Nostalgia is taking the restaurant world by storm and eateries are drawing inspiration from television shows to childhood favorite foods, such as cookie dough and cereal. At Alinea in Chicago, chef Grant Achatz incorporates the smell of burning oak leaves into the fall menu to conjure memories of his Midwestern childhood. (Chicago Tribune)
Read MoreAfter reporting record fourth-quarter sales Thursday, Starbucks executives seemed confident that they had weathered a tumultuous year and put in place a clear, long-term plan focused on streamlined operations, returning cash to shareholders and growing in the U.S. and China. “While we still have work to do, these results provide encouraging evidence that our plan is working,” Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said on the company’s conference call with financial analysts. (Seattle Times)
Read MoreStrong sales at KFC and Taco Bell more than made up for continued weakness at Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut has been trying to turn itself around in the U.S. by ramping up its value offerings and marketing heavily during football games. (CNBC)
Read MoreDenny’s plans to franchise more than 100 company-operated units in the next 18 months, as it transitions to become an almost entirely franchisee-owned brand, the family-dining chain announced this week in a call with analysts. The company will move from being 90% franchise-owned to 95% to 97% franchised and will consolidate its market area of corporate units from 21 states down to eight states, executives said. (Restaurant Business)
Read MoreAs Starbucks begins its holiday sales push a week earlier than normal, the company plans to offer a 50-cent discount on drinks served in seasonal reusable cups after 2 p.m. during the next two months. The coffee company usually gives customers 10 cents off a drink if they bring their own cup. (Seattle Times)
Read More
