McDonald's, Portillo's, Friendly's follow the sun | Fat Brands to take a more discerning approach to growth | Report: Restaurants revved up hiring in February
Florida, Texas and other Sun Belt states are seeing their populations grow as more consumers from the Midwest and Northeast relocate, making the region ripe for growth by restaurant chains. Most of the 900 new locations McDonald's plans to add in the US over the next few years will be in the Sun Belt, Chicago-based Portillo's is seeing strong sales at its first stores in the region and Friendly's is betting on its familiarity to transplants from the Northeast.
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Fat Brands is still on the lookout for acquisition targets to grow its portfolio, with a focus on "salads, sandwich or coffee brands," chairman Andy Wiederhorn said, adding that price is much more of a consideration than it was a few years ago when interest rates were lower. The parent of brands including Fatburger, Twin Peaks and Fazoli's spent about $1 billion on acquisitions in 2021, largely financed with debt the company is now focused on paying down.
Restaurants and bars created 41,600 of the 275,000 jobs US employers added in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bringing the number of employees in the industry to 31,000 more than in February 2020. Eighty-eight percent of operators surveyed recently by the National Restaurant Association said they expect to do more hiring over the next year, and the industry is expected to add about 200,000 new jobs in 2024.
National Restaurant Association President & CEO Michelle Korsmo joined industry legend David Novak on his "How Leaders Lead" podcast, where she discussed the Association's progress, shaping a path to success, and shared valuable career advice for women aspiring to advance in their careers. Download it here.
Established chains including Subway, Potbelly, KFC and Taco Bell have been revving up their sweet treat offerings to tempt consumers and stay competitive with fast-growing specialty concepts like Mochinut, Crumbl and Chip City Cookies. Shake Shack is testing whether desserts can drive afternoon traffic, Wendy's teamed with Cinnabon to add a sweet breakfast treat and Potbelly is promoting six packs of its popular cookies.
To commemorate International Women's Day 2024, Adrienne Katz Kennedy writes about 15 women who changed America's food industry for the better. Among them: Alice Waters, who was a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement; Edna Lewis, who was one of the only Black female chefs when she opened Cafe Nicholson; Dorothy Gerber, who had the idea that pre-made baby foods could ease the strain on parents; and Julia Child, who was a trailblazer for women in food, being one of the first to be inducted into The Culinary Institute of America's Hall of Fame.
Your Generation Z team members are resilient, adaptable, steeped in technological knowledge and want socially conscious and fulfilling work, characteristics leaders should leverage, write Wes Adams, the CEO of SV Consulting Group, Ken Banta, the CEO of The Vanguard Network and Orlan Boston, a senior partner at Ernst & Young LLP Global Health and Life Sciences. "A focus on mentorship and professional development, especially during the time they are in the office, will be critical to their success," they write.
Innovative raw fish dishes are starring on menus at Florida eateries like Miami's Osaka Cocina Nikkei, where the house-made ceviche marinade is made with white miso, and Miami Beach's Mirabella where Sunday brunch features a sliced fish mosaic. New dishes in other parts of the country include three new fennel dishes at Anomaly SF in San Francisco and the Salted Caramel Espresso Martini at Balos in Washington, D.C.
When Rachel Williams moved to California to attend the Culinary Institute of America, she missed the breakfast tacos left behind in Austin, Texas, and has now taken them from her farmers' market stand to a permanent location, Ray Ray's in St. Helena. Chef-owner Williams uses handmade flour tortillas, makes four salsas from scratch and offers morning options including a taco with mashed potatoes, while lunch tacos skip the scrambled eggs and include ingredients like braised carnitas and pickled kumquats.