Quick Service Restaurant

Atlanta - Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. (ARG), franchisor of Arby’s, has signed development agreements with new and existing franchisees. ARG recently sold 14 company-operated restaurants in Tampa, Fla., to Mosaic Investments Inc., a fully integrated investment firm based in Atlanta. In addition to remodeling existing locations slated to commence at the end of 2014, Mosaic has committed to build 13 new Arby's restaurants in the Tampa area during the next nine years.

Miami - Burger King Corp. is launching AT&T Wi-Fi services for all of its U.S. restaurants. The upgraded platform, "Whopper Wi-Fi,” replaces and upgrades current restaurant Wi-Fi networks.

Benefits of the new, streamlined Wi-Fi platform include customizable set-up and consistent service at all stores.

New York - Online video viewers, compared to non-online video viewers, are more frequent patrons of quick-service restaurants (QSR). A new study from video marketing platform Videology shows that those who watch video were 60% more likely to visit QSRs after hearing about a promotion or seeing an advertisement, regardless of the medium.

Tampa, Fla. — Burger 21 has announced plans to expand in the Phoenix, market with franchise developments. The fast-casual restaurant is currently developing two Arizona locations in Scottsdale and Chandler. Both will open later this year. To date, Burger 21 has 12 open locations and 18 franchised restaurants in development across the country.

One of the most fascinating developments over the last several years in our industry has been the explosion of new and different types of dining concepts. And it’s not only the restaurants chains evolving and emerging, but also about the way that dining preferences are changing.

New York — Pita Grill has signed a 12-year lease for 2,700-sq. ft. in Greenwich Village at 496 LaGuardia Place between West Houston and Bleecker Streets. The space includes 1,350 sq. ft. on the ground floor and 1,350 sq. ft. on the lower level. The quick-service restaurant will be the chain’s ninth location since if first opened a few blocks away at West 4th Street in 1994.

Oak Brook, Ill. – McDonald’s is offering free McCafe coffee is available during breakfast hours starting March 31 through April 13 in participating restaurants. To kick off the two-week campaign, McDonald's will host "Make Friends with McCafe" sampling events at high traffic locations and transportation hubs in multiple cities across the country.

Dallas — Dickey’s Barbecue will open seven new locations this week — in Kent, Wash.; Richland, Miss.; Vienna, Va.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Clinton Township, Mich.; Yonkers, N.Y.; and Dallas.

The fast-growing 391-unit restaurant chain has added more than 200 stores in the past two years. There are more than 150 stores in development.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. -- Continuing its opening march through Kuwait, Johnny Rockets has opened a new restaurant at the Divonne Restaurant Complex in Kuwait City.

Franchisee Haidar Al-Naqeeb is expanding the American chain in the Arabian Gulf; his first unit opened in December 1995 at Salem Al-Mabarak in Salmiyah, Kuwait.  Since that time, he's grown his portfolio to now include over a dozen franchises in Kuwait, as well as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain with additional openings planned.

Waban, Mass. -- Chick-fil-A and Sonic Drive-In deliver the best customer experience in the fast food industry, according to the 2014 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual ranking of companies based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers.