QSR, Restaurant and Food Service Trends from the United States

May 18, 2008

McDonald's CEO critical on efforts to put calorie counts on restaurant menus

McDonald's Chief Executive Jim Skinner took a jab Sunday at regulatory efforts to force calorie counts on restaurant menus, and told those gathered at a restaurant industry trade show that they are facing a "perfect storm"of challenges. Ski...

May 16, 2008

Belts tighten at NRA food show;McCain Foods cancels participation.

It's a sign of the times in the volatile food industry: Two big companies are pulling back on their offerings at the giant restaurant trade show coming to Chicago this weekend, while another is abandoning it altogether.Among them are two of the nation...

May 15, 2008

Senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain to address NRA Show attendees

Senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain will address restaurant and foodservice professionals attending the 89th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, May 17-20, 2008, at McCormick Place in Chicago.

May 15, 2008

New Frymaster Protector fryers win Kitchen Innovations award at NRA 2008

A new fryer from global industry leader Frymaster, LLC offers the next generation in ultra-high performance commercial frying, combining oil savings and energy conservation with labor-saving technological features. Frymaster’s new Protector electric ...

May 09, 2008

Triarc Reports First Quarter 2008 Results

Triarc Companies, Inc. announced the results of operations for its fiscal first quarter ended March 30, 2008. Highlights for the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the first quarter of 2007 include: -- Sales increased 5.7% to $281.6 million for Comp...

May 08, 2008

McDonald's April same store sales Up 5%

Thursday, fast-food chain McDonald's Corp.served up tasty April sales results. The company’s global comparable sales increased 5% in April.Systemwide sales for McDonald's worldwide restaurants increased 13.7% in April, or 6.5% in constant currencies. U...

May 06, 2008

Burger King Corp. Appoints Gladys DeClouet senior vice president, north america company operations

Burger King Corp. (NYSE:BKC) announced the appointment of Gladys DeClouet as senior vice president, North America company operations. DeClouet succeeds Dave Gagnon, who announced his intention to leave the company at the end of the fiscal year. DeCloue...

May 02, 2008

Ganancias de Burger King aumentan en tercer trimestre fiscal

Burger King Holdings Inc, la segunda mayor cadena de restaurantes de hamburguesas del mundo, informó el jueves un aumento en sus utilidades del tercer trimestre fiscal, gracias a mayores ventas en restaurantes nuevos y remodelados. La compañía, conoc...

May 01, 2008

Burger King earnings up 21 percent

Burger King Holdings said its first quarter earnings grew 21 percent, driven by higher sales at new restaurants. The Miami-based burger chain said it earned $41 million, or 30 cents a share, on revenue of $594 million. In the prior-year quarter, the r...

April 25, 2008

New Wendy's CEO promising improvements, better franchisee relations

The sale of Wendy's International Inc. to the Atlanta-based parent of the Arby's fast-food chain will mean changes in the short term, but the CEO-to-be is predicting the Arby's team will bring long-term improvements to the business. Triarc Companies ...

April 25, 2008

Peltz Offer Is accepted by Wendy’s

Wendy’s, the financially troubled fast-food chain, said Thursday that it had agreed to sell itself for about $2.3 billion to Mr. Peltz’s Triarc Companies, the parent of the Arby’s restaurant chain. The deal will create one of the nation’s largest fast-...

April 23, 2008

Yum's China growth pushes 1st-qtr profit up

Yum Brands Inc, operator of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut fast-food chains, posted a bigger-than-expected jump in quarterly profit on Tuesday, fueled by growth in China, and raised its full-year forecast. Shares at Yum rose 3.8 percent after it said...

April 23, 2008

McDonald's First Quarter Profit Beats Estimates;U.S. Sales Decline

McDonald's Corp., said first-quarter profit rose more than analysts estimated after record European revenue gains outweighed the first drop in U.S. comparable-store sales in five years.U.S. sales at stores open at least 13 months fell 0.8 percent in M...

April 22, 2008

Burger King Corp introduces BK CITY mobile gaming

Burger King Corp introduced BK CITY, a new mobilemulti-level game, developed and and released by Mobliss Inc, a mobile content developer and a licensee of Burger King Corp. The introduction of BK CITY is reportedly part of an exclusive licensing agreem...

April 18, 2008

Trian Says Wendy's Rejected Two Offers

Trian Partners, the investment vehicle of Nelson Peltz, revealed Friday that Wendy's International has rejected two offers it has made to acquire the fast-food giant. Trian also said that it will seek to call a special meeting of shareholders.In a fili...

April 18, 2008

McDonald's starts promotion inspired by popular American Idol series

American Idol fans can now bring home the thrill of the nation's most-watched television show with help from McDonald's Happy Meals and Mighty Kids Meals, which offer customers a variety of balanced food options

April 16, 2008

Burger King Restaurants Revamp Kids Meal Packaging

Burger King Corp. announced today a green makeover of Kids Meals packaging in the U.S. Beginning in July, Kids Meals will be packaged in bags made from 100 percent recycled materials. In addition, the beverage cups ordered with Kids Meals will be made...

April 14, 2008

Foodservice Sales Post Very Small Gain in March

Sales at the nation's eating and drinking places increased just 2.2% over the same month of 2007 during March, the smallest such increase since December of last year, according to Food Institute analysis of government reported sales data. Consumers ha...