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Log In / Register | May 18, 2013

Investigative News

Uptick in Breakfast Sandwich Offerings

Member | BMM | May 15 | trends

CHICAGO—The country's largest chain restaurants have been increasing sandwich offerings as part of the breakfast scene in order to grow same-store sales.

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Signs of Recovery in U.S. Restaurant Industry

Member | BMM | Mar 21 | food, trends

CHICAGO — The 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains registered a 4.9 percent annual sales increase in 2012, a marked improvement over 3.5 percent the prior year.

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Small Business Bankruptcies Falling, Incomes Rising

Member | BMM | Mar 19 | trends
Small Business Bankruptices and Proprietor Income from the Office of Advocacy, SBA
Data: SBA's Office of Advocacy*

WASHINGTON — The Small Business Administration says that small businesses continue to show signs of economic recovery.

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Weather, Sequestration Drag Retail Sales in February

Member | BMM | Mar 7 | retail, trends

NEW YORK — Retail chain stores in the United States posted a modest gain of 1.7 percent for the fiscal month of February on a year-over-year basis, according to a tally of comparable-store sales compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

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Gluten Avoiders Reach New High in 2013

Member | BMM | Mar 7 | food, trends
  "I'm trying to cut back/avoid gluten in my diet."
NPD Tracks Gluten Avoidance
Source: NPD Group/Dieting Monitor, 52 week year ending Jan. 30, '13

CHICAGO —As of this January about a third of U.S. adults say they want to cut down or be free of gluten in their diets, the highest percentage making this claim since market researcher The NPD Group, began asking the question in 2009.

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Restaurants Must Build Customer Loyalty

Member | BMM | Feb 15 | food, trends
Data: The NPD Group/Planning for Growth in the New Normal Marketplace

CHICAGO — With little to no growth forecasted for the restaurant industry over the next several years and consumer frugality being the "new norm," restaurants will need to cater to the needs of their cost-conscious customers to build loyalty and enhance value, according to market researcher The NPD Group.

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Best Western, Days Inn Have Strongest Brand Loyalty in Midscale and Economy Hotels

Member | BMM | Feb 14 | hotel, trends

Best Western housekeeping prepares a packeted fresh blanket and spare pillow
Emotional engagement: Best Western provides cleaned spare blankets & pillows in a new "wrap," reassuring each guest of cleanliness. Photo/BW

NEW YORK — Best Western and Days Inn are the top brands for customer loyalty in their respective hotel categories. The Best Western brand is ranked number one by consumers for midscale hotels and Days Inn is ranked number one for economy hotels.

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Valentine’s Shoppers Procrastinate

Member | BMM | Feb 9 | food, retail, trends
Valentine's Day Gift Purchases
Data: The NPD Group/SnackTrack Holidays Valentine's Day Profile

CHICAGO — Seventy-eight percent of shoppers will not begin to shop for Valentine's Day until at least a week before, finds a recent survey by market researchers The NPD Group .

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Sports Team Franchises To See Strong Growth; Fast Food Not So Much

Member | BMM | Feb 3 | buy, entertainment, franchising, trends

Growth in professional sports franchises & key related industries

Data: www.IbisWorld.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif. —If you want to own a franchise, research shows that the boats rise a little faster for sports team owners. If you can afford one, professional sports team franchises will be one of the strongest growing sectors compared to other sectors tied to sports.

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McDonald’s Store Comps to Improve Says Janney, but Franchisees Unhappy

Member | BMM | Jan 17 | food, manage, trends

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Janney Capital Markets maintained its rating of buy for McDonald's stock (NYSE:MCD) based on its anticipation that same-store sales for McDonald's restaurant units will gradually improve in 2013. "We believe that investors are more prepared today than they were in September for the tough sales comparisons," said Mark Kalinowski, analyst for Janney.

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