Leadership

Individuals influencing the direction of the restaurant industry

Leadership

Get to know the new restaurant heirs

Some kids born into the family business make a swift exit into another career. Not so for these restaurant progeny. They're expanding their empire.

Leadership

Dick Portillo: The contrarian

Average annual sales at Portillo’s, which began as a hot dog stand in a suburban Chicago parking lot, today sit at about $8.5 million per store at newer units.

Executives of some big-time brands have jumped ship to steer operations at the smaller guys. Here’s a look at why.

Ed Doherty insists his success as a restaurant franchisee is a tale of phenomenal luck, starting with the purchase of his first restaurants in 1985.

As much as Aziz Hashim loves franchising, the one-time electrical engineer has never warmed to the risk factor, starting with the lone KFC he opened in his 20s.

The past year reaffirmed that tough times bring many changes in restaurant leadership. Here are four of the most dramatic shifts.

Denny Marie Post, CEO of Red Robin, is tasked with anticipating where consumer preferences will be down the road, and making sure her team is there, too.

Denny Post, CEO of the Red Robin full-service burger chain, assumed the post in August after discussing the brand’s mission with members of the company’s board.

If there’s one thing to be learned from interviewing top restaurateurs, it’s that leadership isn’t built on fortune cookie-style doctrines.

Check out these teaching moments from operators’ worst managers.

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