Latest news with #Fuddruckers
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shake Shack coming to former Fuddruckers site in St. Louis County
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Shake Shack, a popular fast-casual burger chain, is preparing to open another St. Louis-area location. This time at the site of a former Fuddruckers in St. Louis County. A Shake Shack communications spokesperson confirmed with FOX 2 that the company is planning to open a location at 10752 Sunset Hills Plaza in St. Louis County. An official opening date has not yet been announced, and additional details remain limited. Louisiana bounty hunter sentenced for kidnapping Missouri woman The location planned for Shake Shack previously housed Fuddruckers, a longtime chain know for its build-your-own burger concept. It was the last Fuddruckers in the St. Louis region, and it recently closed doors. Shake Shack is known for its elevated style of fast food, offering burgers, hot dogs, crinkle-cut fries and hand-spun shakes with more flair than traditional fast-food chains. Once open, this location will mark at least the seventh in the St. Louis area, joining others in St. Louis' Central West End neighborhood, Ladue, Des Peres and Chesterfield, in addition to stands at the Enterprise Center and Lambert International Airport. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Once-Struggling Burger Chains That Are Making A Comeback
The past few years have been pretty brutal for the restaurant industry. Many businesses struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic, and even as the world reopened, countless restaurants never made a full recovery. Add to that the challenges of inflation, rising food costs, and shifting consumer habits, and it becomes clear why even long-standing establishments have had a hard time surviving. Burger chains, in particular, face a unique challenge. As one of America's most beloved foods, the demand for burgers has never wavered — but neither has the competition. With fast food giants, trendy smash burger joints, and gourmet burger eateries all vying for customers, standing out in an oversaturated market is no easy feat. Some burger chains that once flourished hit rough patches in recent years, closing locations or declaring bankruptcy. Despite these challenges, many formerly struggling restaurants are making impressive comebacks, and burger chains are no exception. In 2025, when burger chain closures are becoming the norm, it's refreshing to see these once-struggling burger brands bouncing back — hopefully, for good. Read more: Popular Culver's Menu Items, Ranked Worst To Best For years, Fuddruckers was a staple of the American burger scene, known for its build-your-own burgers and family-friendly atmosphere. At its peak, the chain boasted over 100 locations, but financial struggles and changing consumer preferences led to a sharp decline. Many of its restaurants shut down, and by 2022, the situation intensified when its parent company, Luby's Inc., fully dissolved, forcing Fuddruckers into an uncertain future. For a while, it seemed like Fuddruckers might disappear entirely, another casualty of the current challenging dining landscape. However, after much turbulence, Fuddruckers is making a comeback. The brand is slowly expanding again, returning to neighborhoods it once left behind, thanks in part to Nicholas Perkins, who acquired the franchise after Luby's downfall. The businessman is committed to the revitalizing the restaurant, sharing with Nation's Restaurant News in 2021, "I believe there are good hamburgers out there, but I don't believe there's a hamburger greater than what we serve ... I feel like I have the skill set to transition the brand to greater heights." The company's latest success has been the opening of the Washington D.C. Chinatown location, which had previously shut down in 2017 after fiscal concerns. The resurgence is fueled by a renewed focus on quality and nostalgia, drawing back longtime fans while appealing to a new generation of burger lovers. It's no secret that Burger King is a household name in the U.S., but even the biggest brands aren't immune to setbacks. In 2023, the fast food giant made the tough call to close around 300 restaurants, trimming underperforming locations to stabilize the business. While this could have signaled a downward spiral, the strategy paid off, and by 2024, closures slowed, and sales began to rise. Now, Burger King is doubling down on its comeback with impressive changes, including major renovation plans and new combo meal offerings, showing a clear commitment to reinvesting in the brand and winning back customers. Even before its renewed momentum, Burger King was still far from failure. It consistently ranks among the top three burger chains in the U.S., alongside McDonald's and Wendy's. Not to mention, the company's fresh efforts are starting to pay off. The last quarter of 2024 showed 1.5% growth according to data from QSR, with anticipation for 2025 to be an even stronger year, proving that Burger King's strategy of store upgrades and menu innovation is resonating with customers. Shake Shack may have built a cult following with its high-quality burgers, dippable cheese sauce, and frothy shakes, but this fan-favorite chain wasn't spared from the financial turmoil of the pandemic. Even after shifting focus to a takeaway model, sales plummeted by 29% in 2020, forcing the company to cut 20% of its corporate staff. While Shake Shack didn't resort to mass closures like some of its competitors, it struggled to maintain profitability in the years that followed. In 2022, staffing shortages remained a persistent issue even after increasing pay to about $20 per hour. Luckily, by the end of 2022, total revenue was up by a healthy 17.5%, though shares simultaneously dipped by $0.05 (via Restaurant Business). Now, after years of highs and lows, Shake Shack is proving it still has plenty of fight left. In 2024, revenue jumped 14.8% compared to the previous year, and in January 2025, the company projected revenue increases between 16% and 18%. Even with its expanded footprint, Shake Shack still lags behind burger giants like McDonald's and Burger King in the sheer number of locations, but the recent uptick in sales suggests Shake Shack is setting the stage for an even stronger presence in the burger industry. Back Yard Burgers has experienced a rough road, declaring bankruptcy not once but twice in about a decade. The first bankruptcy came in 2012 after years of struggling with declining sales and increased competition. Though the company was able to restructure and continue operations, it never fully regained its footing. By 2023, Back Yard Burgers once again found itself in financial distress, filing for bankruptcy due to mounting debt and continuous closed locations. At the time of filing, the company had anywhere between $1 and $10 million in assets, with $10.9 million of secured debt and over $185,000 in credit card debt. With such serious numbers, the brand, known for its flame-grilled burgers and premium ingredients, ran the risk of disappearing altogether. However, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the chain emerged from bankruptcy, signaling the start of yet another attempt at a turnaround. Now, with a fresh start in 2025, Back Yard Burgers has a chance to rebuild, but this is just the start of the chain's comeback. With just seven remaining locations, the company has yet to unveil major expansion plans. Its focus will likely be on refining its menu and potentially re-entering markets where it previously closed stores. If it can differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded fast food landscape, Back Yard Burgers may just prove that it still has a place in the industry. Read the original article on Mashed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
G5ive Restaurant Group announces intent to acquire TGI Fridays
G5ive Restaurant Group, led by Louisiana-based Black entrepreneur Cory Griffin, has announced its intention to acquire the US-based restaurant chain TGI Fridays via an ownership consortium. The move will mark a step in increasing African-American ownership within the national restaurant industry. Griffin's plan is focused on empowering African-American leaders within the economy, following in the footsteps of Nicholas Johnson, who became the first African-American to own a national burger franchise when he acquired Fuddruckers in 2021. With the takeover of TGI Fridays, which is navigating financial hurdles including a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in October 2024, Griffin's aims to revive the brand. The plan includes revitalising TGI Fridays with 'innovative' strategies and improvements in operations, generating employment across various management levels, engaging with communities through dedicated programmes and adopting sustainable practices to ensure long-term success. G5ive Restaurant Group Cory Griffin stated: "The creation of G5ive Restaurant Group is more than just a business venture; it's a statement. "By pursuing the acquisition of TGI Fridays, we are actively working to increase Black ownership in major restaurant franchises, building upon the success of Nicholas Johnson and demonstrating the immense potential within the African-American business community." In January 2025, TGI Fridays secured court approval to sell nine of its corporate-owned restaurants for $34.5m. The approval by US bankruptcy judge Stacey Jernigan in Dallas, Texas was aimed at enabling the American brand to repay its creditors. Established in 1965 in Manhattan as a cocktail bar and restaurant, TGI Fridays has since grown and evolved into a destination serving signature dishes such as ribs and loaded potato skins. At its 2008 peak, it had 600 restaurants in the US. "G5ive Restaurant Group announces intent to acquire TGI Fridays " was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Miami Herald
05-02-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Sewage halted use of ‘all food processing' and ‘food equipment' at a Broward bakery
While a state inspector found few problems at a Lauderhill bakery on Tuesday, it took one major violation to stop work. 'All open food processing, food equipment and kitchen utensils' at D&R Best Bakery, 1442 N. State Rd. 7, got smacked with a Stop Use Order from Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services inspector Francis Odio. In the bakery's backroom, Odio saw a sewage overflow or leak under the grease trap next to the three-compartment sink. That counted as sewage improperly disposed. Reached by phone Wednesday morning, D&R's manager said the problem should be fixed later Wednesday or on Thursday. Here are some other things Inspector Odio put in the report: ▪ In the food service area, there wasn't any not water at a handwash sink. READ MORE: At Broward's last Fuddruckers, a roach on a prep table, loose garbage, ice machine mold ▪ There wasn't a splash guard between the handwash sink and the 'food displayed on the counter next to the coffee machine,' meaning the food could get hit with soap, water or dirt. ▪ Water leaked from the pipe under the sink. ▪ No mop sink, and D&R has 30 days to get one installed. ▪ 'A large container of cooking oil' sat on the floor next to the fryer. No container of oils or foods should be sitting directly on the floor.
