California Pizza Kitchen

Marketing

California Pizza Kitchen hopes a fake rebrand will get people talking

The casual-dining chain created some buzz this week by unveiling a bold new look, only to reverse course with the help of actress and superfan Busy Philipps.

Technology

Virtual Dining Concepts believes it has another hit with Man Vs Fries

The brand known for giant, fry-stuffed burritos is generating more revenue per store than any of the company’s other brands and could reach thousands of locations this year.

The casual-dining pizza chain hopes to add about 75 domestic locations via franchising over the next five years starting with an operator in Nevada.

The refranchising program is the latest step in the chain’s efforts to run fewer of its own restaurants.

CEO Jim Hyatt is out, along with longtime culinary chief Brian Sullivan and two others. Board member Jeff Warne was named CEO and president.

It took an internal mind shift, plus the addition of griddles and a couple of SKUs, for Chef Brian Sullivan to perfectly execute the new West Coast Burger.

Throughout October, there’s free stuff for CPK customers who opt for the new West Coast Burger instead of pizza.

Heart-shaped pizzas, doughnuts and trays; Hard Rock's Super Bowl and Valentine’s specials; football themes at BWW, Subway and Moe’s.

The strategy represents a new era for the chain as it emerges from bankruptcy and a decade of shrinking sales and unit counts.

The 200-unit chain plans to get back to growth with the new strategy.

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