Dec. 13, 2010 at 8:15 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Internet,
Restaurants
By Bruce Japsen
McDonald’s Corp. has informed an undisclosed number of customers that certain information such as phone numbers and ages has been obtained by an “unauthorized third party” via information collected from its Web sites.
McDonald’s described the information as customer information as “limited information” provided to McDonald’s that included “information required to confirm your age, a method to contact you (such as name, mobile phone number, and postal address and/or email address).” Get the full story »
Dec. 13, 2010 at 5:53 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
Food trucks — essentially restaurants on wheels — have taken off in cities such as Los Angeles and New York, spurred by the weak economy, trendy fare and the proliferation of social media, like Twitter. But in Chicago, one of the nation’s most progressive culinary cities, the trucks are held back by restrictive rules and operate in a legal twilight zone. Get the full story »
Dec. 9, 2010 at 8:24 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Litigation,
Restaurants
From WBBM | A woman who claimed a McDonald’s worker screamed at and spit on her during an early morning visit to the drive-through at the restaurant on Western and Madison is suing McDonald’s Corp. for $300,000.Get the full story>>
Dec. 8, 2010 at 7:25 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants
By Emily Bryson York
McDonald’s Corp. reported global comparable sales for November were up 4.8 percent, which was weaker than anticipated in its key domestic market and Japan.
In the U.S., McDonald’s credited the McRib sandwich, demand for McCafe beverages and its core menu for boosting sales 4.9 percent. Although winter is a historically slow period for McDonald’s is likely to grab its share of media attention with a nationwide promotion of oatmeal in the wings. Get the full story »
Dec. 7, 2010 at 6:11 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Jobs/employment,
Layoffs,
Restaurants
By McClatchy Tribune Newspapers
Burger King’s new owners continued their purge of headquarters Monday, dismissing a large number of workers there in an effort to catch-up with McDonald’s in the fast-food wars.
The Miami-based company announced 413 dismissals company-wide, including 261 in South Florida. Most of those jobs came from the No. 2 burger chain’s headquarters. Get the full story »
Dec. 6, 2010 at 3:01 p.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants,
Retail
By Emily Bryson York
Rendering of planned grocery and eatery. (Richtree)
Westfield Old Orchard mall in Skokie has demolished its old food court and is in the process of building a high end eating area with a variety of organic, sustainable, and artisan options as well as a grocery. It’s expected to open next summer.
“Our new open kitchens and natural market experience will reflect the ever-growing sophistication and culinary awareness of our customers,” Deborah Mattes, senior general manager of Old Orchard. Get the full story »
Dec. 2, 2010 at 6:27 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Insurance,
Restaurants
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
Senate Democrats accused McDonald’s Corp. of offering hourly workers a bad deal on health insurance, prompting a strong defense from a top McDonald’s executive who disclosed fresh details about the chain’s benefits. The exchanges came at a hearing Wednesday that was part of a Senate committee investigation into “mini-med” insurance policies, a type of limited health plan favored by retailers and restaurant chains. Get the full story »
Dec. 1, 2010 at 5:16 p.m.
Filed under:
Beverages,
Food,
Packaged foods,
Restaurants
By Associated Press
Starbucks provided only limited updates Wednesday on its dispute with Kraft Foods Inc., but did say it has been dissatisfied with Kraft for a while and claimed Kraft has failed to effectively work with Starbucks or promote its products.
The two companies entered arbitration after Starbucks announced it wanted to end a 12-year agreement under which Kraft distributes and promotes packaged Starbucks coffee in stores.
Kraft has said the agreement has been mutually beneficial and that it has helped deliver major gains for Starbucks. A Kraft spokesman said Wednesday that the companies’ dispute centers on how Starbucks will take over Kraft’s responsibilities and end the contract. Get the full story »
Nov. 30, 2010 at 7:29 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Health care,
Insurance,
Restaurants
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
A congressional committee is widening its investigation of bare-bones health-insurance policies to encompass potentially hundreds of plans offered by low-wage employers.
What started as a probe into McDonald’s Corp.’s insurance plan for store workers is expanding into broad scrutiny of “mini-med” policies that could ensnare large mini-med carriers including Aetna Inc. and Cigna Corp. Get the full story »
Nov. 17, 2010 at 5:06 p.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants
By Ameet Sachdev
Harry Caray’s Tavern in Wrigleyville will be renamed “Benchwarmers” next week, after the parties that owned and managed the restaurant terminated their business relationship.
Harry Caray’s Tavern opened at 3551 N. Sheffield Ave., in 2008, in a spot formerly occupied by Hi-Tops Café. Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group had been retained to manage the Sheffield location, which is owned by Benchwarmers Inc.
Grant DePorter, president of the restaurant group, revealed that the tavern was closing during a press conference held Tuesday by the Chicago Cubs to discuss the team’s plans to renovate Wrigley Field. He attended in a show of support for the team’s project. Get the full story »
Nov. 17, 2010 at 11:50 a.m.
Filed under:
China,
Food,
International,
Restaurants
By Reuters
A woman walks out of a McDonald's outlet in Beijing Nov. 17, 2010. (Christina Hu/Reuters)
McDonald’s has raised menu prices in mainland China by 0.5 yuan to 1 yuan per item with immediate effect because of rising materials costs as the country grapples with accelerating food inflation.
McDonald’s, which has more than 1,000 outlets in China, was raising prices for the first time this year, while Yum! Brands, parent of KFC and Pizza Hut chains, had so far kept prices unchanged, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
“Because some materials prices have increased, we have adjusted menu prices accordingly,” a McDonald’s (China) Co. Ltd spokeswoman said. Get the full story »
Nov. 17, 2010 at 7:28 a.m.
Filed under:
China,
Food,
International,
Restaurants
By Dow Jones Newswires
McDonald’s Corp. said it raised prices of some food items sold at its China outlets 7 to 15 cents per item effective Wednesday because of higher costs, which come amid growing concerns about spiralling inflation.
The increase “is because of higher raw material prices and we’ve adjusted our prices accordingly,” said Sophia Luan, vice president of corporate affairs and communications at McDonald’s China. Get the full story »
Nov. 16, 2010 at 12:43 p.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants,
Sports
By Ameet Sachdev
Fans line up to get into the then-new Harry Carey's Tavern on Sheffield in 2008. (Charles Osgood/Tribune)
Harry Caray’s Tavern in Lakeview will close by Monday, the operator said. Harry Carry Restaurant Group CEO Grant DePorter made the surprise announcement during a press conference at Wrigley Field.
He said the relationship between the restaurant and the owner of the building on Sheffield Avenue has been like a “bad marriage.” Get the full story »
Nov. 12, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Filed under:
Advertising/Marketing,
Food,
Restaurants
By Associated Press
San Francisco’s mayor has vetoed legislation that would ban toys from fast-food children’s meals, though it’s still expected to become law.
Get the full story »
Nov. 11, 2010 at 7:41 a.m.
Filed under:
Food,
Restaurants
By Tribune staff report
Tent city outside the new Wheaton Chick-fil-A. (WGN-TV)
The third and latest edition of the chicken restaurant opened at 6 a.m. in Wheaton with more than a hundred customers outside, many having spent the night and before that in sleeping bags and tents.
Some said they had been there since 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, taking advantage of the near record early November temperatures, in an effort to be one of the first hundred customers and receive a free weekly meal for a year.
Some who camped out since yesterday repeated their slumber parties when the chain opened two Chicagoland restaurants, most recently in Orland Park in October.
“This is Disneyland compared to Orland Park,” said Don Braaten, who stood in line with his older brother, Gary. Braaten was referring to the chain’s most recent opening, Oct 28.
“This is my third opening. I went to Aurora, Orland Park, and now here,” he said.
One man boasted of having hundreds of free certificates following the chain’s openings around the country.
Heidi Rewerts said she has probably eaten about 500 chicken sandwiches since the chain first opened in Atlanta 20 years ago.
“We’ve been waiting for 20 years for them to move here, and now we’re near two of them. I think it’s great,” she said. “I’ve been here since 4:30 yesterday morning.”
The chain says it has plans to open more restaurants in Chicago next year.
– Pat Curry
