QSR Web Exclusives

Can Square Change POS Forever?

QSR magazine — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:06:00 +0000

Tech mogul Jack Dorsey thinks so, and he’s making a push for quick serves.

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Square cofounder Jack Dorsey is helping quick serves like Little Muenster streamline their POS system.

Image Credit:

Sonya Chudgar

Jack Dorsey, who cofounded Twitter and Square, was raised by parents in the quick-service industry. His father owned a pizza restaurant, and his mother ran a coffee shop.

It’s little surprise, then, that Dorsey’s latest initiative with Square is to broaden its use within quick serves.

The Corner of Innovation

QSR magazine — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:06:00 +0000

Corner Bakery Café’s new menu items push fast-casual boundaries.

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Corner Bakery's Garden Gate Scrambler

Image Credit:

Corner Bakery

In a push to distinguish itself from growing competition in the fast-casual bakery-café space, Corner Bakery Café is doubling down on menu innovation.

The 22-year-old, Dallas-based chain recently leveraged its high-quality kitchen equipment and capabilities, as well as more than 40 fresh fruits and vegetables delivered daily to its stores, to launch a handful of seasonal offerings.

Nurturing Boston

QSR magazine — Thu, 02 May 2013 04:06:00 +0000

Quick serves step up to support volunteers, responders after Boston bombings.

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The Boston Fire Department was treated to free meals at Firehouse Subs' Copley Square location.

As soon as he learned about the April 15th Boston bombings, Dave Tucci, the New England area representative for Firehouse Subs’ DMA, called the Firehouse franchisee closest to the bombings.

Tucci was relieved to find out that all employees at Firehouse’s Copley Square location, just one mile away from the first blast, were OK. The store’s only damage was its sign, which was lying on the ground. Still, the atmosphere in the area was chaos.

Chipotle’s Margarita Makeover

QSR magazine — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:02:54 +0000

Beverage program moves from margarita mix to Patron.

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A bartender mixes Chipotle's new margarita recipe at the brand's NYC launch event.

Move over, rice and salsa; Chipotle will soon have agave nectar, lemon-lime juice, and Patron Silver tequila on its assembly line. The brand plans to bring premium margaritas to all locations with a liquor license—about 900 of them—beginning April 29.

QSR got a sneak peak at the new margaritas last week during Chipotle’s launch party at its New York City test kitchen, where servers mixed margaritas for two hours as the restaurant’s chefs whipped up fancy finger food.

Pizza Gets Tough

QSR magazine — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:17:10 +0000

NRA launches Pizzeria Industry Council to give pizzeria operators a boost.

Image Credit:

thinkstock.com

When the menu-labeling mandate, which requires calorie counts be posted on menuboards at chains with more than 20 units, passed with health-care reform in 2010, it was praised as a big step toward educating consumers on nutrition. The pizza industry, however, is still fighting back against what it sees as an unfair mandate that will be overly burdensome for pizzeria operators who have highly customizable menu options.

A Quick-Serve Rebound?

QSR magazine — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Technomic report shows strong growth for some chains in 2012.

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Dickey's Barbecue Pit enjoyed the best growth among quick-service restaurants in 2012.

In a sign that the economic landscape might finally be rebounding for quick serves, early results from Technomic’s upcoming “Top 500 Restaurant Chain” report reveal that the fastest-growing limited-service restaurant chains in the U.S. realized average sales increases of 22.3 percent between 2011 and 2012.

Stamp of Approval

QSR magazine — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Florida Hospital certifies healthier quick-service menu items.

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Two Panera Bread items, including the Power Chicken Hummus Bowl, were certified by the Healthy 100 program.

Hospitals and national quick-serve chains may seem odd bedfellows, but a new program in Orlando is pairing the two in an effort to promote healthy meals.

Finally! Wendy’s Debuts Flatbread

QSR magazine — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Burger giant rolls out new menu option after lengthy development process.

Image Credit:

wendy's

After two years of planning, trials, tests, retooling, and finding a vendor willing to spend millions on a new ingredient, Wendy’s is rolling out its latest offering: Flatbread Grilled Chicken Sandwiches.

The Smoky Honey Mustard and Asiago Ranch limited-time offers hit stores nationwide this week in an effort to compete with flatbreads from Subway, Panera Bread, and other quick-serve brands.

The King’s Evolution

QSR magazine — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Burger King’s brand overhaul moves into its next phase.

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Burger King's new menu changes have included coffee and donut hole products.

Burger King made waves in 2012 when it overhauled its marketing and menu items in an effort to compete more directly with competitors like McDonald’s and Wendy’s.

Turns out the brand wasn’t done with its evolution. In the last month, Burger King has refreshed its menu even further, a move that has included a new coffee program, a value-menu update, and product rollouts like the Turkey Burger LTO.

The Phenom Goes Global

QSR magazine — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Jeff Sinelli is ready to take Which Wich international.

Which Wich has come a long way in its short existence. Ten years after QSR put founder Jeff Sinelli on its cover and called him a “branding phenom”—before a single Which Wich had even opened—the sandwich chain is franchising internationally for the first time.

The brand, with its “Superior Sandwiches” tagline, will be setting up shop in Panama, Mexico, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates this year.