Zagat released the 2011 America’s Top Restaurants guide on Wednesday. The guide contains ratings and reviews of more than 1,500 of the top dining establishments across the United States. Avid diners and foodies submit ratings and reviews with more than 150,000 reviews submitted for this year’s guide.
Wendy’s wants to remind everyone that not only were they the original 99¢ Value Menu creator, but they still have the best food for the value as well. The Wendy’s 99¢ Everyday Value Menu has seven customer favorites with the same great ingredients at an affordable price. Wendy’s value menu has been in place for more than 20 years.
Taco Bueno has announced the rollout of the Taco Bueno Choice Menu. The new menu features nine low calorie dishes. The restaurant is making an effort to offer its more health conscious guests a suitable option for their nutritional choices. Items on the new menu range from 180-450 calorie dishes.
Royal Caribbean International and Starbucks have teamed up. The coffee giant now has a café on the cruise company’s Allure of the Sea. The ship is Royal Caribbean’s largest and most revolutionary design along with sister ship Oasis of the Seas.
The last of three former OSI Restaurant Partners has pled guilty to stealing nearly $2 million from the company. Mark T. Watson entered a guilty plea in a case where federal prosecutors claimed Watson and two other OSI employees paid invoices for shell companies and fraudulently wired the money into another account. All three men have now pled guilty to the charges. Watson was a supervisor in the company’s treasury department.
Antico Pizza Napoletana is already recognized as some of the best pizza in Atlanta, and now Italy is taking notice. Antico was chosen to receive the prestigious Top in Class award for the United States by the famous 2-day Festa Della Pizza in Salerno, Italy to celebrate the best pizzas from around the world. Salerno is the birthplace of the original pie.
UFood Restaurant Group has submitted an application for a listing in the Franchise Registry with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Part of the company’s strategic growth plan is making it easier for franchisees to have access to financing, allowing them to start or invest in franchise restaurants. Being listed in the Franchise Registry will streamline the process for franchisees looking to secure investment finances.
Brinker International has announced the results for their first fiscal quarter ending September 29, 2010. The results indicate that diluted earnings per share increased to $0.21 from $0.12 in last year’s same quarter. The company also announced that restaurant operating margin increased by 15% and that dividends for the first quarter were paid at a rate of $0.14, up 27.3% from a year ago.
Famous Dave’s of America released the results for their third fiscal quarter. The company results show an increase of net income from $1.2 million to $1.5 million when compared to the same quarter last year. Revenue for the company increased from $33.3 million to $38.7 million over the same time, and earnings per diluted share moved from $0.13 to $0.17.
CiCi’s Pizza is all about manners. Beginning November 1 and running through the end of the month, the restaurant will offer pocket-sized “Thank Yous Count” trackers to parents. Parents are encouraged to mark the card each time their child offers an unprompted “thank you”. Once the card is full, parents can redeem it for a free kids 10 and under buffet with the purchase of an adult buffet. The promotion is part of the company’s commitment to community and courtesy.