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News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Nando's to open first Australian drive-thru in major city, giving away free chicken
Nando's is set to open its first-ever drive-thru in Australia, with a flagship restaurant in Melbourne's northern suburbs. The store will open in Roxburgh Park in Melbourne's north on Tuesday June 10 at 11am, giving hungry customers the chance to pick up some Peri Peri chicken for lunch without leaving their car. To celebrate the launch of the flagship restaurant and drive-thru, customers will also be able to grab free quarter chicken and chips on the day of the launch – no purchase necessary and while stocks last. Drive-thru restaurants have become a key driver for revenue, making up approximately 60-70 per cent of overall revenue, according to QSR. The study found that 37 per cent of Australian consumers prefer to use the drive-thru method for ordering fast food compared to going in-store. Nando's Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Amanda Banfield said the drive-thru marked the start of a new chapter for the restaurants, which has plans to expand further across the country. 'We've been privileged to be part of the Australian restaurant industry for 35 years and this marks yet another milestone of how Nando's is evolving,' she said. 'Over the next three years, we're planning to open another 25 Nando's restaurants across Australia and New Zealand, growing our workforce by 1000 people. 'Our goal is to open 70 new restaurants by 2030 – and Drive Thru's like Roxburgh Park are a key part of that growth story.' The new flagship restaurant will feature some of the business' 32,000 pieces of South African artwork, bustling Afro-Luso music, as well as bottomless drinks and the beloved sauce station.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
‘Nobody Likes Chaos': Businesses and the Fed Wonder What's Next for the Economy
At the worst point of the labor shortage that emerged in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdowns, Thunderdome Restaurant Group had 100 people sign up for a job interview and only 15 show up. Of the two workers it hired, one never came in. The job market has cooled significantly since then, and Joe Lanni, who runs the Cincinnati-based company with his brother, now faces a different dilemma: how to grow the business, which has over 50 locations, while controlling costs as concerns about the economy spread. So they're rethinking menu items like freshly made tortillas that require a dedicated full-time worker. They are also planning to shutter a handful of locations where sales have been softest, while adding more outposts of their fast casual restaurants that are doing well. Uncertainty about the economy has skyrocketed as President Trump has begun to radically reshape the global trading system with tariffs, cut off a crucial supply of workers with an immigration crackdown and floated big changes to the rules and regulations that govern how businesses operate. Consumers, who fuel the American economy, have become more hesitant to spend, and according to recent surveys, both the services and manufacturing sectors are slowing. But the economy does not appear to be at the cliff's edge just yet, and employers like Mr. Lanni don't want to be too cautious and miss out on opportunities. As his restaurants gear up for outdoor service this summer, Mr. Lanni said, he still expects head count across the company to swell by about 200 people, to around 1,500 employees, before receding in the fall. The stakes are high, however. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Robin ‘far from claiming victory' despite comps growth
This story was originally published on Restaurant Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Restaurant Dive newsletter. Red Robin had a strong first quarter as the casual dining chain posted 3.1% comparable restaurant revenue growth, according to an earnings release. Despite the strong showing, 'we are far from claiming victory,' CEO and President David Pace said in the release, adding there "is still more work to be done as we continue the comeback journey." This strong growth was driven by long-term investments in labor, loyalty and equipment, GJ Hart, former CEO and current advisor, said on the brand's earnings call. Hart, who announced his resignation last month, led the brand through the first years of a turnaround plan. Pace said Red Robin's operational foundations are strong, but the brand needs to extend and consolidate changes that have included new flat-top grills, increased staffing and efforts to encourage managers to visit more tables. The CEO also said Red Robin still has room to improve the guest experience and will focus on marketing in the coming year. Kevin Mayer, the brand's CMO, departed in February, according to SEC filings. The brand has taken measures to fill Mayer's shoes. 'Recently, Russ Klein has joined our team for a one year term to help us build our marketing foundation and strategy,' Pace said. 'Russ brings us a widely recognized track record of success in effectively reconnecting well known brands with their customer bases.' Klein is the former CEO of the American Marketing Association, and held previous leadership posts at Arby's and Burger King, according to his LinkedIn profile. A firm marketing strategy will be particularly important for the brand. Casual chains, most notably Chili's, have done very well in the current, value-focused environment by marketing themselves as affordable competitors to QSRs. Chili's massive traffic leaps of late followed several quarters of solid same-store sales growth, also driven by a long turnaround effort. There is some evidence from recent quarters that many consumers are looking to dine more on weekends and special occasions. This is especially true for on-premise dining, and consumers are trading up from QSRs to more experiential restaurant formats, which offer a form of value that's not captured neatly in pricing. Red Robin's strong performance in the quarter pushed its net income to $1.2 million, up from a $9.5 million loss in the year-ago quarter. The brand sold off three company-owned restaurants for $5.8 million, using the proceeds to pay down debt. Still, the brand's leaders sought to manage expectations for the rest of the year, with CFO Todd Wilson noting that Q2 will lap the relaunch of its loyalty program last year. This means same-store sales growth will face a 240 basis point headwind next quarter, making it unlikely that Red Robin will repeat its comps growth in the near future. Recommended Reading GJ Hart resigns as Red Robin CEO Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
19-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Burger King's India operator posts smaller loss as cheaper menus draw more diners
May 19 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands Asia ( opens new tab, the India franchisee of Burger King, reported a narrower fourth-quarter loss on Monday, as its affordable menu appealed to cost-conscious customers. The company reported a net loss of 562.8 million rupees ($6.6 million) for the three months ended March 31, compared with a loss of 852.60 million rupees a year earlier. Indian operators of U.S. chains such as Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald's (MCD.N), opens new tab and Burger King ( opens new tab face a double blow, as they grapple not only with stiff competition from local rivals but also shrinking consumer spending due to high living costs and slow wage growth. To counter this, they have relied on cheaper menu options to draw in diners. In the last quarter, Restaurant Brands Asia introduced deals such as a bundle of two vegetarian burgers at 79 rupees and two chicken burgers at 99 rupees. Such efforts helped its overall revenue climb nearly 6% to 6.33 billion rupees. Same-store sales at Burger King restaurants across India increased 5.1%, led by a growth in dine-in traffic. Cheaper menu items also helped McDonald's franchisee Westlife Foodworld ( opens new tab double its profit last quarter, although KFC and Pizza Hut franchisee Sapphire Food India ( opens new tab flagged a longer road to recovery, pressured by competition from delivery-focused Domino's, operated by Jubilant FoodWorks ( opens new tab. Restaurant Brands Asia, however, has slowed its new store openings. It added just three new stores last quarter, out of a total of 58 for the April-March fiscal year. It continues to focus on keeping diners through such efforts as last month's limited-time "Korean Spicy Fest" menu, which included burgers, chicken wings and fries, to cash in on the buzz around K-culture. ($1 = 85.3820 Indian rupees)
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach Restaurant Association reacts to meal tax increase to 6%
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach's approved fiscal year 2026 budget included a half-percent increase to the meals tax, raising it to 6% beginning July 1. The budget passed Tuesday in a 10-1 vote and includes the increased meal tax that will still be lower than other cities in Hampton Roads, such as Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton which have meal taxes ranging from 6.5-7.5%. However, according to the Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, when adding sales tax, Virginia Beach's total will come out to 12%, making it one of the highest in the country. 'This raises us up to one of the top tax rates not only in the state but in the US as a whole,' said Martha Davenport, Virginia Beach Restaurant Association executive director. 'This puts us right in line, actually above major markets like Chicago, San Diego and San Francisco.' As a result, restaurant owners and representatives are not happy with how this will potentially affect their businesses, especially with tourism season set to start soon. 'I believe our tourists are very savvy,' Davenport said. 'You have new restaurant owners that are looking at what does it take for me to open up a restaurant in Virginia Beach versus someplace else. And you're gonna have restaurants that are gonna be closing because they just cannot make it.' In a statement to 10 On Your Side, the city of Virginia Beach said: 'The city is experiencing a significant cost increase in capital projects, which is largely being driven by inflation. As a part of the budget development process, several projects were deleted and rescoped, long standing dedications were redirected toward priority projects, and after all of these efforts a gap still remained resulting in the need for the 0.5% meals tax increase. The redirection of these resources and meals tax increase are dedicated to a newly established Major Projects fund.' The funds raised from the new meal tax are expected generate about $111 million for the city. You can learn more about Virginia Beach's budget for fiscal year 2026, the new meal tax, and what projects will be funded by clicking Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
