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Heather Lalley

Managing editor

Articles by
Heather Lalley

Page 7
Financing

Canadian fast-food chain Mary Brown’s Chicken acquires Fat Bastard Burrito Co.

The acquisition will create one of the country’s largest privately held quick-service companies, parent MB International Brands said.

Emerging Brands

José Andrés finally gets a restaurant in a former Trump-owned D.C. building

The Nobel Prize-nominated chef and the former president waged a legal battle over a restaurant in the Old Post Office building, after Trump made disparaging comments about immigrants.

Marketing

Asheville’s Chai Pani named best restaurant at 2022 James Beard Awards

Mashama Bailey was named Outstanding Chef and Owamni won Best New Restaurant at the first independent restaurant awards since 2019, following two years of re-invention for the industry at the awards program.

Operations

Inside Panera’s to-go store strategy

One month after opening its first digital-only, seat-less restaurant, the all-day bakery-café chain reports “very promising” results and is making plans to open more around the country.

Leadership

Zaxby’s adds Patrick Schwing as CMO

Schwing comes to the chicken finger chain from the top marketing post at Arby’s. His hiring caps a time of transformation in Zaxby’s C-suite.

Beverage

Chipotle adds its first seasonal beverage

The burrito chain, seeking to boost in-restaurant ticket sizes, is adding Watermelon Limeade for a limited time.

Operations

Panera opens a pick-up-only store

The first Panera To Go, which opened on Chicago’s North Side last month, has no dining room. Two more digital-only locations are planned to open this year, the bakery-café chain said.

Operations

Starbucks rethinks its bathroom policy

In 2018, following a widely publicized racist incident in one of its stores, the coffee giant opened its restrooms to all. But interim CEO Howard Schlutz says a mental health crisis is putting that policy (and worker safety) in jeopardy.

Operations

Shake Shack frustrated by clogs in its new-restaurant pipeline

The burger chain planned to open up to 50 new units this year but has pared that down to 40 to 45 stores because of a variety of delays and slowdowns. Many will have to open in the fourth quarter.

Marketing

Slim Chickens tries to crack the student-athlete partnership code

Marketing Bites: A year after chains could hire college athletes for marketing deals, the chicken brand is launching a five-athlete council; plus more marketing news of the week.

Emerging Brands

Fast-growing Velvet Taco outgrows its HQ

The 33-unit fast casual known for its creative tacos will move into an office space about five times bigger than its current one later this year.

Leadership

Blaze promotes Ed Yancey to chief development officer

Yancey, an industry veteran, has served as vice president of franchise development at the fast-casual pizza chain since 2020.

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