Bojangles is celebrating two new milestones at once. The company has been in business for 35 years, and it recently opened its 500th store in Surf City, N.C. The chain first began in Charlotte, N.C. in 1977 serving only fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits. The current menu still contains these Southern classics, but has expanded to a range of breakfast, lunch and dinner items.
Don Schroeder may have left the Tim Hortons company last month, but he’s going to receive a large severance package and a job as a consultant for the chain. He’ll receive $5.75 million in Canadian dollars for agreeing to give up the right to sue the company for further pay. The consultancy job will require him to oversee the sustainable farming efforts and the children’s foundation run by the company.
Flip Video was Jonathan Kaplan’s first success, but now he’s flipping for grilled cheese and other hot, melty sandwiches. His new restaurant concept is called The Melt and relies on new sandwich presses that will produce a hot meal in under a minute. The chain will also serve tasty soups that are aerated before serving for maximum flavor.
Harry Persaud says that grasshoppers are a food staple in Oaxaca, his native home, but the San Francisco Health Department has told him that he can no longer serve grasshopper tacos. The unusual insect filled dishes actually made La Oaxaqueña Bakery and Restaurant quite popular. The health department says that they aren’t against eating insects, but there’s no way to tell where the insects were gathered.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit began in Texas, and now the Dallas area will have another source for great barbecue. Sam Kwon will open his new restaurant at some point this year after he completes the company’s franchisee training program. The chain is popular due to its quality smoked meats and complementary servings of ice cream.
Dickey’s is also adding their support to the Memorial Golf Tournament being held for the family of John Nimmons, who passed away from cancer recently. The South Carolina golf tournament will be held June 11th. The local Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location will donate catering to the event to keep players and guests fueled.
BAB, the parent company of the My Favorite Muffin Brand, is continuing to develop a co-branding project with Kaleidoscoops. The Kaleidoscoops chain provides fresh hand dipped ice cream to customers in a number of states. Any of the chain franchisees will be given the opportunity to add BAB branded products to their locations.
A new BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse will open soon in Century City, California. The restaurant was built in the new Westfield Century City Mall and seats 245 guests. The menu features all of the BJ’s classics including deep dish pizza, craft beers and plenty of desserts. Guests will also enjoy the 103 inch plasma screen television.
Pleasure Pizza has been a Santa Cruz favorite since 1987, but the restaurant is now expanding with a second location. The East Side location opens on June 11th with a grand opening celebration that will give guests two-for-one pints of their favorite beers all day. The new location also adds a breakfast menu with a variety of dishes.
Bob Evans Farms has announced all of their earning reports for the 2011 fiscal year. Despite challenges posed by rising food costs, the company met its operating income guidance. A total operating income of over $88 million dollars was reported after a $19 million dollar negative impact adjustment. This includes food products sales and at both restaurant chains.