Trends & Tidbits

Trends & Tidbits gathers snippets of information that includes trends, spotlights new restaurants, highlights innovations and more.

LYFE to Expand via Franchising

LYFE Kitchen, an upscale fast-casual concept, is looking to speed up expansion plans via franchising.

Technomic Takes a Closer Look at the Top 500 Restaurant Chains

The 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains registered a 4.9 percent annual sales increase in 2012, a marked improvement over the 3.5 percent gain in 2011, according to data released by Technomic, a Chicago-based market research firm. U.S. system-wide sales for the Top 500 chains grew to an estimated $254 billion in 2012, up more than $12 billion over 2011.

Breakfast Sandwiches Gain Momentum Among Consumers

Sandwiches now rank among the top 10 breakfast items Americans consume.

Campus Wellness

Health and wellness are a top priority among college foodservice directors and students, according to a survey of more than 60 college and university foodservice directors, dieticians and chefs and 200 college students across the nation conducted by Y-Pulse, a Chicago-based youth and food market research firm.

Orange Leaf Blossoms in NYC

Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt, a self-serve, choose-your-own-toppings frozen dessert chain, opened its first location in Manhattan.

Concept Closeup: Craft & Commerce

This San Diego "restolounge", Craft & Commerce,  by the prolific Consortium Holdings (CH) fits the drinking and eating place trend sweeping major metropolitan cities coast to coast.

Concept Closeup: Smoke

Keeping with the restolounge trend, the prolific Los Angeles-based Brosephs Restaurant Group opened Smoke, a high-end steakhouse and finer-dining operation in West Hollywood, Calif.

Juice Bars on the Rise

With buzzwords like "cleanse" and "detox" circulating in health and wellness communities, the popularity of juice bars continues to rise.

Planning for Nontraditional Locations

The number of branded chain concepts located in nontraditional venues continues to grow. With this growth comes increased awareness and understanding of the particular design and layout challenges that arise from operating in a fraction of the brand's usual space. 

Concept Closeup: Building Better Brunches

San Diego, Calif.-based Hash House A Go Go, a 12-year-old concept, has spread its wings across the United States with four locations in Las Vegas as well as new stores in Reno, Chicago and most recently in Montville, Conn. 

The New Meat

Saladworks is testing a new carvery setup in its Paoli, Pa., store. 

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