Carolyn Walkup

LEXINGTON KY. —More than a year after private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners bought Fazoli’s from Seed Restaurant Group, the 313-unit chain continues to evolve its...

Pass the octopus, please. A friend and I were dining recently at a Mediterranean cafe, and as she handed me the bowl, it occurred to me how odd those words would have sounded coming from me 20 years ago. As a 7-year...

As rising labor costs, commodity inflation and energy-related expenses mount, major quick-service chains are taking steps to reverse dwindling profits from their popular value menus and low-priced offerings. ...

Like many Bob Evans Restaurants executives, Roger Williams has been with the 579-unit family-dining chain for a long time. His first job there in 1967 was as a restaurant crew member. He moved through...

CHICAGO —With several openings planned for 2008, the prolific upscale- and casual-dining innovator Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises is expanding several existing...

RICHMOND HEIGHTS MO. Panera Bread Co. is striving to strengthen softening profit margins and ease investor dissatisfaction by employing a variety of initiatives to increase transactions and overall sales. ...

Veteran casual-dining chains are overhauling everything from the way their restaurants look and feel to the food and drinks they serve and, in some cases, the leadership directing the changes, in an effort to snap the...

DEERFIELD ILL. —Providing support to first-time franchisees who are opening six Così restaurants in November is one of James Hyatt’s foremost objectives in his new role...