McDonald’s Corp.’s beverages, including its recently launched fruit smoothies and frappes, helped the burger giant record a 5.7 percent July sales improvement in U.S. restaurants open at least 13 months. Get the full story »
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Starbucks testing green coffee in summer drinks
Starbucks Corp. began testing summer drinks with a base of green, unroasted coffee this week as it works on new products to drive sales and differentiate itself from rivals like McDonald’s Corp .
The drinks, called “Refreshers,” will be sold at 113 company-operated cafes around San Diego and priced from $2.50 to $2.95. Starbucks’ vice president of global beverage, Julie Felss Masino, said they are made of fruit and low in calories and caffeine.
Ingredients include a “flavor neutral” powdered extract made from unroasted green coffee and formulated to have less of a caffeine kick than regular coffee, she said. “It’s coffee that doesn’t taste like coffee,” she said. Get the full story »
Domino’s comes up short in 2Q
Domino’s Pizza Inc. Tuesday reported weaker-than-expected sales at its established U.S. restaurants, sending its shares down 3.8 percent.
The shortfall overshadowed a much better-than-expected second-quarter profit from the pizza delivery chain, which was helped by better-than-expected sales abroad. Get the full story »
Uno Restaurant emerges from Chapter 11
A deep dish pizza at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago, Jan. 26, 2009. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)
Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. said it emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday, completing a six-month restructuring process.
The Boston-based pizzeria chain received approval from the federal bankruptcy court of the Southern District of New York for its reorganization plan on July 6. Uno Restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, citing a downturn in consumer spending and higher costs.
“Today’s successful emergence from Chapter 11 completes the restructuring process in just six months, and allows us to turn our full attention to the growth and development of the Uno brands,” said Frank Guidara, CEO and president of the company. Get the full story »
McDonald’s coupon problem smoothed over
Chicago resident Danna Brim visited McDonalds.com and found a $1-off coupon for one real fruit smoothie, the newest beverage offered in the McCafe drink line. The coupon is limited to one person per visit, expires after Aug. 15, and is “valid only at participating U.S. McDonald’s,” according to the company’s Web site. Brim printed her coupon and on Friday morning headed to the McDonald’s at the intersection of Addison and California Avenues. To her dismay, the McDonald’s employee informed her that location would not honor her coupon.
Sales gains drive McDonald’s 2Q profit up 12.8%
McDonald’s Corp. said high traffic and new menu items such as frappes and smoothies helped propel its second-quarter profit 12.8 percent to $1.2 billion, from $1.09 billion in the same period a year ago.
The Oak Brook-based company’s earnings per share grew 15 percent from the year-ago period to $1.13.
“McDonald’s second quarter reflects strong top-line and bottom-line results with each area of the world generating higher comparable sales, traffic and profits,” CEO Jim Skinner said in a statement. Get the full story »
Fight on for O’Brien’s restaurants, businesses
O'Brien's Restaurant on Wells Street in Old Town. (José M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
A private business feud between the founder of O’Brien’s, a longtime Old Town restaurant, and his son has escalated into a lawsuit, throwing into question control of the family’s businesses.
Daniel O’Brien Sr. accuses his son, Peter O’Brien, in the suit filed Thursday of improperly gaining control of the various family businesses, including real estate, nursing homes and a golf course in New Buffalo, Mich., called Whittaker Woods. He seeks the return of stock holdings and other monetary damages.
The two got into a dispute last year over an undisclosed issue at the golf course and have been unable to resolve their differences, the suit said.
“After 33 years of working with his father, Peter is obviously very disappointed that his father chose to file a lawsuit over what is essentially a family matter,” Peter’s attorney, Richard Prendergast, said in a statement. “Unfortunately the complaint is filled with factual inaccuracies concerning events Dan O’Brien has either forgotten or chosen to mischaracterize.”
Prendergast said his client will “vigorously defend” the allegations against him.
The allegations stem from estate planning Daniel O’Brien started in the early 1990s to transfer ownership of the businesses to his heirs that would minimize estate taxes when he and wife, Mary, died. In 1994, they formed several limited partnerships and corporations and gave Peter, one of their six children who was most involved in the businesses, minority ownership interests in them, the suit said. Three of their children have died.
The parents’ goal of the estate planning was to transfer ownership of the businesses over time but not control until they died, the suit said. Peter handled most of his parents’ legal affairs as their fiduciary, the suit said.
“Only recently, in early 2009, Dan discovered that Peter grossly abused that trust by causing Dan and Mary to execute written instruments that gratuitously transferred legal control of the family businesses to Peter,” the suit said.
The 86-year-old father alleges that Peter, 54, fraudulently concealed the “true nature” of the documents that transferred control. Prendergast denied the fraud claim.
“Claims that Peter engaged in any of kind of fraudulent or deceptive behavior are demonstrably false and when all of the facts come out it will be clear that all allegations of misconduct are baseless,” Prendergast said.
Peter O’Brien is a well-known businessman in Chicago. He has served on various boards, including the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority.
Johnny Rockets returning to downtown Chicago
Johnny Rockets, a restaurant chain whose theme is inspired by the diners of the 1950s, has returned to downtown Chicago with two express locations that share space with Halsted Street Deli.
A new franchised Johnny Rockets will hold its grand opening Friday at 177 N. State St., in space it shares with Halsted Street Deli. Another shared location opened around Memorial Day weekend at 30 N. LaSalle. Get the full story »
McDonald’s cancels free smoothie samples
McDonald’s Corp. has cancelled an in-store free sampling of fruit smoothies that had been scheduled for next week following worries the event’s popularity would cause the fast-food chain to run out of the product.
“The McCafe Real Fruit Smoothies are an absolute hit with our customers and we’re experiencing unprecedented demand for this delicious new choice on our menu,” the Oak Brook-based company said in a statement to the Tribune today. Get the full story »
McDonald’s smoothies go nationwide Tuesday
McDonald’s chef Dan Coudreaut looks on as U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Picabo Street promotes McDonald's new smoothies at the Vancouver Olympics. (McDonald's)
McDonald’s Corp. launches its smoothies nationwide Tuesday, bringing a marketing machine hitherto unseen by the category. The company declined to disclose the budget behind the smoothie’s launch, but McDonald’s Marketing Director Sofia Therios calls it a “respectable investment” for a company that spends more than $1.2 billion advertising annually in the U.S., according to Advertising Age’s DataCenter. Get the full story »
Ex-McDonald’s execs cook up casual concept
From Advertising Age | Two former McDonald’s executives plan to launch a chain of casual dining restaurants emphasizing healthy fair including steel-cut oats and pita pockets starting next year.
Wendy’s launches new salad line today
Wendy’s is introducing a line of new salads such as Apple Pecan Chicken and BLT Cobb as the fast-food chain tailors its sales pitch to focus on “real” ingredients to appeal to foodies.
The line of four salads is available nationwide starting Friday.
The salads retail for $5.99, about $1 more than the previous Garden Sensations line. The chain introduced those in 2002. Get the full story »
Morton’s to open steakhouse in China
Morton’s Restaurant Group Inc. said Thursday it will open a new steakhouse in Shanghai, China, in a joint venture with a local investor group. The restaurant expands Morton’s presence in Asia and will be the sixth Morton’s steakhouse outside the U.S.
Uno’s reorganization plan approved
The parent of the Uno Chicago Grill pizza chain has won court approval for its bankruptcy reorganization plan, less than six months after it sought protection from creditors.
Judge Martin Glenn approved the Chapter 11 plan for Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. at a hearing Tuesday in the U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan. Get the full story »
