Bruegger's Helps Keep New Year's Resolutions on Track

Burlington, VT  (RestaurantNews.com)  Losing weight and saving money are among the top five resolutions made each New Year’s Day, but they are also among the top vows broken. This year, Bruegger’s winter menu has options to make it easier for guests to keep their resolve.

Starting today, the bagel bakery chain will roll out its diet-friendly Skinny Zesty Egg White Sandwich. The sandwich features egg whites, turkey sausage, Swiss cheese and sun-dried tomato spread served on Bruegger’s new Five Grain Everything skinny bagel. (Introduced in 2011, the skinny bagel, available in any of Bruegger’s 15-plus varieties, has one-third fewer calories than a regular bagel without losing the flavorful, crispy crust.)

At just $3.99 (prices vary by location), Bruegger’s Skinny Zesty Egg White Sandwich makes a hearty yet calorie-conscious breakfast or lunch. Through April 3, the limited time offering will be part of Bruegger’s Under 500 Calorie menu, featuring more than 100 flavorful combinations of Bruegger’s cafe salads, sandwiches and soups.

Bruegger’s also has a new offering for customers watching their wallets in 2012 – Bagel Deli Trios, available until April 3. For just $6.99 at participating locations, customers can make their own combinations of a fresh bagel deli sandwich, a cup of Bruegger’s signature soup and a medium soft drink or bottled water for a quick, complete lunch that doesn’t cost a lot.

Customers can choose from Bruegger’s fresh deli sandwiches, such as turkey, roast beef, ham or garden veggie, and one of Bruegger’s signature soups, rotated both daily and seasonally. With seven different sandwiches and three daily soups, the combinations are nearly endless, but the value stays the same.

For those resolving to eat more bagels in 2012, Bruegger’s will now serve its signature soups or entree salads with a delicious new accompaniment – Bruegger Bites. The Bites are baked fresh each day at every Bruegger’s location with a different flavor featured daily: plain, Asiago or sesame.

For nutritional information on all Bruegger’s menu items, customers can visit www.brueggers.com/menu.

Visit www.brueggers.com for more information on the company. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brueggers or follow the brand on Twitter @Brueggers.

The promotion begins Friday, September 2 and ends on Labor Day at participating Bruegger’s throughout the U.S. For location information go to Brueggers.com.

Known for serving up “America’s Best Bagels” baked fresh throughout the day at each of its 300 locations throughout the U.S., Bruegger’s Big Bagel Bundles include a baker’s dozen of America’s Best Bagels and two tubs of cream cheese. At $2 off the regular price, the bundles are a budget-friendly and tasty way to make breakfasts a snap this weekend.

“Weekends are our busiest times for bagel bundle sales,” said Scott Colwell, CMO of Bruegger’s. “In fact, two-thirds of our bundles are sold on Friday through Sunday. Labor Day is the perfect chance for Bruegger’s to give back to its customers and to encourage a relaxing weekend.”

A coupon is required and can be found on Bruegger’s Facebook page. Members of Bruegger’s Fresh News email club will also receive the coupon straight to their email inbox (if registered on or before August 30). Guests interested in joining the club for the first time can register at Brueggers.com. New members are also treated to a free bagel and cream cheese and other valuable offers throughout the year.

Famous for its genuine New York-style bagels baked fresh throughout the day, Bruegger’s offers its popular bagel bundle option year round to share with the office and friends or for family breakfast or lunches throughout the week.

McDonald’s also reports profit growth for the eight straight quarter. This rise in profits, coming at a time when food costs are cutting the profits of other restaurant chains, is driven largely by low-cost beverages. McDonald’s new frozen lemonade has proven popular and is returning a fair profit on each sale, while returns on hamburgers drop as beef prices rise.

Labor shortages are being reported by restaurants across the state of Georgia after new laws were passed to cut down on immigration. The Georgia Restaurant Association reports that over 250 restaurant owners reported having trouble finding workers during the summer hiring season. 91 of survey respondents were against the immigration reform bill.

Big Apple Bagels was honored by Restaurant Business Magazine as one of the 50 fastest growing chains in America in the most recent issue. The chain has been around since 1993 but has recently experience a surge in popularity and expansion. The company is working on seven new locations due to an attractive franchise package.

Venus Williams, world renowned tennis star and health enthusiast, has joined the Jamba Juice team. Williams will serve as a celebrity spokesperson for the company as well as owning her own locations in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area. She chose the chain for its concern with the health needs of consumers and its tasty menu of smoothies and shakes.

Bruegger’s is adding new sandwiches to their menu in all restaurant locations based on their artisan Ciabatta bread. The chain is known for their New York style, freshly made bagels but is expanding lunch and dinner options as well. Two new paninis, the Turkey, Artichoke and Mozz and the Chicken Aioli Melt will soon be available.

Pizza Patrón, a new pizza chain offering new Hispanic flavors, is featuring the Toluqueña pizza until September. The pizza is topped with classics like pepperoni, ham and the Mexican sausage chorizo. The sausage was developed with the same blend of spices and ingredients as used by the artisans in Toluca, Mexico where chorizo originated.

Pizza Pizza will soon launch a new line of Italian sandwiches that includes four different options. Chicken Cutlet, Meatball Marinara, Spicy Italian Sausage and Veal subs are coming to all Pizza Pizza locations. These sandwiches are all traditional Italian recipes to balance out the innovative toppings of the pizzas on the menu.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has announced their plans to open a third restaurant of their newest concept brand. Coal Burger uses a coal fired oven like the ones used to give Grimaldi’s pizza its signature taste. This produces flavorful, charbroiled burgers very quickly. The new restaurant will open in Casa Paloma, Arizona.

Bruegger’s, known for its authentic New York style bagels, will add artisan-style Ciabatta to its daily selections, and two new panini creations which pair perfectly with the bakery’s new Ciabatta bread. Among Bruegger’s new panini options, guests can choose from either a Turkey, Artichoke and Mozz sandwich or a Chicken Aioli Melt.

The bakery’s new Turkey, Artichoke and Mozz panini features tomatoes, roasted turkey, fresh mozzarella and artichoke pesto and its Chicken Aioli Melt is made with chicken, cheddar cheese, garlic aioli mayo and topped with fresh spring mix. Both of these hearty, grilled-to-order sandwiches are offered at participating Bruegger’s for less than $7.

“The new artisan-style Ciabatta continues Bruegger’s tradition of providing guests with delicious and exciting sandwiches,” said Philip Smith, Bruegger’s Top Chef. “This old world bread with a crusty exterior and chewy interior perfectly complements our new ingredient combinations but also adds a new, favorable option to any of Bruegger’s made-to-order sandwiches.”

A long-time customer favorite, panini are enjoying resurgence in popularity, as noted by Rita Negrete, senior editor at Technomic. “During tough economic times,” she said, “consumers are more likely to turn to inexpensive foods they know and love. Panini combines utter simplicity with opportunities to showcase sophisticated cheeses, artisan breads and other unexpected ingredients.”

In addition to Bruegger’s new panini options, the bakery will also showcase its time-tested bagel, through September 27, and feature a Sesame Multigrain bagel (made skinny upon customer request) with Cucumber Dill cream cheese and seasonal Fair Trade Certified Wild Mountain Blueberry coffee, which can be ordered steaming hot or iced. Refreshing summer beverages will still be offered to beat the heat. Classic Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Iced Green Tea will be sold in the 300 plus bakeries until late September.

Over a two-week period the bagel leader, with 300 locations across the U.S., polled more than 300,000 bagel fans through email and Facebook and found that 52 percent of respondents eat healthier in the summer while 43 percent always try to eat healthy.

In addition to questions about general eating habits, Bruegger’s asked for guest feedback on some of the items featured on its new Under 500 Calorie Menu – including the Café Salad and Skinny Bagels. Bruegger’s guests were pleased with the many choices offered by the new menu; nearly 40 percent of respondents like to make their own Café Salad from the many fresh ingredients available, while 27 percent were happy to have a lower calorie lunch option. The lower price was also favored by seven percent of respondents.

Bruegger’s findings line up with a recent survey by the NPD Group, in which the respected market research group found that respondents would feel more satisfied after restaurant visits if they had more healthful options available at the same prices as less healthful options, including on the value menu. (Consumers Define Healthy Eating When They Go Out To Eat).

When asked about their favorite under 500-calorie breakfast option, the greatest percentage of Bruegger’s customers chose the Classic Breakfast Bagel Sandwich – now available on a skinny bagel. For lunch, guests preferred the Skinny Herby Turkey – also a Bruegger’s longtime favorite now available on a skinny bagel. Twelve percent of respondents like breakfast for lunch!

“The survey confirmed that our guests desire healthy meal alternatives that don’t sacrifice taste and offer great value,” said Scott Colwell, Bruegger’s Chief Marketing Officer. “While our core product – America’s best bagel – continues to be a favorite, we are always seeking to offer new and innovative choices for our guests.

Bruegger’s developed their Skinny Menu program by studying the current marketplace, trends in nutritional labeling and guest preferences. With many choices under $5, Bruegger’s meets consumer demand for healthier choices offered at a fair price, while maintaining the variety and great taste that separates its bakeries from the rest of the pack.

Smashburger may be under a decade old, but the burger franchise is rapidly growing. The company recently signed new franchise development agreements that will lead to 63 new locations. Once these new restaurants are built the chain will have 463 locations across the country. This agreement also helps Smashburger break into four markets they have not yet tapped.

Bruegger’s is focusing on healthy eating for the summer and they’ve added new Cafe Salads to all location menus. The five new dishes include the Harvest Chicken Salad with diced chicken and apples over romaine lettuce. Others include the Sesame Chicken, Classic Cobb and Asian inspired Mandarin Medley. All five salads have less than 330 calories.

To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, Luby’s is offering a special deal on pies. You can pick up a freshly made Buttermilk Chess, Cherry, Coconut Meringue or Famous Pecan pie that serves up to eight people for just $7.99. Guests must pre-order by Thursday, May 26^th to receive this price and must pick up their pie over the Memorial Day weekend.

Most people don’t want to think about toilets or the associated waste while eating, but one themed restaurant in Taiwan is banking on the concept. Foods are served in small toilet shaped bowls at the aptly named Modern Toilet restaurant in Ximending. The restaurant started by selling chocolate soft serve exclusively, but became so popular that they expanded into a full menu.

McDonald’s will begin their fifth annual Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour shortly and they are proud to announce that Grammy Award winning Hezekiah Walker will be the main guest. Multiple stops in gospel churches in six cities including Atlanta and Philadelphia are planned. All of the concerts are free. Other guests include Myron Butler, Canton Jones and group 21:03.

To promote their new Grilled Chicken & Pecan Salad Sandwich, Arby’s held a taste test contest inviting guests to compare their sandwich to the chicken offered by Subway. When the votes were tallied, Arby’s won with over 8000 votes compared to Subways’ 1000. The chain also donated $25,000 to the No Kid Left Hungry campaign by charity Share Our Strength.

The parent company of Red Lobster and Olive Garden, Darden Restaurants, has added three new locations of its top three chains to the Arundel Mills shopping center in Hanover, MD. Between the two previously mentioned restaurants and a new LongHorn Steakhouse the company created over 350 new jobs. The locations were also built with energy saving designs and environmentally friendly materials.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is continuing to make 2011 their biggest year for growth with the signing of an agreement for a new St. Cloud restaurant. A chairwoman of the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce, Sheila Tepley, and a partner chose the restaurant for its quality food and popularity. The restaurant will open in June, 2011.

According to the National Restaurant Association, nutrition and health continue to be in high demand from consumers, along with a focus on value. Bruegger’s Cafe Salads meet this growing trend, offering guests fresh, great tasting options in a lunch portion size with fewer calories and all the taste. And, at just $4.99 (prices may vary by location), they meet guest demand for lower-cost healthy lunch options that deliver freshness and flavor.

“Our guests are trying to eat healthier but they still want a variety of new and exciting flavor combinations,” said Bruegger’s Chef Phillip Smith. “We are pleased to offer our guests these new salads. With their great flavor combinations and with five varieties to choose from, guests will forget they are eating healthy.”

The 24-ounce Cafe Salad is available in five different varieties including new combinations and old favorites. Each Cafe Salad has only 330 calories or less and is packed with fresh ingredients and bursting with flavor.

In May and June, Bruegger’s will highlight the Harvest Chicken Salad, a new combination made with diced chicken, apples, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, a sprinkling of cheese and the chain’s newest dressing, strawberry vinaigrette — all tossed in romaine lettuce. Also available are the Classic Cobb, Sesame Chicken, Mandarin Medley and Chicken Caesar. All salads are also available in the larger “entree” size.

Also new to Bruegger’s summertime menu are Iced Green Tea and Lemonade Coolers. For the Iced Green Tea, Bigelow Tea created a blend specifically for Bruegger’s, which is iced and lightly sweetened for a refreshing addition to lunch, or any time of the day. Bruegger’s Lemonade Coolers can be ordered in Classic Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade, which is made with real pureed strawberries. Both are a refreshing treat and a tasty source of Vitamin C.

The bagel leader plans to roll out additional healthy options throughout the summer.

Bruegger’s Enterprises, Inc. is a leader in the fast casual restaurant segment. The company operates 300 Bruegger’s Bakeries in North America (including 4 co-branded locations). In addition, it operates 137 Timothy’s World Coffee, mmmuffins and Michel’s Bakery Cafes in Canada through a wholly owned subsidiary, Threecaf Brands Canada Inc. BEI’s portfolio of brands is dedicated to serving a wide variety of freshly prepared breakfast and lunch options, made with high quality simple ingredients. Founded in 1983, the company is headquartered in Burlington, Vermont and supports its neighbors in every community it serves.

The Zagat survey gave the Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant a great review. The restaurant, which is located in Montclair, New Jersey, was lauded for its unique menu of Ethiopian finger foods and cool, calm atmosphere. The homemade injera bread, a spongy flatbread, was singled out by reviewers as the restaurants best feature.

As summer arrives McDonald’s is reintroducing their popular Asian Salad. It returns this month and will be available nationwide until September. The salad features a bed of romaine Leninist topped with Asian inspired ingredients like edamame and a special low-fat sesame ginger dressing. Customers can also top their Asian salad with crispy fried or grilled chicken.

Boondocks BBQ & Grill may only have 12 tables, but they’re about to be featured on the Food Network. The popular show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives will visit the Boondocks Grill in one of the 15 episodes in their upcoming season, which begins next week. The owners of the restaurant aren’t sure which of the episodes they will be featured in.

Culver’s, one of the only fast food chains left in America still serving frozen custard, is now offering a new mini mixer size for their popular Concrete Mixer blended dessert. The concrete mixer blends your choice of any of Culver’s famous frozen custard flavors with a variety of interesting mix ins. The mini mixers size is designed for customers who can’t finish a larger size.

White Castle is adding a new menu item by topping their famous fries with bacon and ranch dressing. They are also adding two new sliders with the bacon and cheddar slider and the bacon and ranch slider. All three new menu items will only be available until July 2. customers can pick up coupons for these new bacon flavored items on Facebook or the White Castle webpage.

Luby’s is reintroducing three favorite entrées for the summer season at participating restaurants. Diners can once again enjoy the honey barbecue chicken, served with onion rings, or the mushroom chicken madeira with wine sauce and fresh mushrooms. The grilled Summer tilapia will also be returning accompanied by cheese tortellini.

Bagel lovers who are watching their waist lines should head down to their local Bruegger’s location to try the new Skinny Bagel. The bagel tastes and feels the same as any other, but it has 100 fewer calories. The recipe hasn’t changed – the chain found a way to cut their regular bagels that removes about a third of the center of the bagel without damaging the crust.

Just in time for summer, Bruegger’s Skinny Bagel will be offered in all of the bagel leader’s 300 locations. Guests can order any of Bruegger’s 15-plus varieties “skinny,” due to Bruegger’s unique process. Instead of changing the recipe of its time-tested, New York-style bagel, Bruegger’s cuts the bagels using a patented knife, removing approximately one-third of the bagel’s center but preserving its unique eggshell crust and delicious toppings. The result? Guests have a lower calorie option without sacrificing variety or taste.

“With 62 percent of national consumers planning on eating healthier in 2011,” said CEO Jim Greco, “Bruegger’s is excited to offer our guests a healthier option without sacrificing any of the flavor they have come to expect from our bagels.”

Unique to the marketplace, the Skinny Bagel offers guests the flexibility to order any of their favorite bagel combinations or sandwiches, skinny or regular, rounding out the bagel leader’s comprehensive menu of healthy breakfast and lunch choices.

“We developed the Skinny Bagel in response to our guests’ preferences,” said Bruegger’s Top Chef Philip Smith. “Because of our unique process guests can cut calories without giving up any of the great flavors and choices they’ve come to expect from Bruegger’s.”

In May and June, Bruegger’s will also roll out a new turkey sausage option, to be featured with the new low-calorie bagel in the Skinny Zesty Egg White Sandwich, a limited time offer. This breakfast option, with about 410 calories, features egg whites, turkey sausage, Swiss cheese and sundried tomato spread on guest’s chosen variety of skinny bagel. The bagel leader plans to roll out additional healthy options throughout the summer.

All of Bruegger’s bagels – including skinny bagels – are baked fresh in each bakery all day, every day and are made with just five simple ingredients, with no additives or preservatives.

Arby’s has declared Friday, April 15 as Free FryDay at locations nationwide.  Arby’s signature Curly Fries are beloved for their appealing shape and flavor. To receive a free value size of these perfectly seasoned ringlets, you must print off a coupon from Arby’s Facebook page and bring it to any Arby’s location during regular business hours on Friday, April 15.

Chili’s Grill & Bar is offering a free appetizer or dessert with a purchase of an entree, at participating locations nationwide during normal business hours Monday, April 18.  To take advantage of the tax break offer, simply click here to open and print the coupon. Guests may also redeem the special by displaying the coupon code on their smartphones to servers. Offer does not include the Triple Dipper appetizer.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro will reward guests nationwide with a 15 percent discount on April 18.  The Tax Relief promotion includes all guests of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and applies to every dine in and take-out order. On April 18 only, all food orders will be discounted 15 percent. The discount is not valid with alcoholic beverages or Happy Hour food and beverage items. Warrior Card holders will receive 15% off their food purchases.

On Friday, April 15, guests are invited to join McCormick & Schmick’s in the bar for an Early Filers Happy Hour, featuring tax relief drink specials and their famous Happy Hour bar food menu. On Monday, April 18, McCormick & Schmick’s will host an all-day Tax Relief Procrastinators Celebration, featuring a variety of $10.40 entrée specials (available in the bar only) and tax relief drink specials. For extra tax relief, all guests who make a purchase in the bar during Happy Hour on April 15 and all day on April 18 will receive a $10.40 dining certificate (while supplies last) for use during their next dining experience at the restaurant.

Participating U.S. mall-based Cinnabon bakeries, as well as Schlotzsky’s and Carvel co-brand locations, will give away two free Classic Cinnabon Bites on Monday, April 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. while supplies last. Limit one offer per guest during the entire promotion.

Bruegger’s, a national bagel leader with more than 300 locations across the U.S., is offering IRS-weary guests its popular Big Bagel Bundles for just $10.40. Because of this year’s tax day extension, Bruegger’s will offer the deal from April 15 through April 18, 2011.  Guests who are interested in taking advantage of the special are asked to download and print the tax day coupon, which can be found on Bruegger’s Facebook page through April 18th.

Every day in April from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at participating IHOP locations, kids 12 and under can enjoy one free meal with the purchase of each adult entrée. Kids can choose from one of 14 menu items that are all kid-pleasers, including Cheeseburgers, Macaroni & Cheese, Create-A-Face Pancake, Crispy Chicken Strips and Grilled Cheese. Served with fresh fruit, each mouth-watering meal delivers on the flavors kids like most while keeping to under 600 calories to help fit nutrition goals.