Last summer, Ruby Tuesday revealed plans to close nearly 100 underperforming stores as part of the chain’s “Fresh Start Initiative” that aimed to turn around slumping sales. Those efforts apparently haven’t been as successful as the restaurant brand would have liked, and now it’s looking to sell itself instead. [More]
restaurants
Chipotle Closing All 15 ShopHouse Asian Kitchen Locations
By 3.9.17
Five months after Chipotle said it would stop investing in the growth and development of its Asian-inspired ShopHouse Kitchen chain, the company announced plans to close all 15 locations, essentially abandoning the brand. [More]
Restaurants Adding Surcharge To Customers’ Bills Amid Rising Labor Costs
By 3.9.17
Restaurants are taking a cue from the cable industry: Rather than raise menu prices to cover the higher cost of paying wages, some eateries are tacking on “labor surcharges.” [More]
Health Officials Investigating After Restaurant’s Apple Juice Burns Kids
By 3.6.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
We’ve heard of kids accidentally being served alcohol at restaurants before, but according to police in Pennsylvania, three kids complained that their throats and mouths were burning after drinking what was supposed to be apple juice at a Chinese buffet restaurant. [More]
Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins To Eliminate Artificial Colors From Products By 2018
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins on Thursday became the latest chains to join the growing list of restaurants and food producers promising to remove artificial flavors and dyes from its menus. [More]
Senators Pitch Last-Minute Attempt To Exempt Pizza Places From New Menu Labeling Law
By 2.23.17
On May 5, 2017, new federal regulations finalized three years ago will go into effect that require chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to post calorie counts on their menus, as well as on food items sold in vending machines and snack bars. Before that happens, lawmakers in the Senate have introduced a bill to make a few revisions. What would those revisions mean for consumers faced with making mealtime decisions? [More]
Police Called To Same Chuck E. Cheese’s Twice In Two Months For Brawling Adults
By 2.21.17
Hey, remember back in December when adults sneaked booze into a Chuck E. Cheese’s and were arrested for attacking cops who came to deal with their illicit drinking? Another brawl broke out at the same restaurant yesterday, sending two guests to the hospital. [More]
Dozens Of Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill, & Carrabba’s Restaurants Closing
By 2.21.17 — Updated: 2.23.17
Following in the not so distant footsteps of chains like Bob Evan’s, Old Country Buffet, Ruby Tuesday, and Logan’s Roadhouse, Bloomin’ Brands — parent company to the Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming’s Steakhouse chains — announced it would close dozens of locations. [More]
Hooters Opens Fast Casual Restaurant “Hoots”
By 2.14.17
Fast casual restaurants are all the rage. Even eateries that have been around for years are jumping into the world of counter-service and quick eats, including Hooters, which recently opened its first location of a new, smaller version of its restaurants: Hoots, A Hooters Joint. [More]
Here’s What It’s Like To Visit New York City’s Pastry-Serving, French-ish McDonald’s
By 2.10.17
Outside of french fries, there’s nothing about McDonald’s that makes you envision a Parisian café or some bistro in Marseilles, but that hasn’t stopped the fast food goliath from testing a supposedly France-inspired location in the middle of Manhattan; just convenient enough for me to check out. [More]
Sick Of Being Robbed, Coffee Shop Goes Cash-Free
By 2.3.17 — Updated: 5.8.17
There are plenty of restaurants and businesses that refuse to accept anything other than cash, but one Baltimore coffee shop is swinging the other direction after getting robbed one too many times. [More]
Chipotle Sales Down 20% In 2016; Still Working On That Comeback Thing
By 2.3.17
The good news for burrito chain Chipotle is that its sales are up for the first time in six quarters. The company’s food safety nightmare began in Oct. 2015, and since then the company has either been in crisis mode or trying to recover. The chain’s latest quarterly results show that the recovery isn’t complete, but at least its sales are up a little bit. [More]
Pizza Hut Worker & Company Head Trade Places: She Gets Super Bowl Tickets, He Does Her Job
By 2.3.17
In a classic job switcheroo, this year a Pizza Hut employee will enjoy the boss’s Super Bowl seats, while the company president covers her usual restaurant duties. [More]
Restaurateur: The Last Howard Johnson’s Is Doing Just Fine, Thanks
By 1.26.17
Yesterday, the news spread across the country that the last still-operating Howard Johnson’s restaurant was not long for this world, with a great big “AVAILABLE” sign posted outside the eatery in the tourist town of Lake George, NY. However, the restaurant’s owner says things are just fine, and claims that this HoJo’s is not closing. [More]
Waitress Pays Kind Diners’ Bill, Gets Free Dental Work In Return
By 1.25.17 — Updated: 1.26.17
In a world where there is no shortage of negative interactions between total strangers, it’s always nice to hear about people treating each other with a large dose of kindness. Like a meal at a New Jersey diner that started with one decent act and eventually resulted in free dental work. [More]
Bob Evans Selling Off All Restaurants For $565M To Focus On Packaged Foods
By 1.25.17
The house of Bob Evans is about to be divided between the packaged foods business and the company’s restaurant brand: Bob Evans Farms Inc. says it’s decided to sell off its eateries to a private equity firm for $565 million and throw its efforts into selling sausage and side dishes in grocery stores. [More]
Here’s How You Can Get A Free Burger At Shake Shack
By 1.23.17
If you’re the kind of person who prefers free food over food you have to pay for — and who isn’t? — we’ve got some good news for you: in a bid to woo customers into downloading its new mobile app, Shake Shack is offering customers a free burger. [More]
McDonald’s & Other Fast Food Giants Battling For Siberian Customers
By 1.20.17
When you picture Siberia, you probably imagine a vast, frozen landscape, tucked away in the coldest corner of the globe. You probably don’t picture the Golden Arches lighting up the frigid night, but now even Siberia has several McDonald’s locations — and it’s got plenty of competition for customers. [More]
