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Burger King Holdings Inc .said it did not get any superior buyout offers during the “go-shop” period following its agreement to sell itself to investment firm 3G Capital for $3.26 billion.
The world’s second-largest hamburger chain had time until Oct. 12 to solicit a richer offer from other buyers. Get the full story »
Baristas participate in espresso training at Starbucks, Feb. 26, 2008. (Keith Bedford/Handout)
From the Wall Street Journal | Starbucks customers could be stuck in longer lines now that the company has told baristas to slow down and only work on two beverages at a time. The Wall Street Journal reviewed company documents instructing employees to steam milk for each drink individually, rising pitchers after each use and using only one espresso machine. The changes are designed to address criticisms about assembly-line coffee. Get the full story>>
From Crain’s Chicago Business | Champaign-based Jimmy John Enterprises LLC has filed a lawsuit accusing the Chicago-based parent of Halsted Street Deli, for infringing on two of its trademarked sandwiches — Turkey Tom and Hunter’s Club.. Get the full story>>
McDonald's McRib sandwich. (McDonald's)
The elusiveness of McDonald’s McRib sandwich’s has created a fan base of people who go to considerable lengths to munch on one of the boneless pork patties. Ryan Dixon of Burbank, Calif., once drove 10 hours to Medford, Ore., after hearing a McDonald’s there was selling the sandwich.
McRibs, launched in 1981 are almost never available at all McDonald’s restaurants at the same time. Instead, the Oak Brook,, company offers them in different cities at different times, rarely for longer than a few weeks. Get the full story »
(Image courtesy penn-station.com.)
Penn Station East Coast Subs, a cheesesteak-and-fries chain based in Milford, Ohio, has opened its first Chicago area location in Lombard.
The chain expects to have 20 Chicago area locations by 2015.
The first franchise partner is Gordon Hahn, previously of Chicago Bread LLC, a franchise group that operates 31 Chicago-area Panera restaurants. Hahn and his son Kevin are partners at the Lombard locations, and expect to open four more around Chicago. Get the full story »
A recommended San Francisco ban on kids' meal toys, which would affect primarily McDonald's. (AP)
San Francisco’s planning commission has recommended a full vote on a partial ban on toy sales with children’s meals at fast food restaurants. The proposed legislation would make it illegal for toys to be given alongside kids’ meals that didn’t meet certain criteria.
The city’s board will take a full vote that could result in legislation in a few weeks. As the biggest player in this space, Oak Brook-based McDonald’s is at the center of this storm. Get the full story »
A dispute between McDonald’s Corp. and the federal government over a new health care reform requirement is giving a peek into the potential complexities that the massive new law will have on companies. Get the full story »
Workers at a McDonald's restaurant in Oak Brook. (Tribune photo by Terry Harris)
McDonald’s Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul. The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers’ health plans as the law ripples through the real world. Get the full story »
Chicago-area restaurant chain Boston Blackie’s is closing some of its locations almost a year after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
An employee who answered the phone at the chain’s River East location said it was closing effective immediately. He declined to comment further. The Boston Blackie’s next to the Doubletree Hotel in Skokie also closed on Sunday, according to a hotel employee. Phone numbers listed on the company’s Web site for locations in Lincoln Park, Glencoe and Naperville were disconnected or out of service on Tuesday afternoon. Get the full story »
A McDonald's Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap. The chain plans to introduce larger wraps. (McDonald's)
McDonald’s is supersizing its snack wraps. A company spokeswoman confirmed that the chain is testing a variety of larger wraps, with chicken, sauce and a variety of vegetables, in various downtown Chicago locations.
The $4 wraps come with grilled or fried chicken and a variety of flavors: Santa Fe BBQ, Garden Ranch, or Roma Pesta, with tomato pesto and garlic mayonnaise. News of the chicken-wrap test was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
McDonald’s president and chief operating officer Don Thompson said that the company was hatching a number of new wraps in July, based on the understanding that consumers are looking for more flavor variety. Get the full story »
From Crain’s Chicago Business | Stefani’s Tuscany Cafe has closed at the Shops at North Bridge, deciding not to renew its lease after 10 years at what has become a more traditional mall food court.
McDonald’s Corp. is boosting its quarterly dividend by 11 percent to 61 cents, and analysts expect the world’s biggest hamburger chain to continue returning cash to shareholders while still investing in its restaurants.
Johnny Rockets, the 1950s diner-themed hamburger chain, which has opened a combined restaurant with the Halsted Street Deli on the corner State and Lake Streets in the Loop, will celebrate its grand opening today.
Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. the restaurant will be passing out samples of the chain’s classic hamburgers, wings and shakes. Every 15 minutes, guests can also participate in a raffle to win coupons, for a free shake with purchase a hamburger, and Johnny Rockets gift cards. An official ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Get the full story »
Free Bud, Sept. 29. (AP)
This Bud’s for everybody. In response to slipping sales, Anheuser-Busch is handing out free beer. The company will host a “National Happy Hour” on Sept. 29, according to several news outlets, in an attempt to woo some consumers to its brew, and remind others why they used to drink it.
“On-premise sampling is the old standby of point-of-purchase sales tactics,” Beer Business Daily editor Harry Schumacher noted in an email to subscribers this morning. “You buy people beers in bars, they like it and they like you, and then it drives off-premise sales.” Get the full story »
Chick-fil-A is bringing its fried chicken sandwiches and waffle fries to downtown Chicago next spring.
Although the lease has yet to be signed, John E. Featherston Jr., Chick-fil-A’s senior director of real estate, said that a Chick-fil-A restaurant will open near Water Tower Place.
“I’ve been to a lot of intersections downtown, and this is the first one where I want to plant the flag,” Featherston said. “Hopefully this will lead to others.” Get the full story »
