NRA applauds proposed changes to overtime pay exemptions

March 31, 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Restaurant Association (NRA) today applauded the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) initiative to modernize 50-year-old…

Survey predicts takeout could take off during wartime

March 31, 2003

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- Takeout is one segment of the food business that might benefit from war in the Middle East, according to research by The NPD Group.

Six Sbarro pizza units closed in Spain

March 20, 2003

MELVILLE, N.Y. -- All six of Sbarro units in Spain have been shuttered in the wake of a franchisee's February bankruptcy declaration.

OPERATIONS: Cross-training lowers labor cost, boosts morale

March 19, 2003

It's true that cross-trained employees expect to be paid more, but as Jim Moran writes, cross-trained staffs are smaller and those employees stay longer.

Co-founder of Valentino's pizza buffet chain dead at 87

March 17, 2003

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Zena Weiler, who co-founded the 50-store Valentino's Grand Italian Buffet chain with her husband, Valentine, died on March 16 following two…

Window of Opportunity

Drive-thru service for pizza places is convenient for everyone, but is it worth the investment in equipment, plus the effort required to educate customers?

Consultant says labor pool is deeper than you think

March 16, 2003

Front-of-the-house management consultant Shelley Prueter doesn't buy the notion that 'you can't find good help anymore.' You just have to know how to hire it…

Technomic's Paul predicts nominal growth for foodservice in 2003

February 10, 2003

Fewer meals cooked at home combined with disposable income growth will drive foodservice sales, says Technomic restaurant researcher.

Franchisee, consultant question Shakey's solvency

December 25, 2002

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. -- A long-term franchisee of Shakey's Pizza and a former consultant to the chain believe it may be on the brink of bankruptcy.

Rain, heat hurt Florida fresh tomato crop, higher prices expected

December 16, 2002

NAPLES, Fla. -- The combination of high temperatures and saturating rains in south Florida this fall has hurt the state's hand-harvested fresh tomato crop.

Multifoods Distribution changes name to Vistar

December 9, 2002

DENVER -- Multifoods Distribution Group, based in Denver, has changed its name to Vistar Corp.

Monical's Pizza names Hawkeye Foodservice vendor of the year

December 5, 2002

BRADLEY, Ill. -- Fifty-store Monical's Pizza has named Coralville, Iowa-based Hawkeye Foodservice Distribution, Inc. its Vendor of the Year for 2002.

Papa John's wants new N.C. commissary

November 24, 2002

GARNER, N.C. -- Papa John's International is in the hunt for a 70,000-square-foot-plus facility in Wake County, N.C. to replace its current commissary in…

Pizza Inn Rolls out Pepperoni Wraps app

November 7, 2002

THE COLONY, Texas -- Pizza Inn, Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZI) is making a chain-wide introduction of its new Pepperoni Wraps appetizer.

Papa John's launches first movie tie-in with 'Ice Age' promotion

November 6, 2002

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Papa John's has launched a nationwide promotion it calls the "Mammoth Pizza Meal," in partnership with Coca-Cola and Twentieth Century Fox…

Pizza Hut domestic company store sales rise 5% in October

November 6, 2002

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Sales at Pizza Hut's U.S. corporate stores rose 5 percent in October, according to report released by Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut.

Frozen Assets

While high-quality frozen dough is making inroads in the pizza industry, some say it will never totally replace fresh dough.

Attendee traffic steady, say exhibitors, but N.E. Pizza Expo numbers down overall

October 8, 2002

Chicago Expo is cut in 2003, while Atlantic City returns; a sharing of one show between those cities is rumored for 2004.

A dozen CiCi's Pizza shops slated for Columbus

October 3, 2002

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- CiCi's Pizza expects to open a dozen franchise shops in Columbus; the first is scheduled to open Oct. 21.

Volunteer effort keeps pizzeria in business

September 19, 2002

A nine-way ownership team foregoes profits and freebies from its business to ensure Fairfield, Idaho, has a pizzeria.