Isaac Green started working at a McDonald’s as a high school student, despite the jeers of his peers. However, now he is the successful owner of eight locations in Maryland and Virginia. The eight franchise restaurants pull in an annual profit of $21 million dollars and he provides work for over 450 employees. Green has worked in nearly every position at McDonald’s from crew member to owner. He looks to expand to thirty locations over the next five years.
Viktor Prenushi opened his first restaurant in 1997 after immigrating to America and is now living the American Dream. Vetoni’s Italian Restaurant serves his family’s secret recipes that came straight from Albania. The restaurant also features a full service bar with an extensive wine list. The restaurant only serves handmade food including Alfredo sauce made from scratch.
Joliet, Illinois was home to the very first Dairy Queen location, and last Friday officials from the company visited the town to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the founding. The current President of Dairy Queen and the granddaughter of the founder were among those in attendance. Last November the town city council gave the original Dairy Queen location the local landmark distinction.
The coffee shop has been an ideal place for relaxation and socializing since the 17th century. During the early years many ship captains visited coffee shops to obtain marine insurance, and this legacy continues with many telecommuters working on laptops in modern locations. Coffee is a great stimulant for workers and the exciting but casual environment provides a good replacement for office interaction.
The Currito chain may be new, but the creators are betting on the national demand for fresh burritos to grow. Other chains also feature the custom burrito angle, but Currito brings in international flavors with a wider variety of toppings for a unique twist. For example, Mediterranean toppings include hummus and feta cheese. The chain currently has 14 locations with plans for many more to open this year.
Jack in the Box may be the world’s fifth largest hamburger brand, but the company is struggling to improve sales. Customers did spend over $3 billion at the restaurants in 2010 but this figure is way below what it was before the 2008 dip in the economy. The company also reported a 62% drop in sales since last year.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has elected their new Chief Burger Officer after an extensive contest. Micheal Morrison stood out among over 7,200 applications because of the special events in his life revolving around Red Robin. His son was born in a Red Robin parking lot and he spent many weekends in high school holding car washes there.
Carl’s Jr. is partnering with Coca-Cola once again for a new contest. Two winners will receive $5,000 gift cards for electronic retailers. The My Coke Rewards program codes are listed on every drink cup from Carl’s Jr.. When customers redeem them, they’ll receive regular reward points as well as extra chances for winning a variety of prizes.
Fishkill, New York is going to be the newest home of a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location. Resident Charlie Cassara will be opening his new restaurant in June. Cassara visited the original location in Texas to check out the franchise before developing his own location. The chain has other restaurants in New York, but this will be the first location in Fishkill.