Timber Pizza Co. Signs Two&Unit Franchise Agreement for Atlanta Metro Area
Timber Pizza Co. has signed a two‑unit franchise development agreement for the Atlanta metro area, targeting Alpharetta and Cumming. The first restaurant is projected to open in late 2026 or early 2027, with a second location to follow shortly after. This deal marks the brand’s inaugural entry into Georgia and broadens its Southeast expansion strategy. The company, recently listed on Pizza Marketplace’s 2026 Top 100 Movers & Shakers, is actively seeking additional franchise partners in the region.
U.S. Restaurant Operators Report Mixed Sales and Traffic Readings in March
Restaurant operators reported mixed same‑store sales and traffic results for March 2026, marking a slowdown after February’s gains. Only 45% said sales rose year‑over‑year, down from 61% in February, while 39% saw declines, up from 27%. Customer traffic also turned...
Celebrating the Success of Restaurant Industry Apprenticeships
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation marked National Apprenticeship Week by highlighting its registered apprenticeship programs for the restaurant sector. The initiative, run through the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center, blends on‑the‑job training with classroom instruction, culminating in nationally recognized...
Weekly Expansion Signals Report & New Restaurant Alerts From Week Ending May 1 2026
Chipotle Mexican Grill will open a 2,500‑sq‑ft, 90‑seat restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama in spring 2026, adding to its 4,000‑store national footprint. Chopt is launching a 1,000‑sq‑ft, 20‑seat salad bar on Madison Avenue in New York City in April 2026, expanding...
Taim Mediterranean Kitchen Signs First Franchise Agreement in New York City
Taim Mediterranean Kitchen, now part of Craveworthy Brands, has signed its first franchise agreement in New York City. Operator Jose Tabor will take over the Park Slope, Brooklyn location, marking the brand’s franchising debut in its founding market. Founded in...
Stoner's Pizza Joint Plans Eight New Units in Orlando Metro
Stoner's Pizza Joint announced eight new restaurant units in the Orlando metro area, with two slated to open this summer at 4781 South Orange Avenue and 207 North Clarke Road. The move follows a recently signed 10‑unit development agreement in...
Workforce Staffing: How the Right Hiring Practices Drive ROI
The National Restaurant Association released its "Research Insight: Workforce Hiring and Staffing" report, highlighting how strategic hiring and technology drive ROI for restaurants. It quantifies the cost of understaffing, breakeven timelines for new hires, and the financial drag of turnover....
How Restaurants Can Maximize Revenue During the World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will draw 650,000‑4 million visitors to 16 North‑American host cities, each spending over $400 per day on food, lodging and experiences. Restaurants can turn this surge into predictable revenue by shifting from walk‑ins to pre‑booked watch‑party packages...
Freddy's Appoints Rafik Farouk and Jackie Lobdell to Development Leadership Roles
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers appointed Rafik Farouk as Vice President of Business Development and Jackie Lobdell as Vice President of Franchise Sales. Both executives bring decades of restaurant and franchise expertise to support the chain’s aggressive expansion. Freddy's is...
Why Some Celebrity Restaurants Last 30 Years and Most Die in 18 Months
5WPR’s Hospitality Celebrity Index uncovers a stark bimodal survival pattern for celebrity‑backed hospitality venues. Approximately 60‑70% of celebrity restaurants close within five years, yet those that survive often operate for three decades. The study credits a three‑partner model—celebrity equity, creative...
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe Opens New Location in Celina, Texas
Pickleman's Gourmet Cafe opened a new restaurant at 3515 South Preston Road in Celina, Texas, featuring a drive‑thru. The site is run by Jesse Murphy, who also operates a McKinney location, and partners with Arkansas‑based operators Allen and Brittany Wills....
Tandoori Pizza Opens Three New California Locations
Tandoori Pizza announced the grand opening of three new restaurants in Foster City, Pleasanton and Pittsburg, California. The outlets will serve the chain’s full signature menu, including its flagship Tandoori Chicken Pizza and a range of fusion pasta and side...
Stoner's Pizza Joint Opens Four New Locations, Expands Into Kansas and Tennessee
Stoner's Pizza Joint announced the opening of four new restaurants, taking its total to more than 60 locations across the United States. The new sites in Wichita, Kansas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Hinesville, Georgia; and Roswell, Georgia mark the brand’s first forays...
Marco's Pizza Signs Three&Unit Development Agreement in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Marco's Pizza has signed a three‑unit development agreement with entrepreneur Yiris Hallal’s Hall Foods LLC to open its first New Mexico location in Las Cruces in July 2026. The Hallal family, seasoned in technology and retail, will manage the rollout,...
Ford's Garage Appoints Kathleen Bush As Chief Marketing Officer, Promotes David Ragosa to Chief Development Officer
Ford's Garage has appointed Kathleen Bush as chief marketing officer and promoted David Ragosa to chief development officer. Bush, a veteran marketer from Red Robin and other restaurant brands, will steer brand strategy, digital engagement and guest experience. Ragosa, formerly...
Stoner's Pizza Joint Signs 10&Unit Development Agreement in Dallas&Fort Worth
Stoner's Pizza Joint has signed a development agreement to open 10 new units in the Dallas‑Fort Worth metro area with an existing multi‑unit franchisee. The locations will be distributed across key trade areas over the next several years. The chain...
Wendy's Opens 100th Restaurant in the Philippines
Wendy's Company opened its 100th restaurant in the Philippines, a new outlet on Friendship Highway in Angeles City operated by franchise partner Wenphil Corp. The brand, present for over four decades, is riding a QSR sector that has expanded roughly...
Mr. Gatti's Pizza Reopens Five Walmart Locations in Texas and Oklahoma
Mr. Gatti's Pizza has finished renovations at five Walmart locations in Texas and Oklahoma, reopening each store with larger buffet sections and new interactive gaming areas. Grand opening events were staged between April 9 and May 8, all starting at 11 a.m. The...
Paris Baguette to Open New Location at Metro Centre Owings Mills, MD
Paris Baguette is opening a new bakery‑café at Metro Centre in Owings Mills, Maryland. The Friends & Family event is set for April 19, 2026, with a soft opening on April 20. The 2,500‑square‑foot location will serve dine‑in, takeout and catering, targeting residents, office...
Chicken Salad Chick Awards 52 New Franchise Restaurants in Q1
Chicken Salad Chick awarded 52 new franchise restaurants in Q1 2026, the highest quarterly development in its history. This marks a roughly 48% jump from the 35 deals awarded in Q1 2025. Growth was driven by seven new franchise groups...
National Restaurant Association Research Insight: Workforce Hiring and Staffing
The National Restaurant Association released a research insight on workforce hiring and staffing, emphasizing that staffing decisions are strategic investments rather than short‑term costs. The report quantifies ROI, break‑even timelines, and the financial drag of understaffing, noting that each vacant...
RBC Hospitality Group Acquires Woody's Ocean Grille in Sea Bright, NJ
RBC Hospitality Group has purchased Woody's Ocean Grille in Sea Bright, New Jersey, taking over the "Woody's" brand from Bielat Santore & Company. The acquisition follows a similar sale earlier in 2025 of the Tinton Falls Woody's location, which was...
Food Delivery Makes Up 22% of Global Foodservice Spending in 2025
In 2025 delivery services comprised 22% of global consumer foodservice spending, up from 9% in 2019, according to Euromonitor International. The overall foodservice market reached $3.36 trillion, growing 4% year‑on‑year despite cost‑of‑living pressures. Delivery fees rose to 14% of spend, reflecting...
Sigri Indian BBQ Signs Franchise Agreement for Gainesville, Florida Location
Sigri Indian BBQ, a Craveworthy Brands concept, has signed a franchise agreement to launch its first Florida restaurant in Gainesville. The outlet will be owned and operated by husband‑and‑wife team Ravin and Heali Mehta, who bring fast‑casual franchising experience. The...
Freddy's Launches Location Inside Fort Lee Commissary
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is opening its first restaurant on a U.S. military base inside the Fort Lee Army commissary, with doors slated for April 15, 2026. The site features a streamlined kitchen and a pared‑down menu to fit the smaller...
Broken Yolk Cafe Signs Multi&Unit Agreement for Indiana Locations
Broken Yolk Cafe has signed a multi‑unit development agreement with franchisee Marc Clapper to open two restaurants in Lafayette, Indiana, with the first slated for fall 2026. The deal marks the chain’s entry into its sixth state and its first foothold...
New National Restaurant Association Report Provides a Demographic Profile of Restaurant Owners
The National Restaurant Association’s latest data brief reveals that 49% of U.S. restaurant firms are minority‑owned, outpacing the 38% share in the broader private sector. Women hold at least 50% ownership in half of all restaurant businesses, with 41% majority‑owned...
Noble 33 Appoints Lee Bennett As Vice President of Culinary
Noble 33 has appointed Chef Lee Bennett as Vice President of Culinary, tasking him with overseeing menu strategy and operations across its global restaurant portfolio. Bennett, a former Michelin‑starred chef and executive at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Caesars Entertainment, and MGM...
The Industry Group and Kiosk Association to Highlight Restaurant Automation at NRA Show 2026
The Industry Group, together with the Kiosk Association, will showcase an integrated restaurant‑automation exhibit at the National Restaurant Show (May 16‑19, Chicago) in Booth #5829. The display emphasizes AI‑driven ordering, edge‑computing infrastructure and Intel Core Ultra processors that run real‑time workloads without...
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...
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...