Everything's bigger in ... China?

July 12, 2017

China's restaurant industry is    one of the nation's main economic growth drivers, according to a report released by Meituan-Dianping, a foodservice-focused…

Papa John's 1st US chain with Facebook ordering

July 12, 2017

Papa John's announced a new "start order" button for its Facebook page fans, allowing all those social media mavens the luxury of ordering a pie without…

Study on independent brands: Only the strong survive, but they also thrive

July 11, 2017

Staying independent is a pretty rough game for U.S. restaurateurs. Still, survival is not only possible but also relatively profitable for solid concepts with…

Commodities: Holiday makes for a mild mid-summer trading week

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

It was a relatively uneventful week in commodity and pizza stock trading with only moderate gains or losses on either front, suggesting that a lot of traders…

Be my 'bBff': Marketing guru says best brands 'participate' in diners' lives

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

Brands with the most loyal and committed customers know you only earn super-loyalty when you participate in customers' lives, says veteran marketing guru…

Caliburger founder to discuss how $3.1M investment will fuel robotics in the kitchen

The substantial investment is the combined effort of Acacia Research Corporation, Match Robotics VC, and a number of undisclosed strategic investors.

It's good to be Yum China: Q2 operating profit up 64%

July 6, 2017

Yum China continues to be embraced with open arms in China, reporting a 3 percent spike in Q2 same-store sales and mobile payments exceeding 40 percent of…

Investing in technology? Restaurants share hits and misses

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Companies need to do their research, and management has to be supportive for technology initiatives to succeed.

Japanese mega-retailer proves 'grocery-ification' of eating out goes beyond US

July 5, 2017

Call it the grocery-ification of the restaurant business, and it is happening and not just in the U.S.

Food truck boosts sales for Texas pizza and wings restaurant

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Il Primo Pizza & Wings in Richmond, Texas has proven that a food truck can do a lot to promote a brick-and-mortar restaurant, and that there are significant…

Utah gets Mod

July 5, 2017

Mod Pizza is debuting in Utah, then coming on strong with a total of five openings there by year's end, a news release said. 

Pizza buffet chain 'throws another pie on the grill'

July 5, 2017

Summer is barbecue season, and Stevi B's is taking that popular predilection to its pizza with a new promotion built around the cooking al fresco, a news…

Free smartphones, campground delivery among pizza promos for Independence Day

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

Independence Day weekend beckons, and some have clearly pulled out all the wheel chocks to pull in new and returning customers.

Introducing ... wait for it ... the 'Pizza-Kini'

June 29, 2017

The Independence Day weekend has the U.S. preoccupied with thoughts of cookouts, fireworks and now ... the Pizza-Kini.

The Halal Guys loyalty story to headline July 13 webinar

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

The Halal Guys have had enormous success with their well-researched loyalty program, which the brand's leadership with share with our readers during a July 1…

Restaurateur confusion grows as wage increase whirlwind blows through industry

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

June 28, 2017

Like similar measures that have already taken effect in New York and the Pacific Northwest, the one taking place in Southern California is hitting a lot of…

Surprise! Readiness tips for times when bad news lands on your doorstep

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

On any day of the week, any brand in the world can get sucked into the vortex of a negative news event. Read on for tips from a PR veteran and longtime…

Nobly POS to demo mobile product with Star Micronics at Birmingham UK Coffee Festival

June 27, 2017

Star Micronics, a POS printer manufacturer, has joined forces with Nobly POS to provide an mPOS solution designed for coffee shops and mobile food and drink…

Marco's introduces tuition perk for employees

June 27, 2017

Marco's has added an employee perk that substantially boosts its attractiveness to potential employees, according to a news release.

Commodities: Gas, cheese and trading prices play nice with most brands

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

It was a good trading week for all but one pizza brand, while all pizza operators got a break last week on cheese and gas prices.