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Log In / Register | Feb 8, 2012

Engaged Franchisees Key to CKE Success

Andrew Puzder
CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder/CKE photo

CARPINTERIA, Calif. –  Andrew F. Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants Inc. and the recipient of numerous leadership awards, speaks with Blue MauMau on the art of leading franchise owners.

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Investigative News

Racketeering Expert Goes After Coffee Beanery

Member | Janet Sparks | 5:07 pm | food, legal

BALIMORE – Rick Welshans and partner Deborah Williams filed their second amended complaint last month against Coffee Beanery alleging racketeering claims, those normally associated with organized crime. But this time the allegations are asserted by a racketeering specialist, one who has a proven record of protecting clients from business fraud and conspiracy. 

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Fast Casual to Influence Entire Restaurant Industry for 2012 and Beyond

Member | BMM | 11:43 am | food
change in traffic
Source: The NPD Group/Fast Casual: A Growing Market

CHICAGO — Restaurants are increasingly adopting fast casual chains' winning strategies, according to market researcher the NPD Group.  Its research in foodservice shows that fast casual is the only restaurant segment continuing to grow throughout the current economic times.

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Taco Bell Serves Breakfast in the West

Member | BMM | Jan 31 | food

IRVINE, Calif. — Last Thursday Taco Bell launched the first items in its new breakfast platform. Eleven breakfast items ranging from 99 cents to $2.79 will be offered in 10 Western states.

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Mr Ronnies Donuts Partners with Francorp

Member | Janet Sparks | Jan 29 | food

CHICAGO – Francorp chairman Donald Boroian said he is so impressed with Ronnie’s Famous Hot Donuts in Houma, Louisiana; he will personally head up the company’s project to franchise the concept across the country.

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Quiznos Completes Financial Restructuring

Member | Janet Sparks | Jan 24 | food

DENVER —- Quiznos announced today that it has completed an out-of-court financial restructuring plan that will eliminate one third of its outstanding debt.

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Franchisee Group Sues Cold Stone

Member | Janet Sparks | Jan 23 | food, legal
Franchisees say its time for Cold Stone Creamery to give an accounting of Gift Card
A Cold Stone Creamery, photo/blue maumau; Gift Card/Cold Stone web site

MIAMI – The law firm of Zarco Einhorn Salkowski & Brito, PA filed a lawsuit today on behalf of an independent franchisee association against franchisor Cold Stone Creamery for failing to give its members an accounting of monies collected from third-party vendors and the franchisor's gift card program.

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Restaurants to Grow Slow, But Offer Healthy

Member | BMM | Jan 18 | food, trends

CHICAGO — The restaurant industry in 2012 will continue a slow recovery.

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Bajio Consultant Speaks Out on Award

Member | Janet Sparks | Jan 18 | food, legal

SALT LAKE CITY - As consultant to franchisors Bajio, LLC and Bajio Mountain West, LLC, Bradley T. Davis has a lot to say about the arbitration award presented to franchisees Brad and Sanford Woodward on July 27, 2011. Not only did he give his declaration in Fourth District Court in Utah, he also spoke with Blue MauMau.

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Ex-Subway Owners Yet to See Dime of Awarded $8.4M for Fraud

Member | Janet Sparks | Jan 17 | food, legal
Satire of logo, courtesy of BMM
Satire of Bajio Mexican Grill logo with burning dollars by BMM

SALT LAKE CITY – A Utah arbitrator demanded franchisor Bajio Mexican Grill make restitution for defrauding franchisees and harming their family. He awarded the owners $8.4 million, sending a strong message to the franchisor to change its ways.

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Domino’s CEO: Laying Groundwork for Change

Member | Don Sniegowski | Jan 13 | food, franchising, manage
Ribbon Cutting at Domino's 9000th store, which happened to be opened in India
CEO Doyle in India for Domino's 9000th store, photo/Domino's

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Patrick Doyle, president and chief executive officer of Domino's Pizza Inc. (NYSE:DPZ), speaks with Blue MauMau about building consensus in order to make a major change in the brand. The CEO says that the recent change in its menu items was probably the most significant since the founding of the chain.

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Headlines from the 'Net

McD Chickens Out on Chicken Ad

Member | Lionel Hutz PA | 10:02 am | food
Pit Bull seeks to educate
A photo of a pit bull from Flickr/Lexus2D

McDonald's pulled a radio ad in Kansas City that dared to say that eating Chicken McBites was less risky than petting a pit bull.

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The Coffee Club Still Growing

Member | Ray Borradale | Feb 7 | food

The Coffee Club franchise is predicting a new store every fortnight for the next five years after growing by 18.5 per cent last year.  Already Australia's largest coffee chain, this brand has experienced healthy growth since day one and unlike most of it’s competitors, all without any public franchisee spats.

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Wendy's Wants to Stop Franchisee from Using Brand

Member | Bob Frankman | Feb 5 | food

Wendy's International has asked for a court injunction to stop a franchisee with restaurants in Montana, Oregon and Washington from using its brand. Why does Wendy's want to terminate the agreement and have the franchisee pull down its trademarks?

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McDonald’s Stops Pink Slime in Burgers

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | Feb 2 | food

British chef and American t.v. star Jamie Oliver is on a mission to end the unwholesome foods that are bulking up school kids and their parents. They are listening.

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Wendy's Not The Cool Place, Says COO

Expert | Paul Steinberg | Jan 31 | food
A cool looking New York City McDonald's
A rather cool looking McDonald's at Times Square, New York City

Wendy's released respectable numbers yesterday, but a blunt comment is what drew industry attention.

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Nigel Travis Bows To Prince Of New York

Member | Lionel Hutz PA | Jan 29 | entertainment, food
Dunkin K-Cup on Times Square
Dunkin ad at Times Square

Times Square being the crossroads of New York, it follows that One Times Square is the center of the known universe.

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Smashburger Gaining National Recognition

Reporter | Janet Sparks | Jan 26 | food
Opening of Hicksville, NY Smashburger

CEO Dave Prokupek announced today that their Smashburger “better burger”  restaurant concept is growing fast, now with 143 locations nationwide.

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Burger King Tries Home Delivery

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | Jan 22 | food

Responding to the challenge that Wendy's system-wide sales looks likely to overtake it this year, Burger King is test-driving a $2 home delivery service in the Washington D.C. area on orders of $8 and up.

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McD Manager Prefers McNuggets To Sex

Member | Lionel Hutz PA | Jan 21 | food

A Los Angeles woman took the MCD "I'm Lovin It" ad campaign a bit literally.

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McD Zees Concerned about Pricing Strategy

Reporter | Don Sniegowski | Jan 19 | food

Although McDonald's franchisees are generally pleased with the business outlook for the next six months, they are increasingly frustrated with the franchisor's pricing strategy.

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Expert Advice

Is Your Restaurant Like Kodak or Disney?

Member | Steven Johnson | Jan 18 | food
Steven Johnson's picture

Have you noticed that Kodak is nearly out of business? Growing up in the 1960’s and ‘70’s, I saw that nearly every family had a Kodak camera. I still have mine.

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Operational Observations for Restaurateurs

Expert | John Gordon | Jan 13 | food, manage
John Gordon's picture

I had the opportunity to travel throughout the States in November and December. I visited a lot of restaurants, seeing not only good things and good people but also operational issues that result in leaving dollars on the table. These are things that slice revenues and generate more expenses for a business.

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Domino's Site Crashes During Pizza Giveaway, Chain Blames "Bad Apple" Customers

Member | StoreFrontBackTalk | Nov 27 | food, manage
StoreFrontBackTalk's picture

When it comes to short-term E-Commerce promotions, be careful what you wish for or you will surely crash. Target.com learned that lesson and then it was Domino's turn. But Domino's Pizza explained away its crash with a twist: It blamed "bad apple" customers.

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