Self-service makes crowded counter lines a thing of the past

by Patrick Avery — Associate Editor, IT Business Edge

April 24, 2008

Deli Express cuts wait times for grocery customers.

S.C. kills ‘Chuck E. Cheese' bill

April 23, 2008

WCBD-TV (Charleston, S.C.): A proposed law that came to be known as the "Chuck E. Cheese" bill was killed by the South Carolina legislature over concerns that…

Owner charged in pizzeria fire

April 23, 2008

NJ.com: The owner of a West Caldwell, N.J., pizzeria was charged with staging a robbery and setting a fire at his business in order to collect insurance money.

CEC comps up nearly 4%

April 22, 2008

IRVING, Texas — Comparable-store sales at CEC Entertainment Inc.'s Chuck E. Cheese restaurants increased 3.6 percent for the 2008 first quarter ended March 30…

Middleby buys Italian oven maker

April 22, 2008

ELGIN, Ill. — The Middleby Corp., a maker of cooking equipment including high-speed pizza ovens, has acquired Florence, Italy-based Giga Grandi Cucine S.r.l.

Domino's to present at investor event

April 22, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Domino's Pizza Inc. will make a presentation at the Lehman Brothers 11th Annual Retail and Restaurant Conference in New York on April 30 at…

Yum's net up 31%

April 22, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Worldwide comparable-store sales at Yum! Brands Inc. restaurants rose 4 percent for the 2008 first quarter ended March 22, 2008, fueled in…

Wild Veggie product to display at NRA Show

April 22, 2008

FRANKFORT, Mich. — Wild Veggie, an all-natural vegetable product, will mark its Midwest debut May 17-20 at the National Restaurant Association Hotel-Motel…

Pizzeria manager busted on drug charges

April 21, 2008

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Fort Smith Police Department narcotics officers assisted agents from Arkansas Beverage Control in investigating reports that the…

Pizza Pizza sales up 27 percent

April 21, 2008

TORONTO — Same-store sales at Canadian pizza chain Pizza Pizza Ltd. grew 3.7 percent for the first quarter ended March 30, the company announced.   Systemwide…

Pizza deliveries fueled by cooking oil

April 21, 2008

Lancaster Intelligencer-Journal: The owners of the Metro Express pizzeria in Lancaster, Pa., have unveiled three "Frybrid" delivery vehicles, which run on…

Uno Chicago Grill plans five Calif. locations

April 20, 2008

BOSTON — Uno Chicago Grill is opening five new restaurants in the Fresno and Bakersfield, Calif., areas. Franchise partner Paul Daley, along with his son…

Driver fired after shooting robber

April 20, 2008

Des Moines Register: Pizza Hut has terminated an Iowa delivery driver who shot an armed robber after the robber held a gun to his head. Officials from the…

Commodities update – Week of April 21, 2008

April 20, 2008

CHICAGO — Block cheese prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange continued their upward trend for the trading week ended April 18, averaging $1.87 per pound…

Neither side wins in Patsy's trademark fight

April 17, 2008

New York Daily News: Despite both sides claiming the endorsement of Frank Sinatra, neither side emerged a clear winner in a trademark dispute between Patsy's…

Pizza Pizza offers slices for cell phones

April 17, 2008

Toronto Business Times: Pizza Pizza restaurants in Toronto have partnered with the Canadian Association of Food Banks in its Phones-for-Food program, which…

Pizza Inn taps TDA for ad business

April 17, 2008

Adweek: Pizza Inn has chosen TDA Advertising & Design to handle its $5 million ad account, the company announced. The deal includes broadcast, print…

McDonald's CEO to keynote 2008 NRA Show

April 16, 2008

CHICAGO — McDonald's Corp. vice chairman and chief executive officer Jim Skinner will deliver the keynote address at the 2008 National Restaurant Association…

CPK says 'thank you' to guests

April 16, 2008

LOS ANGELES — California Pizza Kitchen Inc. has rolled out a national Thank You Card program. During the program, which runs through May 16, CPK will give out…

Courts uphold N.Y. menu labeling law

April 16, 2008

Newsday: A federal judge upheld a New York regulation requiring large chain restaurants to post calorie and other nutritional information on menus and menu…