Dunkin' Donuts readies to do battle in Europe (Associated Press/Yahoo)
Despite the weak European economy, the chain plans to expand into Denmark, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.
—Marcella Veneziale
(Crain's New York Business)
Daniel Boulud proposes a European-style apprenticeship program in New York that taps high-school students, drawing them into the job pool.
—Marcella Veneziale
Mexico's Alsea cleared to buy Walmex's Vips restaurant chain (Reuters)
Mexican restaurant operator Alsea said Monday it received regulatory approval to purchase retailer Walmex's Vips restaurant chain, with the deal set to close within days. Alsea, a publicly traded company that franchises a number of U.S.-based brands in Latin America, including Burger King, California Pizza Kitchen, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Domino's Pizza and Starbucks, agreed to buy Walmex's 361 restaurants in September for about $630.8 million. The transaction had been held up by Mexico's competition watchdog, which made the deal conditional on Alsea providing information about exclusivity agreements with the malls in which it operates, and eliminating 54 exclusive clauses in contracts with malls.
—Ron Ruggless
'Hungry Investors' restaurant TV show debuts (Spike TV)
A new save-the-restaurant show debuted on Spike TV on Sunday, this time from the perspective of restaurant investors. Jon Taffer of “Bar Rescue” hosts with chefs John Besh and Tiffany Derry, who visit struggling dining spots to “make life-altering investments.”
—Lisa Jennings
Synthetic Soylent becomes big business (The New Yorker)
A group of San Francisco engineers have turned a synthetic food called Soylent into a booming business. The New Yorker has a 6,000-word story about it, but Grub Street summarizes it pretty well.
—Bret Thorn