P.F. Chang's Opens New Restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma
P.F. Chang's opened a new 5,893‑sq ft restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma, seating 189 guests. The venue offers dine‑in, takeout, and delivery, featuring modern Asian design and a custom mural by local artist Travis Brassfield. A grand opening on April 27 included city officials, the OU mascot, and giveaways, with the first 20,000 guests receiving a complimentary surprise offer redeemable June‑August 2026. The chain also partnered with the Center for Children and Families, directing beverage‑sale proceeds from pre‑opening events to the nonprofit.
Cousins Maine Lobster Launches Food Truck in Savannah
Cousins Maine Lobster is launching its first Georgia food truck in Savannah, debuting on April 24. Franchisees Damon Cole and Mandy Ottesen, who previously opened a Jacksonville truck, will operate the mobile unit. The menu expands beyond classic lobster rolls to include tacos,...
Chicken Salad Chick Appoints Brian Lindley As Chief Development Officer
Chicken Salad Chick announced Brian Lindley as its new Chief Development Officer, tasked with steering franchise growth across the Midwest, Northeast, and Western United States. Lindley, a veteran of Chick‑fil‑A, BP and Restaurant Brands International, will revamp site‑selection processes and...
Beans & Brews Coffee House Opens Seven New Locations in Early 2026
Beans & Brews Coffee House opened seven new stores in the first 100 days of 2026, marking its most successful development period ever. Six of those locations launched in Q1 across Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Texas, with five opening in...
Eggs Up Grill Partners With Metz Group for Pennsylvania Expansion in Q1 2026
Eggs Up Grill reported a 4% same‑restaurant sales increase in Q1 2026, marking its 21st straight quarter of growth. More than 60% of its franchisees now operate multiple units, underscoring a maturing franchise network. The chain announced a strategic partnership with...
Cold Stone Creamery to Open Additional Locations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette
Cold Stone Creamery announced plans to add two to three new stores in Southern Louisiana over the next five years, focusing on New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. The chain already operates five locations across the state and will soon open a...
U.S. Restaurant and Lodging Business Applications Remain Highly Elevated
In March, 26,786 new restaurant and lodging businesses applied for EINs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics. That figure is 53% higher than the pre‑pandemic trend forecast of roughly 17,500 applications. While the sector’s share of total...
Marco's Pizza Signs 12&Unit Franchise Agreement for Southern California
Marco's Pizza has entered a 12‑unit franchise agreement with multi‑unit operator Baljit Gill to deepen its Southern California footprint. Gill, who already runs 21 Subway locations and an Auntie Anne's, currently operates three Marco's stores in Upland, Fontana and Hesperia,...
Chicken Salad Chick Expands in Lee County With Fourth Southwest Florida Location
Chicken Salad Chick is set to open a new restaurant at 1206 Solaris Drive in Cape Coral, Florida, on April 21. The site, featuring a drive‑thru, marks the brand’s third outlet in Lee County and its fourth in Southwest Florida. Franchisees...
Chick&fil&A Distributes Scholarships to More Than 16,000 Recipients Across U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada
Chick-fil-A, Inc. has awarded more than $29 million in scholarships to over 16,000 restaurant Team Members and community leaders across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada, marking its largest education investment to date. Each Team Member received a $25,000 check, personally...
Cousins Maine Lobster Expands Wisconsin Operations with Madison Launch
Cousins Maine Lobster is launching its second Wisconsin food‑truck in Madison on April 18, operating from Rusty Bee Lounge. The move follows a highly successful Milwaukee debut that outperformed demand forecasts. Local operators Chris Goeman and Kevin Smith will manage the new site,...
Tasty Burger Named Official Burger of Boston Red Sox for 2026 Season
Tasty Burger has been reinstated as the Official Burger of the Boston Red Sox for the 2026 season, reviving a partnership that ran from 2014 to 2020. The fast‑food chain will sell its Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Chili Cheeseburger, and an exclusive...
National Restaurant Association: Getting the Nitty Gritty on 'No Tax on Tips' And Overtime
The National Restaurant Association and H&R Block hosted a webinar to explain the new “No Tax on Tips” (NTOT) and “No Tax on Overtime” (NTOO) deductions introduced by the 2025 Working Families Tax Cut Act. The provisions let eligible tipped workers...
Huey Magoo's Signs 15&Unit Development Deal in Texas
Huey Magoo's has inked a development agreement with SMR Capital Group to launch 15 new restaurants across five Texas counties. The chain leverages a 1,500‑square‑foot prototype introduced in 2025 that lowers construction costs and fits smaller real‑estate parcels. Alongside the...
Noble 33 to Launch Japanese Steakhouse and Izakaya at Rosewood Residences Beverly Hills in 2027
Noble 33 will open a Japanese steakhouse and an izakaya at Rosewood Residences Beverly Hills in 2027, occupying nearly 12,000 sq ft on the ground floor. The concepts mark the group’s first foray into Japanese‑inspired dining, joining its existing portfolio of Toca Madera, Medüza Mediterranea,...
Polpo Restaurant & Saloon Announces Return to Palm Beach
Polpo Restaurant & Saloon, headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, is preparing to reopen in Palm Beach, Florida with a new site that is still being finalized. The original Palm Beach location closed after the building was sold and the lease was...
Jollibee Opens Stockton, CA Location With Drive&Thru and To&Go Service
Jollibee opened a new store in Stockton, California on April 3, 2026, located at 4704 Pacific Avenue near Weberstown Mall. The outlet initially offers drive‑thru and to‑go service, with full in‑store dining and online ordering slated for the coming weeks. To celebrate,...
McDonald's Türkiye Launches 'Archie' Device for Gamers With Pro Gamer Menu
McDonald’s Türkiye introduced the “Archie” device, a hardware add‑on that keeps a gamer’s avatar moving while they eat. The gadget is bundled with a limited‑time Pro Gamer Menu—Big Mac, fries, Coke and onion rings—available only through delivery orders. Designed by TBWA Istanbul,...
McDonald's USA Expands McValue Menu With New Under $3 and $4 Breakfast Deals
McDonald's USA is rolling out an expanded McValue Menu on April 21, adding an Under $3 menu and a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal at participating locations. The Under $3 menu will offer at least ten items, with highlighted prices such as a...
Burger King to Hire Up to 60,000 Team Members Nationwide
Burger King announced a nationwide hiring drive to add up to 60,000 new team members across its roughly 6,500 U.S. restaurants. The recruitment spans entry‑level positions through management roles and responds to higher guest traffic after recent restaurant modernizations. Most...
Inside the New National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Manager
The National Restaurant Association released the ServSafe Manager 9th Edition, aligning the curriculum with the supplement to the 2022 FDA Food Code. The new edition shifts focus from compliance checklists to proactive risk management, emphasizing Food Safety Management Systems, Active...
CRAFT Restaurant & Beer Market Opens First U.S. Location in Dallas
CRAFT Restaurant & Beer Market opened its first U.S. location in Dallas’s Preston Center, offering seating for more than 500 guests across indoor, outdoor, and rooftop areas. The venue features a chef‑driven menu and a beverage program with over 100...
America250 and Goldbelly Launch Official Food Program for Nation's 250th Anniversary
America250 and food‑delivery platform Goldbelly have teamed up to launch Taste of America250, the official culinary program marking the United States' 250th anniversary. Goldbelly serves as the Official Marketplace, while its founder Joe Ariel takes on the role of Official...
Marugame Udon to Open at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga on April 2
Marugame Udon is set to open its 22nd U.S. restaurant at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga on April 2, operating daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The new location features an open‑kitchen concept where diners can watch udon and tempura preparation, and...
Firehouse Subs Launches Franchise Incentive Programs Offering Up to $150,000 Per Restaurant
Firehouse Subs announced a suite of Development Incentive Programs that run through 2028, offering franchisees up to $150,000 per new restaurant. The plans include a “10 in 2 Incentive” with $100,000 per unit and a $500,000 bonus after ten openings,...
Cousins Maine Lobster to Launch Second Food Truck in Minneapolis
Cousins Maine Lobster is adding a second food truck to Minneapolis, slated for an April 10 debut. The move caps a successful first year in the Twin Cities and aims to satisfy rising local demand. The new truck will serve the...
Oracle and NetSuite Deliver New AI&Powered Solution for Restaurant Operations
Oracle and NetSuite unveiled Oracle NetSuite Restaurant Operations, an AI‑enhanced platform that unifies inventory, procurement, scheduling, production, and cash‑management for restaurants. The solution integrates with Oracle Simphony Cloud and other POS systems, delivering real‑time visibility, actionable insights, and scalable workflows....
Zaxby's Appoints Michael Dixon As Chief Financial Office
Zaxby's announced Michael Dixon as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective March 30, joining the executive team under CEO Bernard Acoca. Dixon will oversee finance, strategy, planning, analytics, accounting, and treasury as the fast‑casual chain continues its national rollout. He...
Jollibee to Open New Location on East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan
Jollibee announced a new restaurant at 14 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, slated to open on March 31, 2026. The outlet will be the brand’s third Manhattan location, positioned between Fifth and Madison Avenues near Grand Central Station. It will operate daily from...
Heineken Leads Alcoholic Beverage Sports Sponsorship Spending in EMEA for 2025
Heineken spent $163.93 million on 43 sports sponsorship deals in EMEA during 2025, representing 26.5 % of all alcoholic‑beverage brand spend in the region. Soccer accounted for the bulk of the investment, delivering 72.4 % of total sponsorship value. Europe dominated the market,...