Yum! Brands, the world’s largest restaurant company and parent of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, announced today that it is directing the first $1 million from its World Hunger Relief global effort to provide food to families affected by hunger and suffering the effects of drought in the Horn of Africa. The funds will help the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) feed those in urgent need of food assistance.

Drought coupled with high food prices and conflict in the Horn of Africa is affecting more than 13 million people. WFP is rapidly moving life-saving food and nutritional products by sea, air and road to hungry populations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, and Somalia to address their needs. In Somalia alone, WFP is feeding 1.5 million people in the northern and central parts of the country and in Mogadishu which continues to fill up with those fleeing the famine zone.

“The situation throughout the Horn of Africa is desperate and we all need to help,” said David Novak, Chairman and CEO, Yum! Brands, Inc. “As a company with a huge heart, we believe it is critical to immediately commit the first $1 million from our World Hunger Relief effort to aid the people throughout the Horn of Africa.”

Novak and other senior executives and franchise leaders from KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Yum! Restaurants International traveled to Honduras earlier this week to help WFP’s relief efforts in the country. As the second poorest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the many recipients of funds raised through World Hunger Relief.

There are nearly 1 billion hungry people around the world today. Hunger and malnutrition are the number one risk to health worldwide – greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.

Yum! Brands’ annual fall World Hunger Relief effort is the world’s largest private sector hunger relief initiative, spanning 110 countries, 38,000 KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants and over one million employees, to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds for WFP and other hunger relief agencies. Multi-Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera, the effort’s global spokesperson, will appear in a new public service announcement this fall as well as advertising, online efforts and posters in KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants. Consumers can visit www.fromhungertohope.com or donate in the restaurants this fall. Every U.S. dollar raised will go directly towards WFP’s operations to fight hunger around the world.

Since World Hunger Relief launched in 2007, more than one million of the Company’s employees, franchisees and their families have volunteered more than 21 million hours to aid hunger relief efforts in communities worldwide. The effort has raised nearly $85 million for WFP and other hunger relief organizations and is helping to provide over 350 million meals and save the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world.

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants with approximately 38,000 restaurants in more than 110 countries and territories. The company is ranked #214 on the Fortune 500 List, with revenues of more than $11 billion in 2010. Four of the company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s and Taco Bell – are the global leaders of the chicken, quick-service seafood, pizza and Mexican-style food categories. A&W Restaurants is the longest running quick-service franchise chain in America. Outside the United States, the Yum! Brands system opened approximately four new restaurants each day of the year, making it a leader in international retail development. The Company has consistently been recognized for its reward and recognition culture, diversity leadership, community giving, and consistent shareholder returns.

WFP is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.wfp.org.

Even the best educated, smartest and most talented restaurant managers and owners are prone to developing blind spots. These blind spots make it difficult to achieve true restaurant success because you can’t even notice that they’re a problem. Asking for the input of an outside source, whether its a friend or a professional consultant, helps work around these problems.

Private equity firm Advent International has purchased the ownership interest held by Falfurrias Capital Partners in the Bojangles’ Restaurant Company. Falfurrias Capital Partners first bought the chain four years ago. Advent International plans to work with the current management team of the company and has no plans for drastic changes to the structure or menu of the chain.

Burger King restaurants have added the BK Minis sandwich packs to their national menu. Each BK Minis set contains four, eight or 12 tiny burgers or chicken sandwiches. Snackers can share a set of mini-sandwiches or chow down all by themselves. The four pack begins at just $2.99, with the 12 pack costing only $7.99.

Red Mango, a quickly growing chain specializing in frozen yogurt and smoothies, has appointed a new CEO. Barry M. Barron will take over as the head of the chain and will bring his extensive experience in the restaurant industry to the chain. He spent six years as the head of expansion at Papa Johns and learned how to be a top-notch CEO at the ACE Cash Express chain.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is making tasty, freshly fried chicken fun again with the new Rip’n Chick’n. The meal features chicken tenders pre-cut so you can tear them apart and dip into the ranch dipping sauce. For just $3.99 diners will receive a buttermilk biscuit, ranch dip, the chain’s signature Cajun fries and a Rip’n Chick’n breast piece.

Chik-fil-A is expanding its breakfast menu across the country with health-conscious consumers in mind. The newest menu addition is the slow-cooked Multi-Grain oatmeal. Four types of grains, including rolled oats and flax, are used to increase fiber and nutrients. Topping choices include mixed nuts, dried fruit and brown sugar with cinnamon.

Domino’s Pizza is taking a unique and daring step to win customer loyalty. The pizza chain is adding a live display in Times Square that shows customer feedback from the online ordering program as it is added. Negative and neutral reviews will be displayed along with positive feedback. Customers also get to use the Domino’s Tracker to see which employees prepared their pizza at each step.

Taco Bell restaurants around the country launched the new Big Box Remixed meal today. The meal also gives consumers access to exclusive music content through a partnership with the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards. A Quick Response, or QR, code on the box gives your smart phone access to a mobile site with music downloads and other exciting content.

Hardee’s and the My Coke Rewards program have teamed again to help diners win one of two $5,000 gift cards. Large fountain drinks, including those with large sized combo meals, feature promotional codes that are redeemable for free menu items and My Coke Reward points. The promotion will run until September 18^th.

Growing demand for healthy dining variety has led the Zoup! Fresh Soup Company to grow rapidly. Franchisees Don and Pat Hoag are developing their second location with the brand that will open in October in Cleveland, Ohio. The chain currently has 35 restaurants mainly located in the Midwestern states like Michigan.

Today, Taco Bell launches the Big Box Remixed, which combines the flavor of four classic Taco Bell menu items with the freshness of exclusive music content via a mobile site, packaged in a specially designed MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) box.

Taco Bell features its first QR code on packaging – also known as a ‘Quick Response’ code available using a free QR reader app on smartphones – on its Big Box Remixed and large cups that dishes out exclusive music content over a six-week period leading up to this year’s VMAs on Sun., Aug. 28. This exclusive content will highlight Taco Bell Feed the Beat artists Wallpaper and Chiddy Bang, as well as stream VMA sneak peeks and teasers, performance footage, artist interviews and a look at the artists to be featured at the Friday Night Pre-VMA Concert Event sponsored by Taco Bell on Fri., Aug. 26.

Taco Bell’s exclusive music access extends online with the “VMAs Hook-Up,” a sweepstakes on the Taco Bell page on Facebook that will reward one lucky winner with a trip to VMAs weekend including the Friday Night Pre-VMA Concert Event sponsored by Taco Bell. Anyone who “likes” the Taco Bell Facebook page, currently at more than 7 million people, (http://www.facebook.com/tacobell) will have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win the “VMAs Hook-Up” package including two pre-show tickets, two tickets to the VMAs, two airline tickets, hotel room and $400 in Taco Bell gift cards. Roadtrip to the VMA’s Sweepstakes: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 13 years or older. The Sweepstakes begins on August 15, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time (“PST”) and ends on August 17, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PST. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds of winning and prize description, visit http://www.facebook.com/tacobell. Void where prohibited.

“In anticipation of the upcoming VMAs, we are turning up the volume by giving Taco Bell and music fans access to never before seen or heard music content which includes some of the phenomenal up-and-coming talent from our Feed the Beat program,” said David Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “We love music and the Big Box Remixed not only offers a lot of great tasting food for just five bucks, but also feeds music fans’ hunger for exciting music content accessed easily on the go.”

Available at participating Taco Bell locations for a suggested retail price of $5 through the month of August, the Big Box Remixed comes in two varieties:

• Cheesy Double Beef Burrito Box: Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, Burrito Supreme, Crunchy Taco and medium drink.
• Cheesy Gordita Crunch Box: Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Burrito Supreme, Crunchy Taco and medium drink.

“We’re thrilled to join forces with Taco Bell as together we count down to the ‘2011 MTV Video Music Awards’ and celebrate Taco Bell’s commitment to music through their Feed the Beat program,” said Jeannie Scalzo, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing, MTV. “Thanks to Taco Bell’s innovative VMA sponsorship, millions of their customers across the country will get music content leading up to ‘the biggest night in music.’”

The highly anticipated VMAs will be held in Los Angeles on Sun., Aug. 28, airing live on MTV. Last year’s VMAs scored the largest audience numbers for any MTV telecast since 2002. The music-themed box is part of Taco Bell’s activation to support its MTV marketing partnership and Taco Bell’s Feed the Beat program, which supports up-and-coming artists by providing them $500 in Taco Bell gift cards while touring.

Draftfcb, Irvine produced the Big Box Remixed and medium cup packaging, as well as the television advertising. Airing nationally starting Sun., Aug. 14, the commercial spot will depict the Big Box Remixed in an animated world of music and art. Draftfcb, Irvine was also responsible for the in-store messaging. MTV built the QR code, mobile site and will be providing the exclusive content.

Arby’s restaurants are celebrating the chain’s 47^th year of operation by offering an original Roast Beef Sandwich for just .64 with the purchase of a medium drink. Guests who want to take advantage of the one day only offer must print out a coupon found on the company’s Facebook page. The event will take place this Saturday, July 23^rd.

Expion, a new social media marketing company, has been helping some of the largest Applebee’s franchisees engage local customers. The company created hundreds of new Facebook pages for individual restaurant locations, each with their own special promotions. This also helped the franchisee companies monitor and research customer requests and satisfaction.

New research shows that overall seafood consumption in restaurants is down, according to the NPD Group, but this is mostly driven by economic reasons and not health concerns. Fried seafood consumption especially dropped but non-fried dishes are being ordered more often now. Seafood entree sales have been dropping slowly since 2007.

Groupon may have been one of the first social couponing websites to offer deals to diners who all went in together on the discount, but the popular service has spawned plenty of competitors. These websites help diners find deals in their area by requesting a zip code or city. The services work with local restaurant owners to create discounts that bring in new diners.

Americans across the country all love fast food and convenience it provides. However, there are 10 top cities that consume more fries and hamburgers than the rest. Plano, Texas isn’t that large, but the city spends 2.3 times the national average each year on fast food. Madison, Wisconsin came in second and San Francisco, California came in nearly last at 91.

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced its second quarter earnings for 2011 and is showing some improvements over the last quarter. Total revenue increased by over 22% and comparable restaurant sales rose by 10%. The chain also saw a 9% increase in the net income, reaching a total of $50.7 million dollars.

The Taco Bell Foundation, the charitable arm of the Taco Bell chain owned by Yum! Brands, has started their new Graduate to Go Internship Program. Six teenagers were hired from the Boys and Girls Club to learn about the wide variety of career opportunities available to them over the next three months. The teens will visit the company’s headquarters and will receive $10,000 scholarships.

Freebirds World Burrito, a new restaurant chain that combines flavors from across the globe with fresh salads and burritos, is expanding again. Two new locations will open shortly in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area. The first opens on July 21 and the second will celebrate its grand opening on July 27^th. Each restaurant added approximately 75 jobs to the community.

Rodizio Grill of Utah has developed a new Days of 47 promotional event that gives customers two choices for a discounted $47 four course meal. Guests can also enjoy two fresh glasses of Rodizio’s limeade for just $4.70. The restaurant is encouraging other dining establishments in the state to create their own Days of 47 events.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is America’s fastest growing national barbecue chain. To celebrate its rapid expansion the chain’s newest location in Pennsylvania will give away a free year’s supply of barbecue to the first guest through the door on July 21^st. Everyone else can enjoy $1 barbecue sandwiches until 1 pm.

Legend has it that Genghis Khan’s cooks tossed mutton, mushrooms and vegetables together to serve his soldiers quickly before battle. Eight centuries later, the same “hot pot” cuisine is now a contender as Yum! Brands’ next big restaurant chain, alongside fast-food outlets KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

The pending $860 million acquisition of Little Sheep, with 700 locations in China and a handful elsewhere, including San Diego, could satisfy Yum’s search to fill the Chinese cuisine niche. Louisville-based Yum already touts itself as the world’s largest restaurant company, with 38,000 outlets.

Since announcing its purchase in April, company executives have spoken openly about the possibility of building the Little Sheep hot-pot concept into a global brand like KFC. Meanwhile, Chinese regulators are reviewing the purchase.

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 Barbecue fans in Chicago found the summer of 2010 to be the most exciting times in the city for many years. Between the end of June and Labor Day seven new restaurants serving barbecue opened in the Windy City. The boom was driven by the popularity of Smoque, a restaurant opened by an accounts manager with no professional barbecuing experience.

Pinchers Crab Shack, a small seven location restaurant chain, first used the “You can’t fake fresh” slogan in the summer of 2004. The chain recently sued fast food giant Wendy’s for trademark infringement. Wendy’s used the slogan more recently and may have to pay the smaller chain damages.

Yum Brands CEO, David Novak, has issued a challenge to the ad agencies working with the company. Novak wants to boost sales to the company’s brands like Taco Bell and KFC. The three agencies working to develop advertising campaigns for the brands will come together for a brainstorming session with executives.

Yum Brands’ most popular brand, Taco Bell, was recently hurt by accusations of low meat quality that were subsequently dropped due to misinformation. However, consumers still heard the rumors and sales have been weak for the past half a year. The third quarter is expected to continue to be low in profits, but the company is working to improve this for the end of the fiscal year.

Friendly’s is ready to celebrate July as National Ice Cream Month with families around the country. The chain offers quality, fresh ice cream in all of its stores that is made from local milk and other ingredients. Friendly’s also offers 49 different flavors in its pre-packed pints, so your whole family will find something they enjoy.

Restaurants in India have improved greatly recently, but most locations still struggle with a few stubborn problems. Too much air conditioning, mixed menus in small restaurants, uninformed waiters and loud music turn tourists away. Some restaurants also charge too much for locally made wine and feature overzealous toilet attendants as well.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is adding a new location to Canton on July 18^th. The Virginia based chain is continuing to grow due to their focus on higher quality burgers instead of speed or bargain pricing. The new restaurant added 45 jobs to the area and will give Canton residents a new option for family casual dining.

Bill Bridges may own five other franchise locations from different brands, but he chose Dickey’s Barbecue Pit for his new restaurant. He opened his location in the Delaware suburb of Columbus, Ohio. This brings the chain’s total restaurant count to 156 in 38 different states.

The Red Room Tapas Lounge, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, is expanding its Salsa Night. The event began on Thursday nights at 9 pm, but guests can now salsa on Friday and Saturday nights as well. Free dance lessons are offered in the early evening and drink and tapas specials are available until 10 pm.

Yum Brands Inc. expects damage from a dropped lawsuit over the quality of Taco Bell’s ground beef to linger in the third quarter, but to ease during the remainder of the year, and laid out plans to turn the business around.

Taco Bell is Yum’s most profitable U.S. brand. A sharp decline in closely watched same-restaurant sales, along with higher-than-normal commodity inflation, resulted in a 28 percent decline in U.S. operating profit for the second quarter.

A California woman in January sued Taco Bell over the contents of its seasoned beef. Taco Bell responded by saying it planned to take legal action against the “false statements” being made about its food. In April, the woman voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit.

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David Novak, the chairman-CEO of Yum Brands, is on a mission to lift sales at the restaurant company — the parent of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut — and is challenging his ad agencies to do their part.

According to multiple people familiar with the matter, Mr. Novak has circulated a memo to the company’s lead creative agencies, calling for a “brainstorming session” that will involve its three main ad partners: WPP’s Ogilvy & Mather and Interpublic Group of Cos. siblings DraftFCB and the Martin Agency.

People familiar with the memo said Mr. Novak expressed discontent with the company’s U.S. business results compared with its international growth, and asked for agencies to assess the causes and come up with solutions. Solutions may include anything from untapped consumer trends to operations suggestions to innovations in the fast-food category. Mr. Novak is also understood to have inquired about what could be done on Yum’s part to help improve the creative work.

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The Wendy’s/Arby’s Group has successfully sold the Arby’s chain to Roark Capital. The original company will be renamed The Wendy’s Company immediately. Roark Capital now owns over 20 franchise brands including Arby’s. The Wendy’s Company will retain a 18.5 common stock holding in the brand.

Golden Corral has added new seafood menu items to its expansive buffet line-up with the introduction of Pan Seared Scallops, Shrimp and Tilapia. New sauces to top your freshly cooked seafood include spicy Alfredo sauce, lemon piccata sauce and scampi sauce. For light and tasty sides you can pair linguine or rice pilaf.

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s once tried to appeal to young male consumers with sexy burger ads and cheaper foods, but now the chain is seeing improvement as it becomes more upscale. Focusing on higher quality menu items like turkey burgers has brought the parent company CKE Restaurants back into rising instead of falling sales and growth.

Asheville may be known for its food scene, but the town has had a standing ban on food trucks and mobile food services for the past 25 years. The Asheville Downtown Commission is hearing the arguments of both residents interested in food trucks and city center retailers that don’t want them. About 75% of residents polled were in favor of overturning the ban.

Chili’s $20 Dinner for Two menu proved to be very popular as the economic recession worsened. Now the chain is adding more options for diners who need an inexpensive night out. The Hatch Chile Cheeseburger, Chicken Club Quesadillas and Santa Fe Sizzling Skillet are all on the $20 menu. Two of the additions use the mild green Hatch chile for flavoring.

Sonic restaurants are celebrating July as both National Hot Dog Month and Ice Cream Month with new menu additions. The Baja Dog will be available for a limited time and features pepper jack cheese, jalapenos and onions over an all-beef frank. The Sundae Shakes mix top quality Classic Hot Fudge, Strawberry Dream and Turtle ice cream with milk.

Taco Bell is making improvements to attract customers to spend more time in each location. Free Wi-Fi will be added to all national locations by 2015. The chain also plans to install new television displays in restaurants that show a mix of sports, entertainment and news content.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine has named the Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar as one of the top 100 Best Wine Restaurants for 2011. The director of the restaurant’s wine menu also manages one of the biggest Spanish wine programs in America. The restaurant chain combines a lively tapas bar atmosphere with the warmth and intimacy of a wine bar.

Hot N Juicy Crawfish will open their newest location in Orlando, Florida on July 9^th. The chain features Louisiana style seafood dishes, and of course hot and fresh boiled crayfish. The chain built up a following at their Las Vegas and Washington D.C. locations. All Hot N Juicy Crawfish locations use only fresh local seafood or top quality ingredients that are flown in daily.

Taco Bell will be outfitting all its US restaurants with free Wi-Fi and TV screens that will air music, lifestyle, entertainment and sports content in a bid to improve customers’ in-store eating experience.
By 2015, all 5,600 of its locations across the US will offer free Wi-Fi for its customers. Currently, only 40 restaurants offer the service.

But last week’s announcement is a belated move in the fast-food world, where chains like Starbucks and McDonald’s already offer free Wi-Fi to their customers.

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McDonald’s popular slogan may be “lovin’ it” but consumers beg to differ, the fast food icon was joined by Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell among the lower ranked chains in Consumer Reports first ever major fast food ratings.

The survey, based on responses from 36,733 subscribers who made more than 98,000 visits to 53 fast-food chains revealed that readers found them to offer uninspiring food, only so-so service. Other major chains with relatively low scores: sandwich shops Arby’s and Quiznos and pizza joints Domino’s and Pizza Hut.

“Chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell boast supersized values, but consumers don’t necessarily think they offer much bang for the buck,” said Tod Marks, Senior Projects Editor, Consumer Reports. “Fifty four percent of our subscribers cited low prices as a reason for picking a particular fast-food restaurant.”

By contrast, CR’s survey revealed good deals and even better meals at dozens of ever-present fast-food restaurants. Consumer Reports readers gave 21 of the 53 chains high marks for food.  Among the winners:

• For burger fans, In-N-Out Burger rated highest of all 53 chains rated in Consumer Reports Survey with high scores for food, service, value and speed.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill was among the best of 8 leading Mexican food chains, and earned high scores for food, politeness of staff and speed of service.
• One chicken chain topped the rest hands down: Chick-fil-A. With outstanding scores for politeness of staff, and high marks for food, value, and speed of service, respondents rated it higher than seven other leading poultry stops.
• If you’re craving a top-notch wedge, hero, hoagie, or sub served quickly with a smile on the side try Jason’s Deli or Firehouse Subs. Readers gave them the highest marks for food and favorable scores for politeness of staff and speed of services among 11 sandwich and sub chains.  
• The single standout for pizza: Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza, which has an unconventional concept where the patrons order a pizza to bake at home. It earned the highest marks for food, and exceptional scores for value, staff politeness and speed of service among the pizza chains.

Other Key Findings:

Diners want better food. Many restaurants scored higher for service—specifically, speed and politeness—than for food. At chains with the highest scores for food, 42 to 54 percent of patrons called the fare excellent, but at Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell, no more than 11 percent of patrons did. In fact, 15 to 19 percent of respondents who ate at one of those chains thought the food was fair, poor, or very poor. At Sbarro, an Italian chain, 27 percent of patrons judged the food fair, poor, or very poor.

Diners want a better experience. Whether they ordered cafeteria-style, at a counter, or at a drive-thru, or had food delivered, readers were much less pleased overall with fast-food restaurants than with casual full-service eateries like Cracker Barrel, Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobster. Sixty percent of respondents said they were completely or very satisfied with their fast-food dining experiences vs. 68 percent of casual-restaurant patrons.

For the complete ratings of 53 popular fast-food quick-service chains, to find out which chains offer the best food according to Consumer Reports readers, or to learn more about survey results, visit www.ConsumerReports.org starting June 30th, or pick up a copy of August issue of Consumer Reports  wherever magazines are sold.

Despite increasing overhead and declines in consumer dining, the fast casual category of restaurants continues to grow, even as other parts of the restaurant industry struggle. Technomic’s new report on fast casual chains in America shows that Mexican restaurants have become the most wide spread, while bakery cafes are second. Fast casual chains grew an average of 6 percent in 2010.

Consumers are using their Twitter accounts to rave about favorite foods or discuss a bad experience, so many fast food giants are getting in the game of responding to these tweets. Yum! Brands, the parent company of national restaurant chains like Papa John’s and Taco Bell, has hired a team of social media managers to handle Twitter. These social media experts also work to spread word of mouth promotions on Facebook and keep track of consumer opinions through social media.

McDonald’s is pushing ahead with their plans to become the world’s most technologically advanced fast food chain in the world. European locations will begin testing a completely computerized ordering system. Customers will place orders through easy to use touchscreen computers instead of speaking with an employee at a cash register. This will save the restaurants money and employee time, and will make orders more accurate for customers.

Darden Restaurants, parent company that owns and operates chains like Olive Garden and Red Lobster, is shuffling some of their top executives to re-engineer their leadership structure. Olive Garden’s President, Dave Pickens, will become the President of Red Lobster. Red Lobster’s current President, Kim Lopdrup, is moving to the SVP of Business Development position for the entire Darden company.

Zagat’s editorial team has compiled a new list for New York showcasing some of the top new talent in the restaurant industry. The list is known as the New York “30 Under 30” and contains the top 30 restaurantuers and chefs under the age of 30. Honorees include Cedric Vongerichten, the executive chef at Perry St., the butcher and co-owner of The Meat Hook and chef-owner of Eddie Huang at BaosHaus.

Atlanta Bread is intregrating Italy’s best selling coffee brand, Lavazza, in all of their national stores. To celebrate the chain will be giving away free coffee all day on May 23rd. Anyone who is a fan of the store on Facebook can pick up their free cup of coffee. The chain chose Lavazza coffee due to their social responsibility and top quality roasted blends.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit continues their fast paced 2011 expansion campaign with their first location opening in New Jersey. The new location, which is still in the planning stages, will be opened in Hoboken by Alan Cohen. Franchisee Cohen grew up in Texas, the home of the Dickey’s chain, so he knows barbecue. The chain is currently operating in 33 states, but by the time their expansion push is over, this number will be in the mid-40s.

Buffalo Wild Wings has opened their first international location with a new restaurant in Canada. Located in Oshawa, Ontario, this Buffalo Wild Wings will serve the same Tex Mex and hot wing focused menu as others but will also offer a unique Honey Garlic wing sauce that American restaurants don’t serve. The new restaurant brought over 100 jobs to the Oshawa community and plans to support local sports teams and other groups.

A new Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is coming to Maryland in the next few weeks. The Frederick, Maryland Red Robin will hold their grand opening on May 30th. The restaurant will give away free child ID kits from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to celebrate. Red Robin’s menu focuses on premium, gourmet burgers as well as a variety of salads, wraps and sandwiches to pair with fries and other popular side items.

Healthy Fast Food, a company specializing in chains that offer consumers healthier snack and meal choices while on the go, has changed its name to U-Swirl. The name change reflects their business focus on cafe style frozen dessert restaurants. The company hopes that the new name will help consumers and investors alike quickly understand the self-serve frozen yogurt focus of their efforts.

Tweeting about eating may seem like Internet noise to some, but the folks at Louisville-based Yum! Brands’ KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, as well as Papa John’s International, increasingly are talking back.

Reading and reacting to the daily blizzard of tweets, Facebook posts and other social media traffic has increasingly become an integral part of the restaurant industry.

All have staff who read and respond to what people say about the brands online. Most post specials and coupons, too, like the regular Facebook promotions local pizza chain BoomBozz offers to Facebook fans. Just as important, companies say, is to act or talk back to what consumers are saying about their brands.

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Taco Bell is demanding an apology from the law firm that brought a recently dismissed lawsuit alleging the fast-food chain misled consumers about the content of its beef — and says it’s even considering legal action against the firm.

The “Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?” campaign, which included full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today and numerous local market newspapers, followed an announcement from Alabama law firm Beasley Allen last week saying they dropped the class-action suit after “changes in marketing and product disclosure were made” by Taco Bell.

The Taco Bell ads refute that statement, saying the firm voluntarily withdrew the suit despite there being “no changes to our products or ingredients, no changes to our advertising, no money exchanged, no settlement agreement. ”

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YUM! Brands has announced that it has submitted a preliminary proposal to Little Sheep Group Limited under which YUM! Brands would offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Little Sheep, other than a minority interest to be held by the chairman and other founding shareholders of Little Sheep. Little Sheep owns and operates Hot Pot concept restaurants primarily in China and is headquartered in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China. Its shares are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. YUM! Brands currently owns 27.2% of the outstanding shares of Little Sheep. No formal offer has been made at this stage and any such offer, should one be made, would be made only after YUM! Brands has obtained all necessary regulatory approvals for the transaction. There can be no assurance that the current discussions between YUM! Brands and Little Sheep regarding the proposal will ultimately lead to an offer being made or, if an offer is made, that it will result in a completed transaction.

Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the world’s largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants with nearly 38,000 restaurants in more than 110 countries and territories. The company is ranked #216 on the Fortune 500 List and generated revenues of more than $11 billion in 2010. Four of the company’s restaurant brands – KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver’s – are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, Mexican–style food and quick–service seafood categories, respectively. A&W Restaurants is the longest running quick-service franchise chain in America. Outside the United States in 2010, the Yum! Brands system opened approximately four new restaurants each day of the year, making it a leader in international retail development. The company has consistently been recognized for its reward and recognition culture, diversity leadership, community giving, and consistent shareholder returns. In 2007, Yum! launched World Hunger Relief, the world’s largest private sector hunger relief effort to raise awareness, volunteerism and funds to benefit the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and other hunger relief agencies. To date, this effort has raised nearly $85 million for WFP and other hunger relief agencies and is helping to provide approximately 350 million meals, saving the lives of millions of people in remote corners of the world where hunger is most prevalent.

Taco Bell has launched a large ad campaign, including full page ads in many national newspapers, to combat the rumor that their beef mixture contains less than 30% actual meat. The chain is also requesting an apology from the Alabama law firm that began the class action lawsuit. The law firm dropped the case recently without a settlement, and Taco Bell would like the public to know that the claims were unsubstantiated.

The Board of Directors of McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants has dismissed the buyout offer recently began by LSRI Holdings. The offer would pay $9.25 in cash for any unowned stock in the chain, but this was only 30% of the stock’s value on the closing of the day the deal was announced. The Board of Directors feel that the deal undervalues the potential of the chain and believes that the economic recovery will bring the McCormick and Schmick’s company back on its own.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is facing a criminal investigation by the U.S. Government based on accusations of hiring illegal immigrants. The probe will investigate if the Mexican fast food chain has knowingly hired anyone who does not have a legal working status within the country in the last few years. A chain location recently fired 40 workers who they claim applied with forged documentation for their legal work status.

Saladworks was born in New Jersey, and the Northern state is a big focus for new growth at this time. To extend their reach into the Southern part of the state, Saladworks will open a new location in Washington Township to celebrate their 25^th anniversary. A new franchisee will be opening the location that fits in with the other 30 branches in New Jersey alone.

FohBoh Social Media and NetWorld Alliance are working together to start a new industry conference for franchisees and restaurant owners. The Foodservice Social Media Universe conference will help owners learn how to use social networking tools to grow and improve their businesses. The event will be held September 18^th through 20^th this year in San Francisco.

The Bob Evans company wants to make Easter easier for your family with their holiday Farmhouse Feast. Ordered over the phone or online, the feast contains delicious dishes like boneless ham, mashed potatoes and a lemon meringue pie. It serves up to eight guests and can be picked up at any Bob Evans restaurant location.

Denver may be the easiest location in the world for finding great tacos after Del Taco opens its 15^th location in the metro area on April 22^nd. Franchisee Mountain Taco owns this store and six others in Denver. The fresh ingredients and 24 hour drive thru make Del Taco a very popular chain in Colorado and other states around the country.

San Francisco’s Market Street now has a new coffee and wine bar. The Ma’Velous location opened April 1^st with a eco-chic interior and an expansive coffee and wine menu that caters to aficionados. Only fully trained, professional baristas were hired for the bar so guests can rest assured each cup of coffee will be brewed correctly.

While Moroccan cuisine is popular in California, only Morocco’s Restaurant serves lunch. Located in downtown San Jose, the restaurant has a menu created from 150 year old family recipes and an authentic Moroccan dining area. Each meal consists of a cold salad, meat entree and a grain dish on the side like families in Morocco still eat to this day.

Taco Bell announced today that it is launching a national ad campaign to make sure consumers know that it has not changed products, ingredients or advertising despite what the Beasley Allen law firm has claimed. After dropping the class action lawsuit, attorneys at Beasley Allen are now being asked by Taco Bell to set the record straight with America.

“We stand behind the quality of every single one of our ingredients, including our seasoned beef, and we want consumers to know that we didn’t change our marketing or product because we’ve always been completely transparent,” said Greg Creed, Chief Executive Office, Taco Bell.

The company is placing full page ads in national publications including Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today as well as in local market newspapers including Anniston Star, Birmingham News, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Post, Montgomery Advertiser, Mobile Press Register and Orange County Register. The company is also executing a campaign to reach its Hispanic customers.

To reach consumers online, the company launched a YouTube video featuring Taco Bell President Greg Creed speaking about the withdrawal of the lawsuit. The video will be placed on the company’s YouTube channel, Facebook page, website and supported with an online campaign on leading search engines and social media.

Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?

The law firm that brought false claims about our product quality and advertising integrity has voluntarily withdrawn their class action suit against Taco Bell.

• No changes to our products or ingredients.

• No changes to our advertising.

• No money exchanged.

• No settlement agreement.

Because we’ve ALWAYS used 100% USDA-inspected premium beef.

Sure, they could have just asked us if our recipe uses real beef. Even easier, they could have gone to our Web site where the ingredients in every one of our products are listed for everyone to see. But that’s not what they chose to do. Like we’ve been saying all along, we stand behind the quality of every single one of our ingredients, including our seasoned beef. We didn’t change our marketing or product disclosures because we’ve always been completely transparent. Their lawyers may claim otherwise, but make no mistake, that’s just them trying to save a little face.

We were surprised by these allegations, as were our 35 million customers who come into our restaurants every week. We hope the voluntary withdrawal of this lawsuit receives as much public attention as when it was filed. As for the lawyers who brought this suit: You got it wrong, and you’re probably feeling pretty bad right about now. But you know what always helps? Saying to everyone, “I’m sorry.”

C’mon, you can do it!

The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens announced today its Graduate To Go fundraiser that will be held April 7-21 at participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide. During this time, customers can donate to the graduation cause and Taco Bell restaurants have committed to match customer contributions up to $1 million, nationwide.  The success of the 2010 national fundraiser enabled the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens to grant $2.2 million to Boys & Girls Clubs and other partner organizations that inspire teens to graduate high school.  This year, the Foundation aspires to surpass this goal to reach even more teens.

“We are thrilled to announce our annual Graduate To Go Fundraiser and the continued support of Mark Wahlberg as our Graduate To Go Ambassador,” says Bob Fulmer, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens. “These funds will play an integral role in supporting a number of experiential teen programs proven to help teens stay in school.”  

Actor/Producer Mark Wahlberg serves as the Graduate To Go ambassador for the second consecutive year, joining the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens to promote the importance of staying in school and securing a diploma. Wahlberg will appear in an April national campaign to raise awareness and encourage support of the fundraiser. He also supports teen programs through his Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.  

“This cause is close to my heart, and I am proud to be a partner of the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens,” said Mark Wahlberg. “The real-world experiences, scholarships, and grants this fundraiser makes possible are life- changing for these teens, and the generous donations are truly helping to make a difference in America’s drop-out crisis.”

Throughout the fundraiser, customers are encouraged to donate $1 to help teens graduate.  As thanks for their support, participating restaurants will give contributors a taco coupon. During the fundraiser period, customers can also donate online at www.graduatetogo.com.  The Taco Bell Foundation for Teens will also thank online donors with a taco coupon during the fundraiser period.  

Graduate To Go is a long-term effort to raise awareness of the high-school dropout crisis and encourage teens to get their diploma. The initiative funds real-world experiences, such as job training and college preparation, proven to motivate teens to stay in school.   Through the Graduate to Go initiative, the Foundation funded College and Business Camps in over 10 markets last year and awarded more than 350 grants and scholarships to serve teens.

“Taco Bell has given me a life-changing experience,” said 17-year-old Karen Batani, a Boys & Girls Club of Wesminster member who attended the Graduate To Go Business Camp and earned $30,000 in Graduate to Go educational scholarships. “It feels incredible to no longer have to worry about money for college. I want to ensure that I give back, since the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens has given so much to me.”

The Taco Bell Foundation, Inc., also known as the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens (TBFT), a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, is committed to addressing the growing number of high school dropouts in the U.S. by providing at-risk youth with mentors and real-world experiences that will motivate them to stay in school and achieve more in life, and to collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations to garner greater impact. Since 1995, TBFT has donated more than $28 million to support teen programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and other teen-serving organizations with the help of on-going customer, franchisee and employee donations.  

Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., is the nation’s leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, grilled stuffed Burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as Crunchwrap Supreme, in addition to the 79-89-99 WHY PAY MORE! Value Menu. Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.

Mark Wahlberg and his family established the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation on the belief that no child should be prevented to living up to his or her potential due to financial hardship.  The Foundation works to improve the quality of life for teens living in urban communities and distributes funds to support local youth service and enrichment programs nationwide. A life-long member and advocate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Mark comes from a family of nine children with limited means and spent most of his afternoons and evenings at his local club.   He credits a large part of his success to the fact that he was fortunate to spend his free time in a positive and nurturing environment.  Visit www.markwahlbergyouthfoundation.com.

The Louisville-based fast food giant Yum! Brands Inc. is lobbying the Beshear administration to make Kentucky one of only a handful of states that allow food stamps to be used at restaurants by certain groups of recipients.

Under the federal food-stamp program, states may authorize that use by the elderly, disabled or homeless, who often have difficulty preparing meals. Only Michigan, Arizona and parts of California have done so.

Last month, Yum!, which owns the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell chains, registered for the first time to lobby the executive branch in Frankfort.

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A company that owns more than 400 KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut franchises across Canada has been granted court protection as it moves to sell its restaurants to a European franchisee.

Priszm Income Fund obtained the order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, the Toronto-based company said Thursday.

Priszm plans to sell 231 of the fast-food eateries in Ontario and British Columbia to U.K.-based Soul Restaurants Canada Inc.

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