Full Service

Dallas -- Venture Commercial announced that True Food Kitchen will open a 5,915-sq.-ft restaurant at The Plaza at Preston Center, a five-story mixed-use development under construction in Dallas.

True Food, a Fox Restaurant Concepts brand, is slated to open in 2013 in a ground-floor space of a building that is devoted to retail tenants.

Puyallup, Wash. -- Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Co. announced that BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse will open a 9,200-sq.-ft. restaurant at South Hill Mall in Puyallup, Wash.

The new tenant is scheduled to open February 11, 2013, located between Red Robin and Olive Garden restaurants.

Baton Rouge, La. -- Cafeteria-style restaurant chain Piccadilly Restaurants filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday, citing a breakdown in talks with its lender Atalaya Capital Management.

Atalaya had recently purchased part of Piccadilly’s debt, which hasn’t been quantified by the chain.  

Piccadilly was given a commitment for debtor in possession financing of up to $5 million, providing the company with ample liquidity, Piccadilly said.

Dallas -- PeopleAnswers and Real Mex Restaurants said Thursday the pair has executed a software licensing agreement that will bring the PeopleAnswers HR solution to Real Mex for pre-screening, selecting and hiring managers.

Dallas -- Bennigan's Franchising Co. and Brixmor Property Group announced a strategic partnership to add Bennigan's restaurants nationwide into Brixmor's portfolio of shopping centers.

The partnership will include positioning Bennigan's signs at select existing buildings and pad site locations within the Brixmor portfolio of shopping centers, promoting pre-approved restaurant space and franchise opportunities within the company's targeted growth markets.

Sharon, Pa. -- Casual-dining chain Quaker Steak & Lube said Monday it has opened its 50th restaurant in Lakewood, Ohio, and is on track to open 10 additional restaurants this year. The brand also will be expanding to six new markets with five franchise groups over the next several years.

"Over the past six months, we signed agreements to develop 11 new restaurants around the country, including three corporate locations in Texas," said John Longstreet, president and CEO.

Cherry Hill, N.J. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that Henri Bendel has opened a 2,300-sq.-ft. store at Cherry Hill Mall, in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Cherry Hill Mall is anchored by Nordstrom, Macy’s and J.C. Penney. Grand Lux Café recently opened its upscale restaurant concept at the mall, and Essensuals London, Pottery Barn and The North Face are all slated to open this year.
 

St. Charles, Mo. -- Peoria, Ill.-based Cullinan Properties said that Five Guys Burgers and Fries has opened has opened at the Streets of St. Charles, located in St. Charles (St. Louis), Mo. – the burger brand’s first in the county.

Orlando, Fla. -- Darden Restaurants reduced restaurant water usage by 17% on an aggregate basis between fiscal years 2008 and 2011, exceeding its 2015 goal of reducing water consumption in each of its restaurants by 15% on aggregate and is more than half way toward meeting the same goal for reducing energy consumption in its restaurants, according to the company’s second annual sustainability report.

Darden Restaurants’ recent $585 million purchase of one of casual-dining’s rising stars, Yard House USA, put a spotlight on the brand, which has 39 locations. But Yard House is also generating buzz with its first Boston location, which is located just a stone’s throw away from one of the nation’s most historic sporting venues: Fenway Park.