Shorty’s Bar-B-Q Restaurants

Restaurant Gift Cards have become one of the most popular holiday gift ideas, perfect for family and friends.  The National Restaurant Association reports that 78 percent of adults say they would like to receive restaurant gift cards or certificates on gift occasions.

This year, instead of spending hours in the midst of crazed holiday shoppers searching for the perfect gift that you know the person isn’t going to like anyway, consider the benefits of giving a Restaurant Gift Card.

• Applebee’s Gift Cards
• Black Angus Gift Card
• Bonefish Grill Gift Cards
• Brinker Gift Cards
• Buca di Beppo Gift Cards
• Carrabba’s Italian Grill Gift Cards
• Cheesecake Factory Gift Cards
• Chili’s Gift Cards
• Claim Jumper Gift Cards
• Cracker Barrel Gift Cards
• El Pollo Loco Gift Cards
• Grinders Above & Beyond Gift Cards
• Hoss’s Steak and Sea House Gift Cards
• IHOP Gift Cards
• Jack in the Box Gift Cards
• Legal Sea Foods Gift Cards
• Luby’s Gift Cards
• Macaroni Grill Gift Cards
• Maggiano’s Gift Cards
• Max & Erma’s Gift Cards
• Old Chicago Gift Cards
• On the Border Gift Cards
• Outback Steakhouse Gift Cards
• P.F. Changs Gift Cards
• Pizza Hut Gift Cards
• Red Robin Gift Cards
• Rock Bottom Restaurants Gift Cards
• Ruby Tuesday Gift Cards
• Shula’s Steakhouse Gift Cards
• Spaghetti Warehouse Gift Cards
• SUBWAY Gift Cards
• T.G.I. Friday’s Gift Cards
• Uno’s Gift Cards
• Yardhouse Gift Cards

Many advertisers are using employees in their commercials. Others are sponsoring contests to create commercials. So it should come as no surprise that a restaurant chain is combining those trends.

Carino’s Italian, a chain of casual restaurants, is sponsoring a contest to create commercials that is open to its 4,000 servers and other hourly staff members. The contest began last week and is to run through Feb. 13.

The inspiration for the contest is something that happened to Ryan Bearden, the director of marketing at Carino’s, while he was eating at a Carino’s in Austin, Tex.

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Starbucks Corp. today unveiled the latest iteration of its logo — a move that CEO Howard Schultz said signaled the java giant’s intent to “think beyond coffee.”

Starbucks revealed the logo — which drops the green ring with the text “Starbucks Coffee” and more prominently displays its famed siren — to employees in its Seattle offices and on a webcast. Mr. Schultz said in a video post on the company’s website that while allowing the siren to come out of the circle indicates Starbucks’ intention to broaden its focus, “make no mistake: We have been, we will continue to be and we always will be, the world’s leading purveyor of the highest-quality coffee.”

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Mandi Welch has breakfast with her brother, Matt Tuttle, once a week at Panera Bread on Roosevelt Boulevard.

So when he persuaded her to sign up for Panera’s new customer reward program, “MyPanera,” she figured it to be just another ploy to keep her coming back another week.

But after she was given a complimentary pastry item of her choice immediately after activating her card, Welch said she instantly saw a value she can appreciate.

“It makes me want to come back, to know, ‘Hey, I can come in and get something for free – that I’ve been spending money toward something,’” said Welch, 34, a stay-at-home mom.

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The thought of eggs over easy and country ham often means long lines at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. That’s nothing compared to the wait the Grascals had, though.

The bluegrass band waited three years to get what they wanted from the popular restaurant chain – a slot in its exclusive music program.

“It’s a blessing,” Grascals guitarist Jamie Johnson said. “We’re very lucky to get one in there.”

In an increasingly digital world, Cracker Barrel has one of the largest footprints in the United States when it comes to physical album sales – and it’s looking to grow in new directions.

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White Castle’s Original Slider-scented candle is now available for purchase in all White Castle restaurants. Due to the candle’s popularity and to meet customer demand during the holiday season, White Castle decided to make the candle available online and in stores.

The Original Slider-scented candle has been in high demand since it first became first available for purchase in May in honor of National Hamburger Month. In October, the candle returned again at White Castle’s online retail outlet, www.houseofcrave.com.

“Customers everywhere are clamoring for the candle, so we’re going to make it even easier for them to get what they crave,” said Jamie Richardson, White Castle vice president of corporate relations.

White Castle’s Original Slider-scented candle is the only burger-scented candle on the market.

The candle design replicates the slider in a ceramic holder that reproduces the signature cardboard sleeve of the White Castle hamburger packaging. It’s a fun gift for the meat-lover in the family and for supporters of autism awareness. The candle retails for $13 and net proceeds benefit Autism Speaks.

Social media certainly has its benefits for those who love dining and drinking. From free drinks for Foursquare checkins, to Twitter notifications about happy hours, to Facebook messages about free food, there’s always something tasty happening online.

But the social web offers a lot more than just discounts and deals when it comes to drinking and dining. Restaurants and bars are giving social media users a backstage pass to the food and the people who make it. Chefs and restaurateurs are using social media to reveal how their dishes are made, generate familiarity with chefs and provide a means for diners to share feedback.

While customers go to lower end restaurants looking for value and discounts, higher-end restaurants think that “discounts cheapen the experience,” says Tom O’Keefe, a Boston-based restaurant tweeter and social media-focused marketer.

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Whether needing a stocking stuffer for a family member or a great inexpensive gift for co-workers, Bojangles’ “gift cards provide a quick and easy holiday present. Gift cards are available now and can be redeemed at any of the nearly 500 Bojangles’ restaurants across the country. Choose the new ‘Tis the Seasoning holiday card or our standard Bojangles’ gift card. Cards can be purchased with values from $5 – $100 and can be reloaded at all locations.

“Bojangles’ gift cards are perfect gifts for out of town friends and relatives,” noted Bojangles’ Senior Vice President of Marketing Randy Poindexter. Bojangles’ gift cards can easily be inserted in your holiday greeting card and dropped in the mail. , The recipient will have a smile on their face as soon as they open it.

“And with Bojangles’ great prices,” added Poindexter, “even a $5 gift card can get the recipient a biscuit sandwich combo, complete with Bo-rounds or seasoned fries and a drink. After a season full of ham, turkey and other holiday traditions, Bojangles’ uniquely flavorful food is the perfect way to start off the new year.”

This Christmas the jingles in the air will not only be coming from the bells on Santa’s sleigh but also the Chuck E. Cheese’s tokens in his bag, thanks to a new promotion from the nationally-recognized leader in family dining and entertainment. Starting Dec. 2, for each $25 Chuck E. Cheese’s gift card purchased, guests will receive 20 free tokens. The promotion, which runs through Jan. 3, 2011, offers friends and family members a great way to give the kids an experience that they will remember for a lifetime.

“The holidays are such a magical time for everyone. For millions of children across the world, so is Chuck E. Cheese’s so what better way to make Christmas even more magical than by combining the two and getting some free tokens as well,” said Richard Huston, EVP, Marketing at CEC Entertainment, Inc.

To keep the kids excited and engaged with the holidays before they peek in their stockings and see their glimmering tokens, Chuck E. Cheese’s is offering free, downloadable gift tags for the kids to decorate and label. The perfect way to add a personal touch to presents for friends and family, the gift tags can be found and printed online at http://www.chuckecheese.com/promotions/gift-tags.php.

Guests can get even more free tokens on their next trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s by bringing in one of the completed Reward Calendars or the kids’ most recent report card as part of Chuck E. Cheese’s Tokens for Grades program. As always, guests can mix-and-match coupons and token offers when visiting participating Chuck E. Cheese’s, so they are encouraged to combine their 20 free tokens from their gift card purchase with any of Chuck E. Cheese’s other promotions or offers. And because all games are only one token at Chuck E. Cheese’s, the free tokens can provide hours of entertainment for families.

Guests can find additional details about the holiday promotion as well as other offers on the Chuck E. Cheese’s website at http://www.chuckecheese.com, on the company’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/officialchuckecheese and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/chuckecheese.

UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. (OTCBB: UFFC) announced today that it is expanding its social media efforts and online presence to better engage with UFood Grill consumers and shareholders through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media applications. Additionally, the Company will pursue opportunities for expansion on military bases and to the military community.

UFood Grill retained The Castle Group (www.thecastlegrp.com), an agency with a unique blend of restaurant, social media and military experience, to develop closer relationships with consumers and the investor public by engaging with customers, creating and sharing content, and building a dialogue around healthy lifestyles and nutrition. 

In addition to expanding the Company’s social media efforts, The Castle Group will also oversee the introduction of potential franchise and company-owned retail locations at military installations across the U.S. 

“Social media has become the dominant vehicle for businesses and consumers to communicate and we want to evolve with it,” said Charlie Cocotas, COO of UFood Grill. “UFood Grill wants to extend its shareholder communications and customer service beyond our retail locations. UFood Grill has a great story to tell and The Castle Group will dramatically improve our exposure and reach additional shareholders and consumers for better communication and interest in our brand. Additionally, we believe that our better-for-you fast casual concept is a natural complement to the fitness-focused military lifestyle, and we are excited about the potential to grow in that area.”

Danny Barbarigos, owner of La Tasca Tapas Restaurant in downtown Arlington Heights, was interested when Groupon approached him to offer a coupon on the power-buying website.

“We tried some knock-off sites and sold maybe 30 or 40, so we decided to try this,” Barbarigos said.

The online venture quickly paid off when 2,500 Groupons offering $30 worth of food for $15 were sold in a short period of time. Even after a month, many of those customers are still coming in, he said.

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As fantasy football teams across the country load up for a playoff push, owners in five elite leagues will square off to determine which league reigns supreme. Papa John’s, the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL, today announced the selection of five finalists for its “Fantasy to Reality” contest, a competition to find the fantasy football league that’s “better than the rest,” with the winner claiming ultimate bragging rights and a trip to the 2011 NFL Draft in New York City.

Consumers can review the finalists and cast their votes now through Dec. 12 at Papa John’s Facebook page. America’s vote will be included in selection of the winner, who also will be judged by an expert panel led by six-time All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates and ESPN Senior Fantasy Analyst Matthew Berry. The winner will be announced the week of Dec. 13 as many fantasy football playoffs kick off.

“In fantasy football, just like in the National Football League, you have to bring your ‘A’ game every season, every week, every game,” Gates said. “These five finalists have done just that, competing and managing their leagues to perfection and providing the ultimate fantasy experience – from draft day blowouts, entertaining smack talk, strategic roster moves and great competition. But only one of these leagues can take home the title of the fantasy league that’s ‘better than the rest’.”

The five finalists are:

• Excessive Celebration – Brent Johnson leads this 12-team, Atlanta-based league with an iron fist, even drafting up a Constitution with league rules and bylaws. This well-oiled machine of a league holds league votes to approve incoming owners and awards virtual trophies each week for some added motivation.
• The Dude Abides – This long-standing league, spearheaded by Hunt Meacham of Charlotte, N.C., consists of best friends dating back to elementary school, all coming back every year for a shot at the title. But these friendships make way for fierce rivalries as each owner strives for a chance to wear the coveted league championship belt.
• Southern Illinois Fantasy Football – Not content with standard 10- or 12-team leagues, this league consists of 32 teams split in four divisions. League Commissioner Donald Basta from Carterville, Ill., and his league managers are so dedicated to their league that they hold an annual owners meeting each April to discuss all potential rule changes to improve the league.
• The Coaches Poll – Peter LaBauve from Columbus, Ohio takes his league so seriously that he created a website featuring league updates, manger profiles, photos and The Coaches Poll record books. The dedication is all worth it for a chance to win the 3-foot-tall Trueman Trophy.
• The AFFL – Each year, 12 team owners battle it out for the coveted AFFL Championship Ring, which bears the league’s creed: “Survival of the Luckiest.” League Commissioner Raffi Lalazarian of Los Angeles manages the league’s website, which features customized team pages and weekly articles and podcast interviews with team owners.

“The quality of the responses in our search for the fantasy football league that’s better than the rest is a true testament to the passion and dedication that exists for fantasy football,” said Andrew Varga, Papa John’s chief marketing officer. “And we knew that in order to choose between these five deserving leagues, we needed to get input from America, as well as some fantasy football experts. Who better to help determine the fantasy league that’s ‘better than the rest’ than the best tight end in fantasy and reality, Antonio Gates, and ESPN’s Matthew Berry, the expert fantasy owners turn to for advice on how to bring home the championship for their fantasy team?”

“Between the hundreds of leagues I’ve played in over the past 25 years as well as the millions of leagues I have seen in my 10 years writing for ESPN.com, I definitely know firsthand the creativity, hard work, friendship and banter it takes to make a league great,” said Berry, a charter member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. “I’m looking forward to helping choose the league that’s better than the rest and stealing some of their ideas for leagues of my own.”

Known for “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza,” Papa John’s is in the first year of a multi-year sponsorship with the NFL and Papa John’s is also the Official Pizza of the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins.

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world’s third largest pizza company. For 10 of the past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John’s No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John’s also was honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2009 Gold Award for Consumers’ Choice in Chains in the pizza segment. Papa John’s is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the National Football League and Super Bowl XLV, XLVI and XLVII. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, visit Papa John’s at www.papajohns.com.

© 2010 NFL Properties LLC. Team names/logos/indicia are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.

No purchase necessary.  For Official Rules, go to www.papajohns.com.

Beginning today, Shane’s Rib Shack, a Petrus Brands company, is rewarding its customers for their loyalty with the launch of their second annual “No Peek” Sweepstakes.  In December, anyone that dines at Shane’s will receive one “No Peek” envelope that’s sealed with a special gift from Shane’s for the holidays.  The only catch is they must wait to win in 2011!

Each Shane’s Rib Shack location will distribute 5,000 “No Peek” sealed envelopes, which should be brought back to the same Shane’s location where envelopes were received.  Prize envelopes may be redeemed in January and February 2011 and all prizes must be opened by a Shane’s employee to qualify.  Please limit one “No Peek” envelope per person, per store visit.

Inside each envelope is a prize winning message.  One national grand prize will be awarded — a large Big Green Egg Grill, valued at approximately $1,000.  Each restaurant will have two first place prizes, a “Free Catering for 10 people” valued at $100.  Additional prizes feature a variety of free items on the Shane’s menu, including drinks, desserts, half chicken plates, three piece buffalo tenders, garden fresh salads and chicken salad sandwiches.

“Rewarding customer loyalty continues and will always be Shane’s Rib Shack’s number one priority. The ‘No Peek’ sweepstakes is one way we can thank our customers this holiday season,” says Shane Thompson, president and founder of Shane’s Rib Shack.

For more information and a copy of the official sweepstakes rules, please visit www.shanesribshack.com.

This season, the holiday lights will be hung with care in hopes that Pizza Hut’s Cheesy Bites Pizza soon will be there. Pizza Hut is announcing the search for America’s favorite holiday light displays in honor of the return of Cheesy Bites Pizza, a pizza surrounded by 28 pullable, poppable, dippable cheese-filled bites.

Pizza Hut invites wizards of wattage to upload photos of their holiday light creations – anything from an acre-long display to a well-lit condo balcony – to social.PizzaHut.com for the chance to win the grand prize:  Pizza Hut will reimburse the winner’s December electric bill, up to a maximum of $500, and provide enough Cheesy Bites Pizza to light up the night with delicious fun (a $100 Pizza Hut gift card).  As an added reward, the first 50 submissions also will be rewarded with a $12 Pizza Hut gift card.

“Christmas lights are one of our favorite holiday traditions,” said Chris Fuller, social media director at Pizza Hut. “At Pizza Hut, we want to reward the people who craft the most original, most creative, most fun car-stopping light shows with one of our original creations, Cheesy Bites Pizza.  Only Pizza Hut can give you the fun of pizza surrounded by 28 pullable, poppable, dippable cheese-filled bites.  Just like the best lights in your neighborhood, this pizza is really second-to-none.”

Pizza Hut will proudly showcase photo submissions on social.PizzaHut.com for all to enjoy.

How to Enter

Illumination impresarios can enter their masterpieces by visiting social.PizzaHut.com and uploading a photo of their festively-lit home. Pizza Hut will accept entries November 30 – December 13, 2010. The first 50 people who submit photos will receive a $12 Pizza Hut gift card.  No purchase necessary.  Subject to official rules, available at https://www.bitesforlights.com/rules.php.

Online Voting & Winning

Pizza Hut’s Cheesy Holiday Lights Judging Committee will judge submissions on originality, creativity and fun to select five finalists.  Online voting to select the grand prize winner will take place on social.PizzaHut.com December 17-21, 2010. The grand prize winner, as determined by online voting, will be named on or by December 23, 2010.

Prizes

The grand prize winner will receive a cash prize totaling his / her December electric bill, up to $500, and a $100 Pizza Hut® gift card. The four other finalists, as runners up, will receive a $50 Pizza Hut gift card.  Fifty Entry Prizes will be awarded, each consisting of a $12 Pizza Hut gift card.

Pizza Hut Cheesy Bites Pizza

From start to finish, each bite of Cheesy Bites pizza is stuffed with cheese, giving pizza fans the ultimate cheesy flavor they crave. To make Cheesy Bites Pizza, Pizza Hut takes a large pizza and surrounds the perimeter of the pizza with 28 pullable, poppable cheese-filled bites that take the place of a traditional crust edge.  The pizza is accompanied by marinara sauce, perfect for dipping the cheese-filled bites.  A large 1-topping Cheesy Bites pizza is $11.99 and is a limited time offer.

Recession-sapped diners will splash a little more cash eating out this holiday season, and restaurant chains will cash in by offering special festive flavors to keep consumers coming back for more.

From Starbucks’ Christmas blends to egg nog ice cream shakes at Jack in the Box and pumpkin cheesecake at California Pizza Kitchen , restaurants hope diners order drinks, starters, desserts and ‘feel good’ items that weren’t on the dollar menus they chose the last two years.

Companies across the board will be looking for a festive fillip after same-store sales dropped significantly in the past two years, said KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Brad Ludington.

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After years of steadfast resistance, Tim Hortons Inc. is bowing to consumer pressure and will now accept debit-card payments in the bulk of its Canadian stores, the Star has learned.

Canada’s iconic coffee chain, which is set to announce its national debit rollout on Tuesday, says customers have been increasingly asking to pay with their bank cards.

The move comes about three years after the company first gave consumers the option of paying by MasterCard and a reloadable Tim Card.

Cash is still king with Tim Hortons customers. But with non-cash payments the wave of the future for quick-serve restaurants, Tim Hortons is finally confident the technology won’t slow down its service.

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Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant, a local ethnic restaurant in Montclair, NJ, introduces QR codes, also called a “2D barcode” or “smart tag.” When a user scans a QR code, they gain access to rich multimedia on their smartphone. QR codes are square, patterned, black and white symbols which are actually bits of information which can be scanned using a free bar code scanner app readily available on smartphones. Tech-savvy Marketing Manager for Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair, NJ, Vickie Smith-Siculiano is enriching the customer experience with them.

“Restaurants have to stay on the cutting edge of technology. At Mesob, we are all about experience, and we are taking the traditional authentic Ethiopian experience to the next level with the use of QR codes. A lot of our restaurant customers are already tech-savvy, integrating mobile technology into their everyday lives. Customers check in on Yelp, Foursquare and Facebook Places. Restaurants cannot ignore the power of mobile technology, as people will use mobile more and more to find restaurants in their local area. They can tweet about their meal while they are enjoying it and take pictures of their dishes to share with others on sites like Urbanspoon and Foodspotting.”

The restaurant enjoys communications with fans on their Facebook fan page which Smith-Siculiano moderates. She discovered that customers are hungry not only for the savory Ethiopian cuisine but for knowledge about Ethiopian culture.

One of the first QR codes to debut is found at each table. When scanned, the diner will be connected to a video taped behind-the-scenes, showing the process of making the traditional Ethiopian injera, a crepe-like spongy bread used to scoop up the selection of stews and vegetable dishes. The footage was produced by video journalist and blogger Melody Kettle, whose show Hot From the Kettle is featured on Montclair TV Channel 34.
Customers can also scan these new QR codes to connect with Mesob in social media on Facebook and Twitter. The restaurant openly shares its customer reviews with everyone and a passerby can scan a QR code in its window, directing them to Google Places or Yelp or Mesob’s website. Geo-location fans can check in on Yelp, and customers can sign up immediately for the restaurant’s email club, powered by Fishbowl. QR codes will be refreshed with new content regularly, to keep the restaurant experience fresh.

The restaurant has long been acclaimed for its interior design noted for displaying Ethiopian art and crafts on its walls to educate their diners. The addition of these Quick Response codes throughout now enables those with smartphones to immediately view videos and articles about traditional Ethiopian culture, such as the process of growing, harvesting and processing Ethiopian coffee beans, and also a video with footage of a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Content also includes features about the mesob, the traditional Ethiopian woven table, and Ethiopian fashion.

Smith-Siculiano ensures that Mesob restaurant owner, Berekti Mengistu, and staff are up to date on technology their customers are engaging with and marketing communications that she creates regularly, such as current check-in offers, important Facebook comments that need a response and e-mail announcements that are sent out. A new menu insert also alerts customers that there are new QR codes for them to discover throughout the restaurant.

Says Mengistu, “When we opened Mesob, we wanted it to be a blending of ancient cuisine with modern attitude. It is exciting for us to immerse ourselves in technology and social media, and by having online conversations with our customers, we have learned more about them than we ever imagined. We want to create the best restaurant experience for them, and QR codes were a natural progression to engage our patrons with content they regularly ask for.”

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant is located at 515 Bloomfield Avenue, in Montclair, NJ. For reservations or more information, call 973-655-9000 or visit Mesob online at http://www.mesobrestaurant.com.

IHOP, one of America’s favorite restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, is giving thanks for its guests by offering a $5 coupon for a future visit with any purchase of a $25 gift card in-restaurant.* All $25 gift cards purchased in-restaurant through January 2^nd will receive the $5 coupon, valid at participating locations.

“In this challenging economy, gift cards are appreciated more than ever by recipients,” said Carolyn O’Keefe, IHOP’s senior vice president, marketing. ”They can choose their favorite meal, and with our $5 bounce back coupon, the guest who purchases the card gets something in return, too.”

Nationwide, IHOP restaurants will be open Thanksgiving. For guests looking for lighter fare to balance out their holiday festivities, IHOP’s new menu features more than 30 SIMPLE & FIT under 600 calorie selections, as well as a number of tips on how to enjoy lower calorie versions of IHOP classics. 

The $5 coupons are accepted at participating restaurants and must be redeemed by January 31, 2011.

To find a restaurant near you and to check hours for fueling up before and after Black Friday shopping, visit http://www.ihop.com/. Follow IHOP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ihop.

*At participating restaurants only.

OpenTable Inc is a solutions-focused internet company that provides 1) an online, real-time network that matches reservation-taking restaurants with people looking to dine and 2) dynamic software to help restaurants optimize business operations. The company largely operates in the restaurant business much like a Priceline.com (PCLN) or Hotwire does in travel; they aim to fill excess capacity in restaurants that would have otherwise gone unfilled, and in the process create a win-win for both parties. OpenTable service is available throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. OpenTable also owns and operates toptable.com, a leading restaurant reservation site in the United Kingdom. The company, which went public in May 2009, holds an estimated 90% market share of online reservation services.

The process for using the service is simple, easy and, most importantly, free for users. You simply log onto opentable.com, search restaurants based on location and/or desired cuisine, and book reservations with the click of a button. Last minute anniversary plans got a whole lot easier with OpenTable, which also boasts a popular mobile app.

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El Pollo Loco, Inc. announced today that it has retained the services of SelectResources International (SRI), a nationally acclaimed consulting firm specializing in agency search and relationship management, to conduct an advertising agency review on its behalf. The new assignment will cover strategic marketing and communication needs for the nation’s leading flame-grilled chicken chain, including English- and Spanish-language creative (broadcast and digital), in-restaurant merchandising, and local restaurant marketing. The review will focus on advertising agencies with established offices in Southern California and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2011. Interested agencies are invited to contact SelectResources International at 310.450.5777.

El Pollo Loco’s two incumbent advertising agencies, Krueger Communications, which handles general audience advertising, and cruz/kravetz:IDEAS, which oversees Hispanic advertising, will be invited to participate in the review. The company’s media investment in 2010 is in the $15-20 million range encompassing both general market and Hispanic media. El Pollo Loco also works with ID Media, the nation’s largest direct response media services company. This work is not in review at this time.

Commenting on the search, Mark Hardison, Vice President of Marketing for El Pollo Loco, Inc. said, “We are looking to partner with a single advertising agency in a strategic, total market approach that effectively captures and integrates all aspects of brand communication.”

Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. currently operates more than 400 restaurants located primarily in California, with additional restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Virginia. El Pollo Loco’s menu features its signature citrus-marinated, flame-grilled chicken in individual and family-size meals served with warm tortillas, freshly prepared salsas and an assortment of sides. El Pollo Loco also serves a variety of Mexican-inspired entrees featuring the chain’s citrus-marinated, flame-grilled chicken and carne asada, including Pollo Bowl entrees, pollo salads, grilled burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more. For more information, visit www.elpolloloco.com.

CKE Restaurants, Inc., parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants, announced the start of “The Key to Black Beauty” instant-win game and sweepstakes. The promotion, part of a marketing partnership announced earlier this year with Sony Pictures around the January 14, 2011 release of the 3D action movie The Green Hornet, will give one lucky action-seeker the opportunity to win a fully-loaded Black Beauty car from the film. A variety of other prizes, including Southwest Airlines Vacation packages, limited-edition The Green Hornet PSPgo Systems, Sony home-theater system, Sony Electronics, movie tickets to see The Green Hornet, Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s gift cards and food prizes will also be available.

“The Green Hornet sweepstakes at all Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants offers a grand prize that is truly one of a kind,” said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for CKE Restaurants. “The Black Beauty car is really one of the stars of the film, and now one lucky guest will be its owner. Whether you are a fan of The Green Hornet, a vintage car buff, or just want to take it out for a spin to your local Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s, this is a unique opportunity to own a piece of Hollywood history. Of course, we will be giving the winner the option to get the Black Beauty either in its fully weaponized mode, with non-functional machine guns and rocket launchers, or in its street-legal mode with no visible weapons. Either way, it’s a sweet ride.”

Guests at Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s restaurants can purchase a limited-edition 42-ounce The Green Hornet collectors’ cup co-sponsored by Dr Pepper. The cup includes a unique code that guests can enter when they register for the promotion at the Carl’s Jr. or Hardee’s Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/carlsjr or www.facebook.com/hardees). The grand prize winner has the option to choose a Black Beauty complete with non-operational prop machine guns, rocket launchers and other faux-weaponry used in the movie, but that one’s not street legal – or a Black Beauty without the weaponry, which the winner can roam the open road.

The Black Beauty is based on the Chrysler Imperial Crown body style, which was produced in 1964, 1965, and 1966, souped up with a brand-new supercharged engine and top-of-the-line, stunt-ready accessories. The prop weaponry on the non-street-legal Black Beauty comes complete with hood guns and front and rear bumper rockets.

No purchase is necessary to enter, play or claim a prize in “The Key to Black Beauty” promotion. As an alternative to the in-store promotion, consumers can visit the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Facebook pages and obtain a complimentary game code found in the official rules. Details and official rules surrounding the promotion can be found on the Facebook pages as well. Licensing and registration qualification for the Black Beauty will be subject to state and local law.

More details about the extensive partnership, including the explosive television advertising campaign that will air later this month, can be found on Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Facebook pages and Twitter feeds (www.twitter.com/carlsjr and www.twitter.com/hardees).

Chuck E. Cheese’s is giving families a free way to get the kids involved in the spirit of Thanksgiving as well as provide dinner guests with a personalized gift they are sure to treasure for a lifetime. Through Chuck E. Cheese’s free, online “Thank You” cards, families can have their children create personalized cards describing why they are thankful to have each guest or family member in their lives. Not only can children have fun coloring and filling out each guest’s card, but they get to experience what Thanksgiving is really about as well as reflect on the true value of family and friends.

Guests can use the personalized “Thank You” cards as placeholders at the dinner table or as a parting gift for guests to enjoy on their way home. Creating the cards is quick, easy and, like all Chuck E. Cheese’s activities, is something the whole family can enjoy.

How to Create Personalized “Thank You” Cards from Chuck E. Cheese’s:

Step 1 – Using any Internet browser, go to http://static.contserv.us/static/chuckecheese/300125679/card.pdf?link=image and print out a card for each guest. You will need a compatible PDF reader.

Step 2 – Have your children personalize the cards with the guests’ names as well as why they are thankful to have them in their lives.

Step 3 – Let the kids have fun personalizing the cards even more! You can make it an arts and crafts activity by incorporating all kinds of coloring utensils as well as glitter, stamps and rhinestones to let your children’s unique personalities really come through.

Step 4 – When they’re finished, let them dry out, and give any of the cards with glitter or sprinkles a good shake over the trash can to make sure nothing comes off on the dinner table. Then, decide the best way to surprise all of your Thanksgiving guests with the cards. You can set them on the table as placeholders, have the kids present them to guests as they are entering/leaving or have the kids read each card aloud to the dinner guests. The possibilities are endless.

Following these quick and easy steps, families across America can help their children understand the true meaning of Thanksgiving while also showing their love and appreciation for their family and friends. As a national leader in family entertainment for more than 30 years, Chuck E. Cheese’s believes in creating these positive, lifelong memories for families inside and outside of all of its locations.

Guests can find more great party ideas on Chuck E. Cheese’s website at http://www.chuckecheese.com, on the company’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/officialchuckecheese and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/chuckecheese.

Benihana Inc. (NASDAQ: BNHNA; BNHN), the nation’s leading operator of Japanese theme and sushi restaurants, invites guests to celebrate with friends and family around the teppanyaki table this holiday season. Benihana now offers several holiday promotions including its “Be The Chef” package and a gift card promotion that will allow guests to further enjoy an authentic and unique dining experience.

For a limited time this holiday season, Benihana is offering restaurant guests the perfect holiday gift and opportunity to become a Benihana chef for the day and learn the art of teppanyaki cooking on the hibachi grill. Benihana’s “Be The Chef” package will give a friend or family member the chance to experience Benihana firsthand with a private lesson in teppanyaki cooking from a master Benihana chef and then cook a 5-course meal for family and friends.

The “Be The Chef” package includes a one-on-one training session with a Benihana chef to learn how to cook teppanyaki style on the hibachi grill; a full Benihana teppanyaki performance by the gift recipient to entertain friends and family; a masterpiece meal created to enjoy with three additional guests; an official Certificate of Completion certifying the gift recipient as a Teppanyaki Master; and a complimentary souvenir photo of the performance that can be downloaded and shared with additional friends and family.

Included in the package is Benihana’s “Splash ‘n Meadow” dinner which features hibachi steak and shrimp, vegetable fried rice, onion soup, salad, hibachi vegetables, homemade dipping sauces, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Japanese hot green tea. On sale at participating locations through the holidays, the “Be The Chef” package for four people is $140. Additional guests can be added for only $35 per person, and Benihana is offering a special price of $250 for eight guests.

Also for the holidays, Benihana offers gift cards that allow family and friends to get together in the perfect atmosphere for a gathering or special event. For every $50 spent on Benihana gift cards, purchasers will receive an additional $10 promotional card to be used January 2, 2011 through March 31, 2011. In addition, restaurant guests can celebrate the holidays at Benihana, as all restaurant locations are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

“This holiday season, you can give a unique gift to a friend or family member that can be enjoyed by everyone,” said Richard C. Stockinger, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Benihana. “Celebrate the holidays with one of our many festive offers and share an unforgettable dining experience with your loved ones.”

For more information about Benihana, visit www.benihana.com.

Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) today completed the nationwide rollout of its new customer loyalty program, named MyPanera. The program has been in development and test for 18 months and has been extremely well received to date. 

Designed to be closely aligned with Panera’s core values and mission of delivering a unique experience to its guests, the intent of the ‘Surprise and Delight’ loyalty program is to connect more deeply with Panera’s customers by delivering unexpected and highly-relevant rewards for dining at Panera Bread bakery-cafes. 

MyPanera will offer loyalty program members exclusive invitations, experiential opportunities like baking with Panera bakers, preview tastings of new menu items, as well as recipes, cooking tips and surprises such as a free bakery-cafe menu item. The program becomes increasingly personalized as a member frequents Panera and spends more time in the program.

“MyPanera is a loyalty program done the Panera way. Our brand has always demonstrated value to be far more than price. So unlike the typical buy 10 get one free type loyalty programs, MyPanera is focused on fostering unique relationships with our customers through deeply understanding how each guest enjoys and interacts with Panera today, and new ways they might like to in the future,” said Bill Moreton, Panera Bread CEO and president. 

To date the program has shown to have a meaningful impact on frequency of visit, and rolls out nationally with over two million customers already participating. 

Moreton concluded, “We have been very deliberate over the years in getting to know our customers, which has allowed us to create a highly personalized loyalty program. Panera customers are so connected to the company’s brand promise and values that they expect us to deliver something different, better. We are confident the MyPanera program will be seen as quintessential Panera in the eyes of our loyal customers and be regarded among the restaurant and retail industry’s best.”

Customers can pick up a MyPanera card at any bakery-cafe and register via www.MyPanera.com or by completing and submitting a form in the bakery-cafe.

Great American Cookies today announced the introduction of a new online video contest celebrating exceptional customer service experiences at the company’s nearly 300 locations across the country.  The Wow! Share the Fun video contest is open to both Great American Cookies customers and employees and continues through March 31, 2011.

During the contest period, participants can visit www.GreatAmericanCookies.com and upload a short video (less than three minutes in length) recounting their Wow! customer service experience. Visitors to the website will be able to vote for their favorite entries throughout the contest.

To reward entrants for their creativity and passion for the brand, Great American Cookies will award one lucky winner each month throughout the contest a $150 American Express gift card. At the end of the contest, one of these monthly winners will receive $1,000 American Express gift card.

“Providing top-notch customer service is a hallmark of the Great American Cookies brand and is just one of the ways that we share the fun of cookies,” said Jenn Johnston, chief marketing and operations officer for GFG Management, LLC. “We created this contest to not only recognize our outstanding owners and their employees, but also encourage and reward our customers for letting us know about experiences in our stores that ‘wowed’ them.”

Additional contest entry rules and details can be found at www.GreatAmericanCookies.com and the brand’s Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/greatamericancookies).  Customers can also stay up to date on all of Great American Cookies’ new products and promotions by following the brand on Twitter (www.twitter.com/Gr8AmCookies) or by joining Great American Cookies’ e-mail fan club (CookiE-mail).

Gift cards and certificates offer an easy and appropriate gift for almost anyone. These cards allow for the recipient to choose an item that they like the most, preventing the accumulation of gifts that the recipient doesn’t need or enjoy.

Gift cards have become more appropriate for giving to immediate family members or spouses in recent years. This is especially true of restaurant gift cards. Giving a gift card to a specific restaurant shows that the giver knows the recipient well enough to pick their favorite cuisine, while cards for restaurant chains work for co-workers or distant relatives you don’t know as well.

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Today, Fuddruckers announced its 2010 holiday gift card program, which includes three whimsical new designs and a $5 gift card bonus for every $25 worth of new and current gift cards purchased in participating Fuddruckers restaurants. Fuddruckers $5 dollar gift card offer is valid now through December 31, 2010 at participating restaurants, and the $5 bonus cards will be redeemable at participating restaurants from January 1, 2011 through February 28, 2011.

New holiday gift cards feature Fuddruckers famous market fresh produce fashioned as a Christmas tree, Fuddruckers creamy hand-made strawberry milkshake with a snowman on top, and Fuddruckers World’s Greatest Hamburger under a sprig of mistletoe. All three designs are now available in restaurants and will be available online this week.

Guests can visit Facebook.com to join the Fuddruckers conversation and to vote for their favorite new Fuddruckers holiday gift card design. To join Fudds eClub for the latest news and perks and to learn more about Fuddruckers, visit Fuddruckers.com.

Fantasy Football owners enter Week 10 of the NFL season with emotions ranging from manic to panic, many trying to answer the question: what moves will help me make the playoffs? Papa John’s announced a move of its own today, “acquiring” six-time NFL All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates as the official spokesperson for its “Fantasy to Reality” contest, which so far has surfaced two of five finalists who will compete for bragging rights as the fantasy football league that’s “better than the rest,” and a trip to the 2011 NFL Draft in New York City.

As the competition heats up to fill the three remaining finalists spots, Gates, one of the NFL’s and fantasy football’s perennial best performers, encouraged fantasy footballers to visit www.papajohns.com or Papa John’s Facebook page to participate.

“Most fantasy football team owners I meet think their league is the best, and now they have a chance to prove it,” Gates said. “Roster management – drop/adds, waiver wire transactions and trades – is especially important – and stressful – at this point of the season. Papa John’s search for the fantasy football league that’s better than the rest is a fun competition to take the edge off, and provides even owners who are in the basement a chance to have a fantasy win.”

Today, two fantasy leagues are one step closer to reality and the 2011 NFL Draft. Brent Johnson of Atlanta, Ga. and his league “Excessive Celebration” along with Hunt Meacham of Charlotte, N.C. and his league “The Dude Abides,” received the nod as contenders for the title of the fantasy football league that’s “better than the rest.” Over the next few weeks, three additional leagues will be announced as finalists as registration continues in Papa John’s Fantasy to Reality contest.

Gates is applying his knowledge of the game and fantasy football to the contest, collaborating to develop exchangeable badges that will bring fantasy football competitive banter to Facebook. Gate’s six pack of badges – “Better Smack Talk,” “Over-Thinker Stinker,” “Waiver Wire Wonder,” “Whiner of the Week,” “Monday Night Miracle,” and “All the Right Moves” – will be available at Papa John’s Facebook page beginning today.

The Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL, Papa John’s search for the fantasy football league that’s better than the rest is considering a mix of fun and serious ingredients that go into forming and sustaining a great league, such as: year established, original owners still participating, location of draft party, food served at league events, league name, quality of trophy, scoring system, and more.

Fantasy footballers can continue to register for the contest by filling out a short questionnaire at www.papajohns.com or at Papa John’s Facebook page. Three additional finalists, for a total of five, will be announced in coming weeks at papajohns.com and Papa John’s Facebook page. From December 1 through 12, an expert panel led by Gates will review each of the finalists while America casts its vote at Papa John’s Facebook page. The winner will be announced the week of December 13, just in time for fantasy football playoffs.

“Antonio certainly provides an All-Pro enhancement to our search for the fantasy football league that’s better than the rest, and we’re thrilled to have him on our team, said Andrew Varga, Papa John’s chief marketing officer. “With Antonio tied for the NFL lead in touchdown catches, I just wish I had him on one of my fantasy football teams.”

Papa John’s is in the first year of a multi-year sponsorship with the NFL and is also the Official Pizza of the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans and Washington Redskins.

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world’s third largest pizza company. For 10 of the past 11 years, consumers have rated Papa John’s No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John’s also was honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2009 Gold Award for Consumers’ Choice in Chains in the pizza segment. Papa John’s is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the National Football League and Super Bowl XLV, XLVI and XLVII. For more information about the company or to order pizza online, visit Papa John’s at www.papajohns.com.

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