s mission is to bring its customers the highest quality, freshest made sub in the industry and give back to the communities in which it operates. A store locator and franchise information for Jersey Mike’s can be found at www.jerseymikes.com.