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Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is developing an Asian restaurant concept modeled after the successful fast-casual burrito chain.
Chipotle founder and co-Chief Executive Steve Ells and a small team from the company are developing the concept, whose name wasn’t disclosed. They plan to open one location next year. Get the full story »
An Extreme Pita interior. (Photo courtesy of Extreme Pita)
Extreme Pita, a Mediterranean fast-food chain concept for health-conscious consumers, opened its first Chicago-area location last week. The Orland Park store is one of 25 the chain has in the works for the region over the next five years.
“There is a real opportunity for us to carve out a niche market in Chicago,” Ray Zandi, vice president of U.S. development for Extreme Pita said, in a statement. “With a large population that has a sizeable segment tending toward health consciousness, Chicago is a natural fit for our vision of inspiring healthy living.”
Founded in 1997, the Mississauga, Ontario-based chain has more than 300 locations, many of them in Canada. But the chain is growing fast in the U.S. Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Chicago-based Technomic described Extreme Pita as a Subway restaurant, but with pita. Customers can watch their sandwiches being custom-made at the counter. Get the full story »
From Restaurant News | Greg Carey, president and chief operating officer of Chicago-based Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group, says his company plans to start growing again over the next 18 months and has secured $8 million from U.S. Bank and HillStreet Fund IV to do it. The company owns Rainforest Cafe and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, and is now targeting Texas, the Rocky Mountain states and the mid-Atlantic region for developing about six Stir Crazy casual-dining restaurants and about nine fast-casual Flat Top Grills, where guests create their own stir-frys.
Francesca’s Restaurants is taking its menu on the road to Wisconsin, its first market outside of the Chicago area.
The Chicago-based chain, which has grown to 20 locations since its first Italian restaurant opened on North Clark Street in 1992, said it will open a restaurant on July 7 on Madison’s Capital Square. The eatery will operate under the name Francesca’s al Lago.
