Eatery Pulse Team

The Team at Eatery Pulse includes writers and editors with restaurant industry expertise and know-how. Count on Eatery Pulse to provide restaurant news using original-source industry articles, executive interviews, news briefs and feature pieces & videos that inform and inspire restaurant leaders.
According to Black Box, guest sentiment is improving. May sentiment is trending better than April's results. Also, customers are paying attention to safety menausre that restaurants are adopting.

Restaurant guest sentiment on the rise, customers pay attention to safety: Black Box

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May shows improvement versus April

Restaurant guest sentiment continues to improve month to month, according to a June COVID-19 business update from data-analytics firm Black Box. LSRs are improving their sales at a much faster pace than full-service restaurants and are taking a more cautious approach when it comes to reopening dining rooms. A major reason is that LSRs can afford to wait: Many of them have a good off-premises game, grounded in the drive-thru or curbside pickup experience. In addition, a majority of LSR orders are to-go.

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Tim Hortons debutes Dream Donuts with Oreo Cookies. There are 4 types of Oreo Cookie Donuts available in addition to Icred Brew Coffee and Vanilla Iced Brew.

Tim Hortons Oreo-based Dream Donuts debut

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Upscale, decadent treats should help lift summertime sales

Tim Hortons Dream Donuts, a new, premium treats lineup utilizing the Oreo Cookie platform, arrived at the QSR chain’s U.S. stores. An Oreo Cookie Dream Donut comes in cookies & cream style with Oreo cookie pieces and a vanilla-fluff icing swirl on white fondant, which is then topped with an Oreo cookie half. A Chocolate Truffle Dream Donut features a chocolate donut cut in half and filled with whipped chocolate, then topped with a chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips.

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Fourteen Foods, a franchise partner of Dairy Queen, opened a new DQ Grill and Chill restaurant. The new store is located in Princeton, Kentrucky.

Fourteen Foods opens Dairy Queen in Princeton, Kentucky

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Marion Road DQ Grill and Chill features modern, open-air grill

A 220-unit franchise partner of American Dairy Queen will open its latest DQ Grill and Chill restaurant in Princeton, Ky. Fourteen Foods will debut the Marion Road restaurant June 30 and hold a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony in July or August. The DQ store features an open-air grill and provides private-dining sections for grilling and chilling, accordng to an announcement.

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Dine Brands named Tony Moralejo president, International and Global Development. It also named Justin Skelton chief information officer. Both will join the executive leadership team.

Dine Brands names new president, International and Global Development, CIO

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Tony Moralejo, Justin Skelton join leadership team

Dine Brands Global named a new president of International and Global Development, Tony Moralejo, and new chief information officer, Justin Skelton. Both executives will join a leadership team readying a recovery of the casual-dining restaurant franchisor as businesses reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Moralejo and Skelton will report to Thomas Song, chief financial officer of Dine Brands, the parent of Applebee’s and IHOP.

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Jollibee partnered with Kitchen United to launch its Chicago River North Cloud Kitchen outpost. The new location will serve delivery and pickup orders only. This expands delivery capacity to reach The Loop, River North, Lincoln Park and Chinatown.

Jollibee partners with Kitchen United for Chicago River North Cloud Kitchen

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First ghost kitchen expands delivery capacity within Metro Chicago

In a sign of the rapidly-evolving demand for restaurant delivery, Jollibee launched its first Cloud Kitchen in Chicago in partnership with Kitchen United. The QSR chicken chain will use the space for delivery and pickup orders only. This new format provides Jollibee with a way to expand and satisfy the needs of consumers who want to enjoy food at home. In late May, 44 percent of consumers indicated they would not be returning to dine-in at restaurants any time soon, according to foodservice consultancy Technomic.

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NRF applauded the decision by the US Supreme Court to uphold DACA. The trade group had joined 140 other businesses and trade groups in filing a friend-of-the-court brief.

NRF applauds Supreme Court ruling in favor of DACA

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U.S. avoids loss of more than $300B in GDP

The National Retail Federation (NRF), the largest trade group for retailers, issued a statement concerning the U.S Supreme Court ruling for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. NRF had joined a 140-business and trade-group coalition that filed a friend-of-the-court brief last year asking the Supreme Court to uphold DACA.

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ezCater launched Relish, an employee meal service. The boxed lunches arrive at one time at companies and are individually-packaged to keep the workforce safe.

ezCater partners with restaurant to launch Relish employee-meal service

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As companies, restaurants focus on safety, workplace solution innovative

Relish gives employees safe, convenient access to their choice of meals from a rotating list of local restaurants. Individually packaged meals arrive in a single delivery at a designated place and time, so there is less traffic in and out of the office. Companies cover delivery costs and can choose to subsidize part or all of the meal cost.

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Restaurant industry sales are gradually improving based on sales data from April and May, but there's a long way to go. New data from the National Restaurant Association provides more insights.

Restaurant industry sales experiencing slow recovery

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May sales $27B lower than expected as only 16 percent of consumers dined on-premises

According to an economic update from the National Restaurant Industry, restaurant sales tallied in April were the lowest sales since1983. The industry-wide $29.9B, which was revised downward from a preliminary Census Bureau estimate of $32.4B (adjusted for inflation), is a new low point for eating and drinking places revenue. The broader foodservice industry has already lost $120B in the three months going back to May.

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Boston's Restaurant and Sports Bar signs new franchise agreements for Pooler GA and Yuma AZ. Also, its franchisee in Mill Creek WA will reopen their restaurant.

Boston’s Restaurant and Sports Bar signs franchise deals in Arizona, Georgia

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Boston’s headed to Pooler,Yuma

Boston’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar signed two new franchise agreements as it reopened another location. In a new deal with franchise partner Jigar Patel, Boston’s will open in Pooler, Ga. The Patels have a new, multi-tenant building slated for Pooler and will add Boston’s as a non-traditional, end-cap restaurant. Further west, another franchise agreement was consummated. PR Normandale Hotels, LLC will open a restaurant in Yuma, Ariz.

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