Howard Schultz, the founder and CEO of the Starbucks corporation, has started a boycott on campaign contributions. His lead has been followed by Whole Foods and J.C. Penny. The boycott aims to encourage politicians from both parties to work together to solve the growing deficit problem. He is also encouraging companies to spend the money on hiring instead of campaign funding.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has funded the production of a new short-film called “Back to the Start”. The stop-action animation illustrates one farmer’s path to sustainable agriculture, a pursuit the chain aims to support. Willie Nelson contributed a cover of Coldplay’s song “The Scientist” to the 2 minute film that will air in theaters around the country.
To support the charitable actions of the Habitat for Humanity foundation, Darden Restaurants donated over $1 million of furnishings from their stores. The fixtures were removed as part of on-going renovations to Olive Garden, Long Horn Steakhouse and other restaurants owned by the company. The ReStore locations sold out of the re-used furnishings quickly.
KFC restaurants in Southern California are bringing the excitement of the 2012 London Olympics to the area now. The KFC Olympics will involve five competitions pitting the best chicken cooks against each other. The winner of each regional contest will compete in the Finals at the beginning of October.
The National Aquarium has a new dining experience to offer visitors. The former main cafe was renovated to allow the new Harbor Market Kitchen room to grow. The restaurant uses local fresh ingredients in a variety of innovative dishes. The old cafe had nearly 1.5 million visitors before the renovations.
Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q has added another NASA store location in the Houston area. The restaurant and store opened on September 1st. The first 100 guests in line when the store opened walked away with a $20 gift card for the chain. Other giveaways were also held throughout the grand opening celebration.
BJ’s Restaurants is proud to celebrate the opening of their newest location. The Jacksonville restaurant opened on August 29th and seats nearly 300 guests. The location features the chain’s full menu of pizzas, salads, and a variety of beer options. The signature 103” plasma screen television is also in place.
Syosset, New York is home to the latest Hurricane Grill & Wings location. The chain is known for offering over 32 flavors of hot wings. The grand opening in Syosset brings the brand’s total number to 41 restaurants. The beach-style atmosphere brings a relaxed and family-friendly option to the dining scene.
Pizza fans in Arlington, Texas has another chain to choose from. Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers opened their new location on September 5th. The menu features all of Mellow Mushroom’s classic pizza, salad and appetizer options. Gluten-free crusts and hoagies will also be available.