Discover the dynamic world of food and beverage services, where industry trends, consumer preferences, and innovative practices come together to shape the dining experience. This category covers all aspects of the food service industry, from quick-service restaurants and fine dining establishments to catering, hospitality, and food delivery services. Stay informed on the latest developments in menu innovation, service models, technology adoption, and customer engagement strategies that are driving the evolution of food and beverage services.
VANCOUVER — Until Sept. 15, 2024, Canadians will be able to buy one Whistle Dog and get a second dog for only $1 at all A&W restaurants across the country and on the mobile app.
“We’re excited to offer this fantastic deal to our die-hard Whistle Dog fans, and loyal customers alike,” says Tom Newitt, VP of Marketing at A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. “It’s a great opportunity to enjoy our iconic Whistle Dog with this unbeatable deal.”
Big Chicken is bringing a taste of family tradition to its restaurants with the launch of the exclusive “O’Neal Family Secret Menu,” available only through Bite’s self-service kiosks. The menu features special customizations inspired by Shaquille O’Neal’s favorite dishes, like his mother’s “Lucille’s Sunday Dinner Combo.”
“I started Big Chicken to share the love and laughter that my family felt from coming together with my mom in the kitchen,” said O’Neal in a press release. “Now, we’re inviting everyone at Big Chicken to share in that experience with the ‘O’Neal Family Secret Menu.'”
Guests can explore the secret menu themselves by following an interactive experience on the Bite kiosk, adding a playful twist to the ordering process.
“We believe technology can play an important role in elevating the guest experience,” Brandon Barton, CEO at Bite, said in the release. “This unique collaboration is evident of that — serving as a digital point of entry to the O’Neal Family Secret Menu, a collection of his favorite menu items from his own family members.”
The hidden menu will feature rotating favorites, offering guests a chance to try new items inspired by the O’Neal family.
Papa Johns International Inc. announced Monday that the company has hired former Wendy’s chief information officer, Kevin Vasconi, as the Atlanta’s-based pizza chain’s new chief digital and technology officer. The announcement comes a month after Papa Johns hired former Wendy’s CEO Todd Penegor as CEO, succeeding Rob Lynch, who left the company earlier this year to head Shake Shack Inc.
Vasconi worked for Wendy’s for four years, where he led the company’s transformation and was able to triple its ecommerce business in three years and leverage technology to build Wendy’s loyalty program. Besides serving as chief information officer for the brand, Vasconi was also an executive advisor to the CEO until April 2024.
“Kevin and I worked together at The Wendy’s Co. where I experienced first-hand his ability to lead technology innovation that delivered significant impact for our customers, team members and franchisees,” Penegor, Papa Johns president and CEO said in a statement. “His experience spans a number of industries, though his leadership in QSR, in particular, has been recognized in the industry and has served as an inspiration for other peers in our category. I look forward to Kevin’s partnership across our leadership team to build on the success Papa Johns has had in the digital space, while also leveraging technology to develop even better platforms, partnerships and systems to enable us to build for the future.”
Prior to working for Wendy’s, Vasconi worked at Domino’s Pizza for eight years as executive vice president and chief information officer, where he was in charge of building domestic and international eccomerce business.
In his new role, Vasconi will be responsible for “guiding the development and execution of Papa Johns long-term strategy across the entire digital and technology ecosystem,” which will include both customer and restaurant-facing technology like data analytics, enterprise technology, information security, and scaling capabilities for the global franchising system.
“I am excited to join the talented team at Papa Johns and lead our technology strategy as we look to create great experiences for our customers and team members around the globe,” Vasconi said in a statement. “Papa Johns is a brand I’ve admired given its continued innovation in the technology space. With the digital space in QSR becoming more competitive than ever, there’s both great challenge and opportunity ahead.”
Ravi Thanawala, who served as interim CEO while the company looked to replace Lynch, will return to his position of chief financial officer while also adding the role of executive vice president, international.
Additionally, Joe Sieve, who previously served as Papa Johns’ chief development and operations officer, will have an expanded role of chief restaurant and global development officer.
Contact Joanna at [email protected]
Toppers Pizza has sold a company location in Janesville, Wisconsin, to MC Pizza, marking the franchisee’s fourth Toppers owned, according to a press release.
MC Pizza plans to open a new location in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 2025.
MC Pizza previously acquired three company-owned Toppers locations in March 2024: Menomonee Falls, Fox Point and Wauwatosa North. The Janesville store, located at 2201 Humes Road, represents another milestone in its strategic expansion across Wisconsin.
The franchise group is owned by Chester Ison and Marcus Tincher. Ison serves are the operating partner of MC Pizza and worked his way up from team member to general manager, area supervisor and then franchisee. Tincher is a real estate agent in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to take on the Janesville location and to bring Toppers to Beloit next year,” Ison said in the press release. “Toppers has always been about more than just great pizza – it’s about quality, innovation and community engagement. I’m excited to continue this upward trajectory with the brand.”
Toppers CEO Adam Oldenburg said Ison and Tincher have been outstanding franchisees.
“Their success is a testament to the opportunities we create for our most loyal partners,” he said in the press release. “We can’t wait to see them grow and bring Toppers to even more communities in the great state of Wisconsin.”
Toppers Pizza has 70 locations.
Smalls Sliders, which has more than 300 units — dubbed “cans” by the company — under development, has inked its latest multi-unit deal with entrepreneur Brett Stewart. Stewart, who is based in St. Louis, plans to add six cans throughout Fort Worth, according to a press release.
Stewart has more than 14 years working with other QSR brands.
“Smalls Sliders is truly unlike any other concept in the QSR industry,” Stewart said in the press release. “Having worked alongside other QSR brands, I knew Smalls Sliders was special and wanted to be a part of its extensive growth. I couldn’t be more thrilled to join Smalls as it continues to achieve record-breaking growth and can’t wait to bring its craveable cheeseburger sliders to even more communities across Fort Worth.”
Don Crocker, CDO of Smalls Sliders, said the brand is excited for Stewart to join the company as a franchisee.
“We’ve already seen great traction across Texas and are confident that Brett will uphold our standards for excellence as we continue our growth across the region,” Crocker said in the press release. “Operators with so much relevant industry experience, like Brett, help establish our solid foundation as we continue growing in new and existing markets, and ultimately explode nationwide.”
Mr Gatti’s Pizza announced today the promotions of two key executives: Travis Smith has been promoted to executive vice president and Ryan Morris has been promoted to senior vice president of real estate and general counsel.
“Travis and Ryan have demonstrated incredible dedication and played key roles in our brand’s success,” said Jim Philips, CEO of Mr Gatti’s Pizza. “With Travis focused on increasing the brand’s presence and revenue and Ryan leading our Walmart project, we know we are in great hands. These promotions are a testament to our trust in their abilities to help build a strong future for Mr Gatti’s Pizza.”
As the new executive vice president, Smith will lead the brand’s overall expansion strategy, concentrating on increasing sales and optimizing operations. Since joining Mr Gatti’s in June 2019 as Vice President of Marketing, Smith has revitalized the brand’s marketing strategies. His proven track record and deep industry knowledge will be key to driving the brand forward.
In his new role as senior vice president of real estate and general counsel, Morris will spearhead the brand’s recently announced strategic partnership with Walmart to open 92 new locations within their stores. Morris, who joined Mr Gatti’s nearly five years ago as corporate counsel, will now oversee all legal and real estate aspects of this significant expansion.
These executive promotions underscore Mr Gatti’s commitment to growth and innovation as the brand continues to build on its legacy as a pizza household name, one slice at a time.
Mr Gatti’s Pizza, originally launched as The Pizza Place in Stephenville, Texas, in 1964, underwent a transformation when it relocated to Austin in 1969. Along with the move came a significant rebranding, adopting the name “Gatti” in homage to the maiden name of founder James Eure’s wife. The 1970s marked a period of rapid expansion for the chain, as it pioneered the combination of high-quality dining and entertainment under one roof. Today, Mr Gatti’s is a beloved name in the regions it operates, embodying James Eure’s vision across more than 230 active and forthcoming locations in Texas and the Southeastern U.S. For more details, visit mrgattispizza.com or contact us at 817-546-3500.
NEWTON, Ma. and CALGARY — Paytronix has partnered with Marble Slab Creamery Canada to launch an enhanced guest experience, beginning with a new mobile app, website and Marble Slab Rewards loyalty program.
Marble Slab Creamery has been an innovator in the ice-cream space, dreaming up the frozen slab technique 40 years ago in Houston. Global expansion brought the homemade, small-batch ice cream to Canada in 2003, with more than 100 locations now operating coast to coast in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, plus franchise expansion underway to add 40 more stores.
Mobile and online ordering continues to grow and Marble Slab Canada is ensuring a seamless customer experience for guests engaging with the brand at any touchpoint. The new website and mobile app make it easy to choose from more than 50 flavours of ice cream and unlimited Mixins for the legendary frozen slab. Marble Slab Rewards, the new loyalty program, makes it easier to earn and redeem rewards, and learn about new promotions or special offers.
Marble Slab began its technology overhaul by moving all Canadian operations to the latest point of sale system from Toast. Tight integration between Toast and Paytronix established a foundation for Marble Slab to then partner with Paytronix, putting the guest experience first in re-designing the website, loyalty program, mobile app and the rest of the tech stack.
“By leveraging Paytronix’s innovative guest-engagement solutions, we’re enhancing the way we connect with our customers, offering them a more personalized and rewarding experience,” says Cam Inglis, president, Marble Slab Creamery Canada. “This collaboration allows us to better understand our guests’ preferences, ensuring that every visit to Marble Slab isn’t just delicious but also uniquely tailored to the guests.”
“This is about much more than upgrading technology for Marble Slab, it’s a tech-enabled platform to differentiate the brand and establish a one-on-one relationship with guests,” says Andrea Mulligan, Chief Customer Officer at Paytronix. “Marble Slab has created an amazing personal experience even when guests begin their engagement with the brand through the app or website, leveraging each interaction to personalize loyalty campaigns and reward offers at scale. Marble Slab is advancing the industry with a tech infrastructure that engages customers and provides a competitive advantage to its store operators and franchisees.”
Golden Chick will support more than 230 schools near the brand’s restaurants as part of its system-wide giveback initiative. To support, the brand will give 50 cents from every order of its new churro menu offering now through Dec. 29.
After launching the initiative last year, Golden Chick raised $190,584 for more than 300 schools, according to a press release.
“This partnership has given us both a stronger identity and purpose as an organization,” Howard Terry, chief marketing officer at Golden Chick, said in the press release. “This year, we’ve doubled the length of time of the campaign, allowing guests to not only enjoy more of the limited-time offering but also to maximize the funds that we can contribute to schools in the communities that have given us so much love and support over the years.”
What makes this philanthropic partnership unique is that selected schools receive donations without needing to contribute additional time or resources. Money is donated straight from the sales of the churros to the schools to assist with purchasing classroom supplies, school beautification projects, class trips and everything in between.
“We are looking forward to continuing to get to know our communities even better through this initiative,” Terry added. “It’s an incredible way to unite each of our franchisees under one cause to give back.”
Welcome to a New Season
With the start of a new month, and an impending new season, Foodservice and Hospitality’s September edition is brimming with a strong mix of stories focused on helping operators get into the mood for the busy fall season ahead. This month’s cover story profiles a new Toronto restaurant, led by a talented mix of women leaders, who have managed to find a strong following through a mix of an inventive menu combined with a strong focus on customer service.
Our Pizza and Pasta Report takes a deep dive at this popular food duo, which shows a segment that continues to grow while our Coffee and Tea Report investigates how value-driven offerings are the key to success. Additionally, we examine the impact of the global economy on Canadian restaurants and this month’s Regional Report takes an in-depth look at how the business climate is affecting Quebec restaurateurs who claim that the industry lacks government support ─ this and so much more, right at your fingertips!
Hope you enjoy the issue and the start of a new season!
Moe’s Southwest Grill has added Cheez-It crackers to its lineup of ingredients, allowing customers to add the snack to any build-your-own burrito, bowl, stack, nachos, quesadillas or tacos.
“We pride ourselves in feeding the rebel spirit in each of our guests by infusing creative offerings to our menu so they can satisfy their cravings,” Joe Artime, VP of marketing at Moe’s Southwest Grill, said in a company press release. “Cheez-It crackers bring a craveable, cheesy crunch when added to our menu offerings. We can’t wait to see how fans customize their order with this fan-favorite snack.”
Earlier this year, the brand collaborated with Mike’s Hot Honey to offer a limited-time addition to the sauce lineup and has also released proteins including Shredded Beef Birria and Tequila Lime Chicken.
Founded in 2000, Moe’s has nearly 600 locations.
