Restaurant

New Albany, Ohio – Steve Davis has resigned as CEO of Bob Evans Farms Inc. by mutual agreement with the board of directors. The official change will take place immediately, but Davis will remain with the company through the end of the year to assist with the transition process.  

Atlanta – Pizza chain Mellow Mushroom is partnering with beer brand Stella Artois to provide rewards to consumers who post photos on Twitter and Instagram, with a little help from their friends. By posting “usies” (“selfies” with a friend) using the hashtag #MellowStellaContest, Mellow Mushroom followers are entered in a contest featuring a getaway and other prizes.  

New York City - The International Council of Shopping Centers set new attendance records at its New York National Deal Making Conference, moved for the first time to the Javits Convention Center, held December 8 and 9, and keynoted by Donald Trump. The two-day event at the new location nearly doubled the size of the space from prior years, and drew more than 400 exhibiting companies and 9,600 attendees, representing a new attendance record and a 26% increase compared to the 2013 event.  

Atlanta - Hooters of America is partnering with Forum Analytics for a customized real estate planning and market-optimization solution. The collaboration will allow Hooters real estate operations make real-time, data-driven decisions by allowing users to share market data and sales forecasts, as well as impact estimates and site packet materials via SIMMS Online, Forum’s proprietary mapping, reporting and analytic platform.   

Fresh perspective on how retailers can integrate their physical and digital presence while elevating the brand experience can be found in an unlikely location in Southern California.

The most vexing issue confronting retailers in 2015 remains how to seamlessly integrate the physical and digital worlds to keep pace with shopper expectations. A new Hooters prototype in the Los Angeles suburb of South Gate offers some ideas that could be worth exploring, borrowing and adapting for a retail environment.

In the final installment of CSA Online’s PizzaRev series, we’ll explore the importance of choosing franchisees with a particularly discerning eye, and the process by which franchisors evaluate potential expansion markets.    FRANCHISEE FACTORS   

Purchase, N.Y. – A decline in the price of gasoline may be leading to a larger haul for many many people on Christmas morning. According to the latest MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, total retail sales without the automotive and gasoline sectors were up 3.6% in November 2014, reinforcing the dramatic decline in gasoline prices.