Restaurant

Having passed the calendar’s mid-point, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at the top 10 most-viewed stories of the year (to date) on Chainstoreage.com.

Houston -- Houston-based Baker Katz, an X Team International partner and full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm, announced the acquisition of a 2.12-acre property with an existing 13,000-sq.-ft. office building located near the cross streets of U.S. Highway 59 N and West Little York Road in Houston.

Seattle - Starbucks Coffee Co. plans on making a connection with French consumers.

The retailer is partnering with and Casino Restauration, the restaurant subsidiary of mass merchandiser Groupe Casino, to open Starbucks stores within Géant Casino hypermarkets and Casino supermarkets across France.

Ann Arbor, Mich. - Customers are less satisfied with fast food as their discretionary income improves and preferences shift in favor of quality over price.

According to new data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), two new entrants to ACSI debut at the top of limited-service (fast food) restaurants: Chick-fil-A and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

San Clemente, Calif. – The Outlets at San Clemente announces its grand opening coming in October. The lifestyle center will be designed in the style of a Spanish village and offer up to 70 retailers at opening.

Carrollton, Texas – The range of social media keeps expanding, and TGI Fridays is now including burgers. The casual dining chain has launched “Buy A Burger, Give A Burger,” a new promotion that allows customers to let their friends compete for free burgers through social media.

Scottsdale, Ariz. - Cold Stone Creamery is partnering with the Discovery Channel to promote its “Shark Week 2015” TV programming event through July 14. As part of the promotion, Cold Stone is holding a social media contest where one winner will win a trip for four to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas.

Washington, D.C. -- Retailers and restaurant owners can expect their labor costs to rise under a new proposal from the Obama administration.

On Tuesday, the Department of Labor unveiled a proposal whereby salaried workers who earn up to $50,440 a year would be eligible for time-and-a-half overtime wages when they work more than 40 hours per week. That is more than double the current threshold of $23,660, or $455 per week, established in 2004.