Quick Service Restaurant

Texture Plus, the largest U.S. manufacturer of high-impact textured faux wall panels, urged the United States Senate and House of Representatives to quickly pass the “Restaurant and Retail Jobs and Growth Act.”

“Retailers and restaurants depend on remodeling their locations every five years to stay competitive,” said Brian Kampe, CEO. “The standard 39 year depreciation for building remodeling makes those improvements a difficult tax burden.”

Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t letting lackluster sales in its most recent quarter stand in the way of store expansion.

The coffee chain, a division of Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc., on Thursday said it is on track to add between 410 and 440 net new U.S. stores this year. The expansion represents greater than 5% net new locations.

Globally, the company -- which also owns Baskin-Robbins -- expects to open between 615 and 750 net new restaurants across the two brands.

Former Save-A-Lot CFO Rob Anderson has joined PetSmart as CFO.

Anderson assumes his new role at the nation’s largest pet specialty retailer on Oct. 5 amid rumors that PetSmart and Petco are exploring a merger. Anderson is a veteran financial executive who most recently served as CFO of the $4.8 billion discount grocery chain Save-A-Lot.

A little over a year into his tenure as Target’s chairman and CEO, Brian Cornell has added new responsibilities as a member of the board of directors at KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell parent company Yum! Brands.
 
Cornell’s appointment to the Yum board comes 13 months after he was named to the top job at Target and just three months after Target sold its pharmacy business to CVS Health for $1.9 billion. The latter is noteworthy because two executives with strong ties to CVS Health serve on Yum’s Nominating and Governance Committee.
 

The CEO of one of America’s most prominent discount retail chains has joined the board of directors of quick service restaurant operator Yum Brands. Target CEO Brian J. Cornell, 56, is now a member of the Yum Brands board.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is questioning whether to use a broader definition of the term “joint employer,” a move that could bring sweeping changes to the restaurant and retail/wholesale franchisor model. Whether a large fast-food company exhibited more control than it should have over its franchisees was the most recent catalyst for the proposed change, but several earlier cases have challenged the more than 30-year-old standard for determining joint employment.

St. Charles, Mo. -- Cullinan Properties continues its growth in the St. Charles, Missouri, region with the announcement of three new restaurants joining the Streets of St. Charles.

Wasabi Sushi Bar and Picasso's Coffee House are targeted to open September 2015 and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is expected to open in spring 2016. The restaurants will join a growing list of eateries at Streets of St. Charles: Prasino, Bar Louie, Tucano’s, Dewey’s Pizza, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
 

Taco Bell has developed a new store design and banner for the brand’s expansion into urban markets.

The new model — designed in house — eliminates the drive-thru and uses technology to help simplify and modernize the restaurant experience. The format, called Taco Bell Cantina, will debut in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago on Tuesday, Sep. 22. The second will open in San Francisco later this month. And in a big change for the company, Cantina customers will be able to buy wine or beer to accompany their tacos.  

Bentonville, Ark. – Five Walmart stores in central Florida are reportedly getting ready to serve the needs of hungry customers.

New York -- The administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved a wage increase that will gradually raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers in New York to $15 an hour. And now Cuomo wants the hike to be even broader.

Speaking Thursday at a labor rally in New York City, Cuomo proposed a $15 minimum statewide wage for all industries, with the increase to be enacted over time. It would give the Empire State the highest statewide minimum wage in the country. New York’s minimum wage is now $8.75 an hour.