December 22, 2008
Industry Headlines
Uno Chicago Grill is the nation's first casual dining chain to offer a virtual gift card, making last-minute holiday shopping as easy as point and click! With consumers cutting back due to economic pressures, restaurant gift cards are proving to be a popular alternative to retail cards this holiday season because people are more likely to welcome a fun night out.
Uno Chicago Grill, recently lauded as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant(1) and one of the nation's top family-friendly restaurants(2), has over 200 locations in the United States, making an Uno(R) virtual gift card a convenient, ideal last-minute gift. The cards can also be used at Uno Due Go, the brand's newest fast-casual concept, which launched at DFW International Airport last week.
The virtual gift cards are available via the chain's website at www.unos.com and are powered by CashStar, the interactive gift card and incentives company. Consumers order them the same way they order a plastic gift card, only the virtual gift card is delivered via an email with a link to activate the gift. Available in denominations of $25 or $50, there are nine unique designs to choose from, and each card can be personalized with a message or holiday greeting. Uno also offers plastic gift cards via its website and its restaurants. Both the Uno plastic and virtual gift cards have no expiration date.
While the National Retail Federation expects total holiday gift card sales to decline more than 5 percent from last year, virtual gift cards are a new entry into the mix and how consumers will react is anyone's guess -- especially given that gift cards remain at the top of consumers' wish lists this year. According to David Stone, CEO of CashStar, retailers have expressed tremendous interest in virtual gift cards and many retailers have reported that as much as 50 percent of their gift card sales are done online, particularly in the shopping days just prior to Christmas.
Based in Boston, Uno Restaurant Holdings Corporation includes more than 200 company-owned and franchised full-service units located in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Honduras and Saudi Arabia.
Stanislaus Food Products – Since 1942, our family-owned cannery has specialized in premium tomato products "packed from fresh tomatoes, not from concentrate" for quality-oriented Italian restaurants and pizzerias throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, we invite you to call us at (800) 327-7201! www.stanislaus.com
According to the Daily Herald, Mauri's Famous Pizza & Cafe in Mundelein, Illinois, brought an early smile to the children of patrons yesterday.
A customer dressed as Santa Claus and handed out toys Perez and server Sergio Padilla purchased. Small gifts such as Barbie dolls and cars delighted the nearly 120 customers patronizing the restaurant yesterday.
Perez has held the event before and plans to do it again in the future.
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The marketing tactics of Scott Anthony, owner of Fox's Pizza Den in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, were recently published by Austrailian marketing expert, Bob Crawshaw. Cranshaw is managing director of Maine Street Marketing, which provides innovative marketing solutions for communities and businesses.
Anthony's tactics were included in the 19 page report "PR Tips for Not for Profits," and referred to his dealings with the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The publication deals with low budget public relations ideas for not for profits facing tough times and is distributed worldwide.
As the ball drops, sales rise for Domino's Pizza
From New Year's Eve parties to New Year's Day football, Domino's Pizza continues to be a holiday tradition and Domino's pizza makers are ready to deliver.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day rank in the top five busiest days for Domino's Pizza delivery in the United States. This year, on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, Domino's expects to sell approximately 1.8 million pizzas in the United States alone. To prepare for the rush, Domino's stores across the country are stocking up on ingredients and increasing staff to ensure the needs of every customer.
In addition to enjoying Domino's pizza as a holiday tradition, customers can now add the Domino's menu to their healthy diet New Year's resolutions. Domino's recently added a nutritional information website where customers can count calories with Domino's Cal-O-Meter, learn more about ingredients and allergen information and select from an array of calorie conscious lighter options.
"Pizza can be healthy! Domino's nutritional calculator, referred to as the Cal-O-Meter, gives customers the opportunity to build their own pizza and count the calories as items are added and deleted from their order," said Jenny Fouracre, Domino's Pizza spokesperson. "The website also lists several lighter options for customers to order if they don't wish to build their own pizza. All of these options are ideal for a New Year's resolution because customers can choose more vegetables, reduce the amount of the cheese and count every calorie of their order while enjoying a delicious meal. Customers will be surprised on how healthy it can really be."
Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza operates a network of 8,726 franchised and company-owned stores in the United States and 60 international markets.
Pizza Patron, the premier Latino pizza brand, honored the outstanding business achievements of several of its franchise partners when it held its second annual Franchise Conference in South Padre Island, Texas.
Franchise partners from six states gathered to meet, socialize and compare notes with other Pizza Patron owners from across the country. Andrew Gamm, director of Brand Development for Pizza Patron, recognized the winning franchisees for their distinguished record during the event's final awards dinner.
"As our company grows, it is important for us to honor those partners whose dedication and commitment reflect our highest standards," said Gamm. "Their contributions to the brand are meaningful and deeply appreciated by everyone on the corporate team."
San Antonio partners Charles Loflin and Chris Partyka received the top award 'Patron of the Year' for their dedication to excellence in every aspect of their multi-unit operations. Prerequisites for consideration included food quality, customer service, store cleanliness, growth, brand commitment and vision.
Phoenix partners Jason, Carl and Margaret LeVecke were presented the 'BCE (Brand Compliance Evaluation) Performance Champion' trophy for highest average scores in their quarterly store operation evaluations. Franchise partners Randy and Raquel Finley, who own stores throughout Texas, took home the 'Top Sales' award for one of their high-traffic stores in Dallas.
Other notable mentions include Waco, Texas store owner Miguel 'Angel' Soto for 'Most Improved Sales' and Gigantic Color, a Dallas based vendor-partner, who accepted the first annual 'Vendor of the Year' award for service and quality that consistently exceeded expectations.
"We are very proud of our Brand Partners," said Antonio Swad, founder of Pizza Patron Inc. "No one can achieve great things alone. We are surrounded by talented, passionate people with integrity, and that makes all things possible."
Pizza Patron has nearly 90 franchises in more than 30 markets and expects to generate more than $30 million in sales this year. The company was founded by Antonio Swad in 1986.
Papa Bello Enterprises Enters International Agreement for Development in South East Asia and the Middle East
Papa Bello Enterprises, Inc. is pleased to announce plans for continued overseas expansion by entering a partnership with master franchise development company, Fusion Global Partners, LLC. Under Managing Director, Douglas Cisneros, the company will help establish and grow Papa Bello Pizza franchises in SE Asia and throughout the Middle East. Both companies expect the first location under this agreement to open in 2009.
Combining SE Asia and the Middle East, the territory defined in the agreement encompasses the following 28 countries: Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
Fusion Global Partners is a cross-border, transaction driven firm specializing in facilitating and supporting international development for their clients. With business experience in 34 countries, FGP's primary markets are focused in the Middle East, GCC-MENA regions and South East Asia.
In conjunction with Global Franchise Architects, Global Fusion Partners has over 300 units under contract, with over 200 units already open and operating. FGP has central offices located in the United States (Denver, CO), Bahrain (Manama), South Korea (Seoul), and Thailand (Bangkok).
Doug Cisneros, of Fusion Global Partners states, "The Papa Bello franchise model has quickly gained tremendous recognition as an up-and-coming brand set up for rapid expansion and acceptance throughout the countries within our agreement. With our infrastructure and support added to the Papa Bello product and brand image, we have all the necessary components to make a significant impact on the markets abroad."
Founded in 2005, Papa Bello Enterprises is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based corporation that owns, operates, and franchises Italian style eateries in the United States. The company currently has 21 stores in operation and has a master lease agreement with Wal-Mart.
California Pizza Kitchen Opens Seventh Location in the Philippines
California Pizza Kitchen has opened a seventh restaurant in the Philippines. The restaurant, opened by CPK franchise partner Global Restaurant Concepts Inc., is located at Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila.
The new 3,100 square-foot CPK seats approximately 190 people and is located in the new wing of the upscale Greenbelt Mall, the country's first premier lifestyle center, near such popular stores as Balenciaga and DKNY.
Situated in the heart of Makati's business and tourist districts, the restaurant is in close proximity to numerous luxury hotels including Intercontinental, Shangri-la and The Peninsula. Tastefully decorated with warm colors and rich textures, the restaurant will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.
The open-exhibition kitchen takes center stage where guests can watch as all of California Pizza Kitchen's innovative dishes are prepared. The menu features a wide variety of innovative items including everything from Singapore Shrimp Rolls and Sicilian Pizza to Kung Pao Spaghetti and the award-winning Thai Crunch Salad.
California Pizza Kitchen, Inc., founded in 1985, operates 249 restaurants –– 204 are company-owned and 45 operate under franchise or license agreements. There are currently 26 restaurants located internationally in China, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, South Korea, Guam and Indonesia. There are 9 company-owned CPK ASAP locations and 18 airport locations franchised by HMSHost Corporation.