Pie Five, Firehouse, First Watch,Pei Wei execs discuss 'the good, the bad and the ugly' of online reviews

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

A recent survey found that 61 percent of the dining public check online reviews before visiting a restaurant. How those reviews can help or hurt sales was a…

Commodities: Cheese prices drop, so does Domino's stock

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Overall, it was a fairly costly week for pizza operators' essential commodities, though ascending cheese prices returned to reality and the stock market…

ICX Summit: Neuroscience, millennials and measuring customer experience

The upcoming June ICX Summit boasts top leaders in customer experience speaking on a range of topics from CX strategy to measuring customer experience…

It's spring in restaurantland and the stores are sprouting

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

At least four chains have announced plans for major growth initiatives, proving that expansion is the order of the day in the pizza and quick-serve sectors.

Pressure grows to make restaurant kiosks 'disability-friendly'

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

A recent lawsuit on behalf of a blind customer against Eatsa, a restaurant that uses self-order kiosks, has put the kiosk industry in the spotlight.

Hot Heads & Rapid Fired Pizza founder on a regional growth approach

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Hot Heads Burritos founder, Ray Wiley, is on a roll again, this time with a fast pizza concept, called Rapid Fired. The chain has taken a regional approach to…

Cowboy Chicken, Elevation Burger execs: Pay supply chain due respect or pay consequences

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In a world, where customers are demanding that restaurants use ethically produced, sustainable and healthful ingredients, supply chain management has grown in…

Fast insights on crisis management, leadership development and restaurant/retail partnerships

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Attendees at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Dallas got down to business with fast insights in three key business management areas.

Why playing the 'right' background music increases sales

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Restaurants that play a carefully selected mix of music reflecting their cultures can increase sales by more than 9 percent, according to a 2016 study.

Food truck growth goes full throttle: Part 1

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

This four-part series explores the successes and challenges of the food truck industry, Food truck revenues have increased from $650 million in 2013 and should…

Commodities: Much joy in 'pizza-ville' as stock values soar

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Values of the brands monitored by Pizza Marketplace soared in last week's trading. And although that news was tempered somewhat by slightly higher commodity…

DQ, Mazzio's and Rave roll out the tech to roll in the employees

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

At the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in Dallas this week, three big restaurant companies discussed how tech is changing the way they hire and…

Keynoter: Want to motivate employees? Try ‘trust and track’ instead of ‘command and control’

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Creating an employee training system that delivers outstanding customer service requires making employees feel engaged and providing regular feedback…

Commodities: Ever feel like you've been here before?

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

It's a bit like the movie, Groundhog Day, in the commodities and trading report for pizza these days, with the same trends that started about a month ago…

Trumpcare yanked before vote, Affordable Care Act remains ... for now

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Trumpcare was pulled from consideration in a vote by Congress, despite an ultimatum from the President to vote on the measure. For now, the Affordable Care Act…

Commodities: Little in way of luck o' Irish for pizza stocks

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The lucky leprechauns of St. Patrick's Day appear to have leaped right over pizza restaurateurs last week, after five days of relatively little to celebrate on…

Automation: The possibilities of robo-restaurateuring - Part 3 of 3

by Sagi Rochman — CEO, Better Chains

Complete Automation in a foodservice operation is relatively rare at the moment, but that is changing almost by the day.

Commodities: Let's just pretend last week didn't happen

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

It was an unfriendly week for pizza stocks last week, and commodity prices for those in the pizza game didn't provide much help either.

Spring training: Are you disengaging your employees?

Clearly, increasing employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention is critical to your success, but the question remains: What can you do to truly achieve…

The plant-based burger that 'bleeds' like rare beef

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

It bleeds on the plate like a rare-cooked beef burger, tastes like a patty of ground beef but is produced with a mere sliver of the resources used to produce…