Top Casual Dining News

According to Restaurant DemandTracker, a recent survey of restaurant customers in the United States, casual-dining restaurants can take a variety of steps to increase traffic. The survey asked restaurant-goers who were aware of each casual-dining brand what the brand could do to make them visit more often in the future. The answer choices included a […]

BJ's Restaurants, Inc. announced the opening of its newest restaurant in Puyallup, Washington, on April 1. The new BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse is the latest addition to the one million square foot South Hill Mall. The restaurant is approximately 8,500 square feet, contains seating for approximately 270 guests, and features BJ's extensive menu including BJ's […]

Bennigan’s Franchising Company's president and CEO Paul Mangiamele announced April 1 the spring release of "Bennigan's Return to Relevance…Bleeding Green 25/8.”  This business book, which will debut at the Restaurant Leadership Conference (RLC) on April 21-24 in Scottsdale, Ariz., delves into the iconic Irish restaurant's renaissance and defines the scale and scope of bringing a Chapter […]

Wingstop is expanding in Indiana. The 550-unit chicken wing chain has signed a 12-store development agreement to grow its presence throughout the state.   The agreement is thanks to longtime Indiana entrepreneur and businessman, Chintu Patel, who has been both a franchisor and franchisee of various restaurant and hospitality concepts in the area since 2001. […]

To honor the Cinderella story of this year’s 2013 Men’s NCAA Tournament and its hometown team – Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) – Elevation Burger Fort Myers (9902 Gulf Coast Main St.) will host a March Madness celebration March 29. That evening (at 10:17 p.m. EDT), the No. 15 seed Eagles will take on the […]

Bahama Breeze Island Grille, the casual dining restaurant that gives guests the feeling of an island escape, announced that it is rolling out a new line of Rice Bowls. The new Rice Bowls feature fresh island flavors ranging from savory to sweet to spicy, are available on both the lunch and dinner menu, and can […]

Sub lovers from coast to coast can make a substantial difference March 27 by joining in Jersey Mike's "Day of Giving." On that day, Jersey Mike's Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled East Coast-style subs, is donating 100 percent of sales to 86 local charities including hospitals, youth organizations, food banks, and more. The […]

The National Restaurant Association congratulated Buffalo Wild Wings on receiving the 2013 VIBE Vista Operator Award for Best Responsible Alcohol Service Program. The restaurant received the award at the VIBE (Very Important Beverage Executives) conference in Las Vegas March 20 and 21. The award is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Alcohol program. Minneapolis-based Buffalo Wild Wings provides its guests […]

Time to snap out of the winter blues and put the chilly season behind you with la Madeleine’s new delectable spring menu. This spring, escape to the French countryside with rustic, authentic flavors that say bonjour to warmer days. French-inspired mini croques, a fresh salade with a sweet twist and an irresistible citrus cake are the […]

The quality thaw and serve cheesecakes, layer cakes, and cupcakes from The Cheesecake Factory Bakery’s, The Dream Factory give operators an opportunity to cash in on their dessert menus. Foodservice operators strive to distinguish their dessert menus with unique offerings that meet demand for craveable flavors, and many do so by relying on the sweet good-sellers that […]

PizzaRev announced March 19 that Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. has taken a minority position in its innovative “Craft Your Own” fast-casual pizza concept. PizzaRev burst onto the scene in Los Angeles and in less than a year has earned rave reviews from fans and critics alike for its unique format which empowers guests to build […]

Twin Peaks Restaurants announced the restaurant has awarded its second largest franchise commitment to expand its presence into Southern Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio with 16 stores. GT Hospitality Restaurant, LLC, signed a 16-store agreement to develop Twin Peaks throughout the Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke, Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati areas over the next seven years. With 31 […]

Bagger Dave’s Legendary Burger Taverns vast number of local craft draft beers offered at their locations is now “on tap” on the Findmytap mobile application, available for Android and Apple devices. People who are out on the town with a particular craving can now find out which Bagger Dave’s serves their favorite craft draft beer […]

Katherine Goldfaden, Director of Marketing of LM Restaurants, announced March 12 that the Carolina Ale House raised $22,000 for the Carolina Hurricanes Kids ‘N Community Foundation (KNCF) during the 2013 Hearts for the Hurricanes campaign. All 11 N.C.-based Carolina Ale House (CAH) restaurants were challenged to sell hearts and magnets to benefit KNCF during the […]

Twin Peaks recently opened its first Illinois location at 781 N. Milwaukee in Wheeling, near Chicago. Twin Peaks Wheeling features 12,000 square feet of bold hunting lodge décor landscaped with more than 60 high-definition televisions, two indoor fireplaces, and an all-season oversized patio. The menu is made-from-scratch with a wide selection of 29-degree draft beers, a full-service bar with […]

Global restaurateur HMSHost will welcome travelers with three new restaurants at Raleigh Durham International Airport as part of the airport’s Terminal 1 Modernization Project. The project is slated to be completed in early 2014. Travelers at Raleigh-Durham will experience the first ever ACC American Café, as well as HMSHost’s own La Tapenade and national favorite […]

Johnny Rockets has announced a franchise agreement with Prime Gourmet Private Limited to open at least 20 Johnny Rockets restaurants in India over the next few years. Initial locations are slated for New Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon in the National Capital Region, with subsequent expansion planned for Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. […]

La Madeleine Country French Café opened the doors to its 15th Houston-area café on March 7, with a new location in Parkway Village. Dallas-based la Madeleine specializes in preparing authentic country French cuisine including a variety of fresh-baked artisan breads, pastries and desserts, as well as signature salades, sandwiches, and soupes, including its famous caesar […]

Another Broken Egg Café in Dunwoody, owned and operated by Double R Restaurant Group, will be officially open for business April 8, at 4745 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, Ga. 30338, after hosting three charity fundraising events for its grand opening celebration. The public is invited to come dine at no charge during the three fundraising […]

Dubbed the “Rock n’ Roll Chef” by Rolling Stone magazine, Chef Kerry Simon announces a fitting partnership with All Inclusive Collection’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana. Simon will open a modern American restaurant with California flair, Simon Mansion and Supper Club, at the AAA Four Diamond awarded Caribbean resort—the first all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel in […]

STACKED: Food Well Built, the award-winning, full-service restaurant with an innovative ordering approach that enables guests to fully customize their meals, will open its fourth location March 20 at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Since the first STACKED opened in May 2011, the restaurant concept has won several of the restaurant industry’s most […]

ServiceChannel, the market leader in facility service management solutions, announced that CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries Inc. has chosen its technology platform to streamline its facility management processes across its 140 locations including its largest brands, Old Chicago, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants, and Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery. “Up until now, we were handling repairs and […]

Denny's Corporation, franchisor and operator of one of America's largest full-service restaurant chains, announced March 11 that it and Great China International Group (GCIG) have mutually decided to cancel the plans for GCIG to develop franchise restaurants in southern China. The company reiterates its full year 2013 guidance for new restaurant openings between 40 and […]

Meatballs "as big as your head" are coming to Times Square as Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant opens its first New York City location March 8.  The new restaurant, located at Broadway and 45th Street in the heart of Times Square, will open in conjunction its sister-restaurant Planet Hollywood, and together the new multi-level restaurant complex […]

Maggiano's Little Italy is taking the brand's authentic Italian-American essence beyond the kitchen and into the bar with an innovative cocktail menu that will quench even the most discerning guests' palates. Available now at restaurants nationwide, the "Handcrafted Classic Cocktails" menu expands the brand's comprehensive beverage selection to include nine timeless cocktails, all with a unique, […]

The award-winning casual-dining concept Quaker Steak & Lube known for its Best Wings USA and more than 20 sauce varieties will bring a new restaurant to Columbia, S.C. The Lube will open to the public March 13 at 3 p.m. The restaurant has created close to 200 jobs for the area and will be the second Quaker Steak & […]

With more than 900 restaurants in the United States and Canada, Buffalo Wild Wings continues to spread its wings across North America with the announcement that it has signed agreements to open restaurants in Mexico later in 2013. The announcement was made at the company’s annual business conference in Orlando, Fla. “We are delighted to […]

Brinker International, Inc. announces the election of Michael A. George and William T. Giles to the company's Board of Directors. Michael George currently serves as president and CEO of QVC, the world's leading video and e-commerce retailer, and sits on the public board of Liberty Interactive Corporation, the parent company of QVC. Prior to his […]