McDonald’s Corp. plans to boost investment into expansion of its Russian business this year to increase its foothold in the growing fast food restaurant market amid still sluggish competition. Get the full story »
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Ronald sidelined as McDonald’s goes more upscale
Ronald McDonald waves to the crowd during the 2010 St. Patrick's Day Parade on Columbus Drive. (William DeShazer/Tribune)
From Bloomberg News | As McDonald’s Corp. morphs into a more upscale chain, there’s one person you won’t see munching salads, sipping a cappuccino and surfing the Web: Ronald McDonald, age 48.
While Ronald still plays an ambassador role, he isn’t tied to the menu, says spokeswoman Danya Proud. Even as mascots like Burger King’s King shill on TV and the Web, Ronald has ceded the limelight to budding singers and dancers who sell mochas and frappes — not Happy Meals. | Get the full story>>
Bayless O’Hare eatery a top airport restaurant
From USA Today | Tortas Frontera, a Rick Bayless restaurant that specializes in Mexican griddle sandwiches, scores among the Top 10 airport restaurants in a Frommer’s Travel Guides survey commissioned by USA Today.
“We’ve picked places that serve food you’d eat even if you weren’t trapped,” says Jason Clampet, senior online editor for Frommers.com.
Epic Burger to expand to West Loop
Crain’s Chicago Business | Epic Burger, the organic hamburger chain that opened its first location in 2008, is adding a third — at 550 W. Adams St. — this summer. It will join restaurants in the South Loop and Lincoln Park.
McDonald’s India franchisee plans 30 more stores
McDonald’s Corp.’s Indian franchisee plans to set up 30 new restaurants in the southern and western parts of the country this year, as part of the restaurant chain’s expansion plans in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Speaking to Reuters in an interview, Hardcastle Restaurants Private Ltd Vice Chairman Amit Jatia said the franchisee would invest $111 million in India over the next three to four years. Get the full story »
Aurora Roundhouse restaurant files Ch. 11
From the Chicago Sun-Times | The Aurora restaurant that once carried Walter Payton’s name has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after months of unpaid bills and delinquent taxes that have kept its owners in and out of the courtroom. Owner Scott Ascher said he filed for bankruptcy protection for the facility Monday in order to sell the building to one of three interested parties. Ascher said the restaurant will remain open. Get the full story>>
Chicago businesses spending more at restaurants
Spending by Chicago businesses on dining and retail goods rose in the fourth quarter of 2010 from a year earlier, showing “an overall corporate spending resurgence,” according to data released by American Express Business Insights. Get the full story »
Giordano’s files for bankruptcy
Chicago’s Giordano’s Enterprises Inc., home of the “world famous” deep-dish pizza, filed for bankruptcy Wednesday.
According to documents served up Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Chicago, Giordano’s sought Chapter 11 protection along with 32 affiliates. In court papers, Giordano’s said it has “an urgent and immediate need for cash to continue to operate.”
Giordano’s, where every pizza “is a slice of heaven,” owes more than $45 million to lender Fifth Third Bank. Get the full story »
Freezing weather knocks ‘T’ out of BLTs
Freezing weather across the South and Mexico recently damaged such crops as tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, leading to shortages and price increases. It’s left some restaurants scrambling to revamp such staples as sandwiches and salads.
“It’s sort of like the perfect storm — Florida, Texas and Mexico all get hit with unseasonably cold weather, which decreased the yields of tomatoes and cucumbers,” said Gary Karp, executive vice president for Technomic, a food market-research firm. “It’s going to take about 60 days or so before new tomatoes and other replacement products can come to market.” Get the full story »
Hooters closes up shop in Crystal Lake
TribLocal | The Hooters in Crystal Lake closed abruptly on Monday with some employees offered jobs in the chain’s Schaumburg restaurant.
Woman sues McDonald’s over glass in sandwich
A woman sued McDonald’s Corp , Friday, saying she was injured after chewing on a “large shard of glass” inside her spicy McChicken sandwich.
Vjollca Lecaj said she suffered severe and permanent oral injuries, as well as “great pain and anguish,” after biting into and chewing the glass last Aug. 5 at a McDonald’s in Oak Lawn, Illinois, near Chicago. Get the full story »
Largest McDonald’s franchisee plans U.S. IPO
The largest McDonald’s franchisee globally is planning a U.S. listing that could raise as much as $1 billion, the Financial Times said on Wednesday.
Arcos Dorados might file for an initial public offering within days and could start trading in New York in April, the newspaper said, citing unnamed sources. Get the full story »
McDonald’s rebounds in Europe; shares up
McDonald’s reported a stronger-than-expected sales rebound in January in Europe, its biggest market for revenue, sending its shares up nearly 3 percent in midday trading.
Sales at restaurants in Europe open at least 13 months jumped 7 percent last month, well above the 3.7 percent analysts had expected.
This was also a significant improvement from December, when sales in Europe fell 0.5 percent, rattling investors who worry that austerity measures will cut into spending in the region. Get the full story »
McDonald’s communications chief dead at 62
Jack Daly
Jack Daly, chief communications officer for McDonald’s Corp., died Saturday morning after a battle with cancer. He was 62.
“Through the depth of his thinking and strength of his insights, Jack helped guide McDonald’s through some of our greatest successes and most difficult challenges, always with humility, calmness and grace,” McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner said in a statement.
A company veteran with nearly 20 years at the Oak Brook-based fast food giant, Daly oversaw the global public relations function.
Get the full story »
Pizza chains stocking up for Super Bowl
Super Bowl Sunday is coming and pie-makers across the country are bracing for a pizza one of the five big pizza days of the year along with Halloween, the day before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
All of which require some serious flour power. At the Papa John’s chain, officials expect to sell a million pizzas when the Steelers meet the Packers on Feb. 6, making it their biggest day of the year. Get the full story »
