Nation's Restaurant News Magazine

CiCi's Is America's Favorite Pizza Chain For People Who Like Bad Pizza

Cici's Pizza grease buffet is an American favorite, according to Nation's Restaurant News. The article cites a study conducted by Market Force, a consumer research company based in Colorado. Other American favorites covered in the survey include Papa John's, Papa Murphy's and Take 'N' Bake Pizza.

National List of "Hot Concepts" Includes Two Locally Based Companies, Del Frisco's Grille and Pie Five Pizza

The foodservice industry trade publication Nation's Restaurant News recently named its Hot Concepts of 2012, which is a look at brands that "celebrate innovation, vitality and growth within the restaurant industry." The annual list acts as a barometer of trendsetters, which are expected to experie ... More >>

EatZi's is Expanding to Grapevine and Plano, but It's Not Going National Again

Nation's Restaurant News reported yesterday that eatZi's will open two new spots in the 'burbs. The first will open on May 17 in Grapevine and will occupy 10,000 square feet "of freestanding retail space in a former Luby's Cafeteria site." The Plano store will be a newly constructed 10,000 square- ... More >>

Jason Boso and Twisted Root Win Big for Big D

​Each year, Nation's Restaurant News selects five emerging companies as its Hot Concepts! Award winners. This year's group was cited for "bold tactics, outstanding creativity and strong performances in a persistently sluggish economy." And one of Dallas' own is a member of that group: Twisted ... More >>

Olive Garden Rolls Out Remodel in Texas

A plan to revamp Olive Garden restaurants nationwide is getting its start in Texas. Three Dallas area stores are among the nine "remodel locations" recently announced by the Italian-American restaurant chain. According to spokesperson Kristen Johnson, more than half of the chain's 700 stores will e ... More >>

Breakfast Tacos: Taste What You're Missing, America

Get a clue, America.​Restaurant owners are growing increasingly excited about the prospects for breakfast pizza, but breakfast tacos don't show any signs of making significant inroads nationally. Breakfast pizza is typically a tomato sauce-less concoction of eggs, cheese and meat -- sort of l ... More >>

Kent Rathbun: So Many Restaurants, So Little Reality TV That Doesn't "Suck"

Courtesy of Jasper's​Kent Rathbun's résumé is too extensive to quickly gloss over. Like most chefs, Rathbun started his career as an apprentice working at La Bonne Auberge, a five-star French restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. Rathbun then moved on to work in the kitchens of Mr. B's in Ne ... More >>

Newest Menu Items at Leading Chains Not Designed for Teetotalers

​Corporate kitchens are continuing to add wine and spirits to their dishes, apparently angling for sophistication and increased perceived value. Olive Garden is now pushing a pasta dish with shellfish "sautéed in white wine" and a stew "simmered in light white wine." Red Lobster's developed ... More >>

Fish Tacos Swimming in Popularity, Cali-Style

​Fish tacos had a banner year in 2010, but California-style tacos made with beer-battered tilapia and chipotle mayonnaise are still outpacing the grilled fish variety more commonly served in Mexico. According to a survey from industry research firm Technomic, the number of fish tacos on resta ... More >>

Because We Can't Go Too Long
Without an In-N-Out Reference

​In-N-Out's local opening may still be months away, but fast food fans willing to drive to Austin can feast on a sandwich being touted by burger bloggers as an Animal Style alternative. 4x4 Animal Style a contributor to the website GrubGrade who presumably knows his In-N-Out patties, is calli ... More >>

Taco Bell Cuts Salt. No One Notices
Change in Taste. Surprise!

​Wondering why you haven't been chugging down your extra-large Taco Bell soda as quickly as you once did? It could be because the fast food chain's secretly been leaving the salt out of its recipes. As reported by Nation's Restaurant News yesterday, Taco Bell tested out its new lower-sodium m ... More >>

Cold "Oatmeal" is Hot With Trendy Breakfast Eaters

Oatmeal, once derided as dull, is now so trendy that at least one Dallas-based restaurant chain's slapped the name on a dish of uncooked rolled oats, yogurt and fruit. ​The sweet breakfast snack is officially muesli, but - after nearly a decade of name-tweaking --Corner Bakery now sells it as ... More >>

Growing Number of Eaters Find Convenience Stores, Um, Convenient

Grab-and-go eaters are increasingly patronizing convenience stores, a trend one market research group thinks could threaten fast food restaurants' traditional breakfast hour dominance. RoadfoodMcDonalds fears this sandwich (which is not available at Big E's.)​"We'll see an expansion of foodse ... More >>

Kent Rathbun Offers Entrepreneurial Advice

​Kent Rathbun, who cracked the Neiman-Marcus Christmas catalog this year with a lobster shooter kit, has advice for other restaurateurs looking to turn their signature recipes into retail sensations. "You got to start small, and you got to think in terms of what people can use at home," Rathb ... More >>

Chain Gang: Pizza Inn and Wingstop
Adding Lots o' Links

​Pizza Inn and Wingstop are two DFW-based chains making some national food news. While Wingstop continues to grow at rapid speed, Pizza Inn is hoping franchise incentives and a kids-friendly concept will help propel their new prototype restaurants to success. The Colony-based pizza chain i ... More >>

Chili's: Hold the Burger, Heat Up the Burrito

​Industry analysts say Chili's should shift its focus from burgers to burritos if the chain wants to recapture customers. Brinker International , which released its fourth quarter results today, has positioned Chili's as a family-friendly watering hole. The Associated Press reported,"Excludin ... More >>

Days Gone Bite: The Riviera

​Seven years ago today Dallas' grand old fine dining destination was in its death throes. The Riviera would close for good in February of 2003, leaving as its legacy some of the finest chefs, restaurateurs and managers in the city.David Holben (now at Del Frisco's) and Lori Finkelman served as the ... More >>

Two Restaurants Score Big This Week

Chef Brian Luscher, one of the big winners.​Ah, bragging rights. Everyone wants to claim them, over your brother, a co-worker, the guy you battle for a parking space every morning. Now two Dallas restaurants hold them over the entire city.Nana was just inducted into the Nation's Restaurant News 2 ... More >>

Food For Thought 5.6.09

"Speculation that Starbucks is losing retail market share to competitors has been grossly exaggerated. Our customers are not trading down." (Howard Schultz, chairman of Starbucks, announcing lower pricing on certain items in some markets to combat slower sales. The Seattle-based chain reported a 77 ... More >>

Food For Thought: 3.18.09

"Our average check is lower, but transactions are up 10 to 15 percent." (John Hurley, owner of Garibaldi's Restaurant in Oakland, CA, on the value of a prix-fixe menu. According to Nation's Restaurant News, fine dining restaurants are increasingly turning to multi-course, set price dinners to comba ... More >>

Food For Thought 3.12.09

"The good news for the restaurant industry is that consumers typically get hungry about every four to five hours, generally three times a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year." (Bob Derrington, securities analyst with Morgan Keegan & Co., on the ability of restaurants to weather nasty little ... More >>

Purring Gears

The upscale casual Houston's is a well-oiled machine

Everybody Loves Romano

How can Phil Romano, the "Steven Spielberg of the food business," become even more successful? By opening more restaurants, making more money--and feeding the homeless.

Cheesy Lulu

Texadelphia finds a new home on McKinney

Slaughterhouse Jive

Dallas-based Supreme Beef fought what it believes are unfair regulations, only to wind up on the USDA's killing floor

Fallen star

How greed, incompetence, and allegations of fraud sank Dallas' FoodStar Restaurant Group

Hash Over

Hash Over

Stealing home

Cutting-edge grocery City Harvest does home-cooking for busy Cliff-hangers

Buzz

Pure delight

At Majella's and Palayok, you'll get your Filipino of fine imported flavors

Princess for a day

Don your rhinestone tiara: The Pyramid's prix-fixe dinner is the best deal in town