Food trucks are booming in popularity as the economy makes the low start-up costs much more attractive when compared to opening a stand-along building. Social media has made promoting and keeping guests updated on route information much easier for food truck users. Mobile eating is also more social and even faster than fast food restaurants.
Former fast-food executive Herman Cain is promising Americans that if he becomes President, he’ll turn the economy around. He claims to have turned around the struggling Godfather’s Pizza chain to profits in just over a year. Cain has also been the regional vice president of Pillsbury’s Burger King division and President of the National Restaurant Association.
An amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act recently added by the Department of Labor has triggered a lawsuit from the National Restaurant Association. The Department gives restaurant owners who employ tipped wait staff just 30 days to change their posted information on tip credits. The NRA, along with the Council of State Restaurant Associations and others, are pushing to lengthen the time limit on compliance.
Real Mex Restaurants will soon have a new chief operating officer. Edie Ames will take the position on July 11th after a stint as chief operating officer at Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group. She was also the president of Morton Restaurant’s Group for half a decade. The board of the company and the current president chose her for her extensive experience in the restaurant industry.
The three winners of the Krystal’s Design a Box contest held last fall recently visited Chattanooga as part of their grand prize. The guests enjoyed trips to famous Chattanooga attractions like Ruby Falls and Rock City. They also saw their new designs printed on the real Krystal boxes at the luncheon held at the end of the trip.
The McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Games will be held in Chicago, according to an announcement from the company. The games will be held next March and gives high school basketball team members from around the country a chance to compete at the national level. ESPN will cover the boy’s tournament, while ESPNU will cover the girl’s game.
Dairy Queen‘s first three locations in the Middle Eastern country of Saudi Arabia is now open for business. One location is the company’s largest and features two stories. Franchisee Al Safwa Food Group operates the chain exclusively in Saudi Arabia right now. The company will open at least 5 more locations this year, and plans to have 32 by the end of 2015.
Five Jamba Juice stores are now in operation in South Korea. The most recent location opened in the town of Seocho, the neighborhood of Seoul that is home to the Supreme Court. The chain has opened all five locations in the country within the last five months. Jamba Juice was accepted enthusiastically by South Koreans and is very popular.
VooDoo BBQ & Grill focuses on Louisiana style barbecue and creole style side dishes. They will soon expand outside of Louisiana just in time for their 10th anniversary. New franchisee rights have been awarded that allow franchisees to develop restaurants in Greenville, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina, among other areas.
Olive Garden has announced the winners of the 15th annual “Pasta Tales” essay competition. A homeschooled student named David Carr won the grand prize with his essay about becoming an environmental filmmaker. He received a $2,500 savings bond towards higher education and a trip to New York City.