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Biography

Heather Lalley

Editor, Foodservice Group

 Contact Heather

Heather Lalley is an editor with Winsight's Foodservice Group, covering emerging restaurant concepts for Restaurant Business magazine and RB Online. She also works with Winsight's sister company Technomic to produce research-based reports on emerging restaurants and chains.

Heather spent nearly a decade as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Spokane, Wash. She is the author of "The Chicago Homegrown Cookbook," about chefs who work with area farmers. She holds a journalism degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the two-year baking and pastry program at Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago.

She is the mother of two children and rarely passes up a chance to eat tater tots.

Articles by
Heather Lalley

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Operations

Pie Five, Pizza Inn keep shrinking

Parent company Rave Restaurant Group continues to close units as sales keep declining at its fast-casual and buffet brands.

Leadership

Dave & Buster’s CEO Brian Jenkins to retire

Jenkins, who helmed the eatertainment brand through the depths of the pandemic to a record-setting quarter, will stay on as an advisor with the chain until the end of November.

Leadership

McAlister’s Deli promotes operations VP to chief brand officer

Mike Freeman has been with the Focus Brands fast casual for 13 years.

Food

Chipotle launches smoked brisket nationwide

The rollout follows a 64-unit test of the new protein late last year. The brisket is smoked, charred on the grill and seasoned with smoky peppers and other spices.

Financing

Rapper Drake invests in Dave’s Hot Chicken

The partnership gives the fast-growing fast casual a celebrity boost as the 22-unit concept ramps up for aggressive growth.

Operations

Dog Haus preps for a new double drive-thru store design

The fast-casual gourmet hot dog concept said it needed to focus on convenience to accommodate changing customer behavior coming out of the pandemic.

Technology

Pret A Manger is the latest chain to try a monthly subscription program

The fast casual is rolling out a coffee subscription at its New York City and Washington D.C. locations, following a successful test in its U.K. units.

Leadership

Tropical Smoothie Cafe promotes its operations SVP to COO

Richard Key has been with the fast-growing smoothie chain since 2018. The fast casual recently opened its 1,000th store.

Technology

Toast significantly ups its IPO goals

The restaurant software provider now seeks to raise as much as $717 million in its initial public offering, up from the $100 million stated in its original filing.

Emerging Brands

Smallcakes cupcake chain is acquired by The Derbyshire Group

The 180-unit brand, which sells cupcakes and ice cream and is largely owned by franchisees, will be led by a new team as it is prepped for growth.

Emerging Brands

How an iconic bagel seller is prepping for reinvention

The latest episode of the “Buzzworthy Brands” podcast features H&H Bagels, which has been in business for nearly 50 years, and is now getting its operations and systems in place to begin franchising.

Operations

James Beard Foundation unveils massive changes to its annual awards

The changes are designed to better promote equity, inclusion and a positive work culture for the independent restaurant awards. The program has been criticized for promoting white chefs and restaurateurs to the exclusion of others.

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