I never knew how expensive food could be until recently. After I graduated from college, I was going out and swiping a card to pay for meals like I always had. It didn't take long to realize that this was my actual money and not just my prepaid (by my parents) meal points I was spending. I was, literally, devouring my budget.
See Also: 5 Ways Supermarkets Trick ShoppersBut when I tried to spend less at restaurants and cook more at home, things didn't get a whole lot better. I was saving money on food, to be sure, but I was feeling far less energetic and gaining weight. As it turns out, a steady diet of Rice-a-Roni and spaghetti is filling and very cheap but not all that nutritious. I needed to find a way to eat healthily on my intern's salary, so I spoke with Sonya Angelone, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Now, implementing some of her ideas, I'm maintaining my tight budget for groceries but getting more, healthier meals for my money ��and my clothes are fitting better. Thanks, Sonya.
Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc (PLKI)
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc, formerly AFC Enterprises, Inc. incorporated on July 27, 1992, develops, operates, and franchises quick-service restaurants (QSRs or restaurants) under the trade names Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (collectively Popeyes). Within Popeyes, it manages two business segments: franchise operations and ompany-operated restaurants. Within the QSR industry, Popeyes distinguishes itself with a Louisiana style menu, which features spicy chicken, chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and other seafood, red beans and rice and other regional items. As of December 25, 2012, the Company operated and franchised 2,104 Popeyes restaurants in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Cayman Islands and 26 foreign countries. As of December 25, 2012, of its 1,634 domestic franchised restaurants, approximately 70% were concentrated in Texas, California, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Virginia and Mississippi. Of its 425 international franchised restaurants, approximately 60% were located in Korea, Canada, and Turkey. Of its 45 Company-operated restaurants, approximately 80% were concentrated in Louisiana and Tennessee. In November 2012, the Company acquired 27 restaurants in Minnesota and California.
As of December 25, 2012, the Company had 340 franchisees operating restaurants within the Popeyes system. During the fiscal year ended December 25, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Popeyes system opened 141 restaurants, which included 75 domestic and 65 international restaurants. During fiscal 2011, the Popeyes system permanently closed 75 restaurants, resulting in 66 net restaurant openings, compared to 65 net openings. As of December 25, 2012, it leased 12 restaurants and subleased 44 restaurants to franchisees. In addition, it leased three properties to unrelated third parties. Of the restaurants leased or subleased to franchisees, 29 were located in Texas and 16 were located in Georgia. On November 7, 2012,! the Company entered into a new agreement with the King Features Syndicate Division of Hearst Holdings, Inc., licensor of the Popeye the Sailorman and associated cartoon characters.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Mark Yagalla]
As the fast-food wars heat up, restaurants are getting more creative with their menu items. One item that is getting a lot of attention is the waffle. Two restaurant chains that have introduced their own variations of the waffle are Taco Bell, owned by Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM ) �and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI ) . Taco Bell has made the Waffle Taco a centerpiece of its new breakfast menu. Meanwhile, Popeyes is bringing back its popular Chicken Waffle Tenders. Could the waffle be the answer and boost same-store sales for these restaurants? If it is the answer, expect to see more variations of the waffle on many more menu boards.
- [By Steve Symington]
With the taste of last quarter's�solid performance�still fresh on investors' palates, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI ) just served up another plate of mixed quarterly results. But this time, the quick-service restaurant chain added a little extra kick with its guidance.
- [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Alamy Fried chicken and waffles is a staple menu item at countless soul food and comfort food restaurants, but that's not stopping Burger King (BKW) from trying to give the meal a fast-food spin. Burger King is testing a new sandwich in the Northeast that takes the breaded chicken patty used in its Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich from its King Deals Value Menu and replaces the bun with a split waffle. Burger King's Chicken & Waffle Sandwich isn't as hearty as the meal that it's based on. It's selling for as little as $2.29. But the chain's latest attempt to turn heads with a unique menu item will at least attract curious nibblers if it does decide to broaden the offering across the country. Waffling About Burger King isn't the first popular chain to attempt to reinvent this classic dish. As Nation's Restaurant News points out, last summer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI) offered Chicken Waffle Tenders -- consisting of chicken tenders dipped in a vanilla maple-scented waffle batter, served with a honey maple dipping sauce. DineEquity's (DIN) IHOP did it three years ago by combining its chicken strips with Belgian waffle quarters. Yum! Brands (YUM) tried to breathe new life into its breakfast business last summer by testing a Waffle Taco -- an egg, sausage, and waffle breakfast sandwich. Even if it doesn't succeed -- and some of the early taste tests haven't been very flattering to the chain's new sandwich -- it's at least comforting to see that Burger King isn't just copying McDonald's (MCD) the way that it has for the past couple of years. Burger King followed McDonald's in offering fancy coffee drinks, fresh fruit smoothies, and popcorn chicken. It has gone on to roll out doppelgangers of the Egg McMuffin and McRib sandwiches. In November, it introduced the Big King, which any patron will quickly recognize as a body double to the Big Mac. Then again, it's not as if following McDonald's lead is such a clever idea right now. The world's largest re
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc (ARCO)
Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc., incorporated on December 9, 2010, is a McDonald�� franchisee. As of December 31, 2010, the Company operated or franchised 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants, which represented 6.7% of McDonald�� total franchised restaurants globally. It operates McDonald��-branded restaurants under two different operating formats, Company-operated restaurants and franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, of its 1,755 McDonald��-branded restaurants in the territories, 1,292 (or 74%) were Company-operated restaurants and 463 (or 26%) were franchised restaurants. It generates revenues from two sources: sales by Company-operated restaurants and revenues from franchised restaurants, which consist of rental income, which is based on the greater of a flat fee or a percentage of sales reported by franchised restaurants. As of December 31, 2010, it owned the land for 510 of its restaurants (totaling approximately 1.2 million square meters) and the buildings for all but 12 of its restaurants. It divides its operations into four geographical divisions: Brazil; the Caribbean division, consisting of Aruba, Curacao, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas; North Latin America division (NOLAD), consisting of Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama, and South Latin America division (SLAD), consisting of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. As of December 31, 2010, 35.1% of its restaurants were located in Brazil, 29.7% in SLAD, 27.1% in NOLAD and 8.1% in the Caribbean division. The Company conducts its business through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary Arcos Dorados B.V.
Company-Operated and Franchised Restaurants
The Company operates its McDonald��-branded restaurants under two basic structures: Company-operated restaurants operated by the Company and franchised restaurants operated by franchisees. Under both operating alternatives the real estate location may ! either be owned or leased by the Company. It owns, fully manages and operates the Company-operated restaurants and retains any operating profits generated by such restaurants, after paying operating expenses and the franchise and other fees owed to McDonald�� under the Master Franchise Agreements (MFAs). In Company-operated restaurants, it assumes the capital expenditures for the building and equipment of the restaurant and, if it owns the real estate location, for the land as well. Under its franchise arrangements, franchisees provide a portion of the capital required by initially investing in the equipment, signs, seating and decor of their restaurants, and by reinvesting in the business over time. It is required by the MFAs to own the real estate or to secure long-term leases for franchised restaurant sites. It subsequently leases or subleases the property to franchisees.
In exchange for the lease and services, franchisees pay a monthly rent to the Company, based on the greater of a fixed rent or a certain percentage of gross sales. In addition to this monthly rent, it collects the monthly continuing franchise fee, which generally is 5% of the United States dollar equivalent of the restaurant�� gross sales, and pays these fees to McDonald�� pursuant to the MFAs. However, if a franchisee fails to pay its monthly continuing franchise fee, it remains liable for payment in full of these fees to McDonald��. As of December 31, 2010, it was engaged in several joint ventures, which collectively owned 24 restaurants, in Argentina, Chile and Colombia.
Restaurant Categories
The Company classifies its restaurants into one of four categories: freestanding, food court, in-store and mall stores. Freestanding restaurants are the type of restaurant, which have ample indoor seating and include a drive-through area. Food court restaurants are located in malls and consist of a front counter and kitchen and do not have their own seating area. In-store restaurants are part ! of a larg! er building and resemble freestanding restaurants, except for the lack of a drive-through area. Mall stores are located in malls like food court restaurants, but have their own seating areas. As of December 31, 2010, 808 (or 46.2%) of its restaurants were freestanding, 359 (or 20.5%) were food court, 265 (or 15.1%) were in-stores and 319 (or 18.2%) were mall stores. In addition, it has four non-traditional stores, such as food carts.
Reimaging
As of December 31, 2010, the Company had completed the reimaging of 308 of 1,569 restaurants. Many of the reimaging projects include the addition of McCafe locations to the restaurant. It has developed system-wide guidelines for the interior and exterior design of reimaged restaurants.
McCafe Locations and Dessert Centers
McCafe locations are stylish, separate areas within restaurants where customers can purchase a range of customizable beverages, including lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, hot and iced premium coffees and hot chocolate. As of December 31, 2010, there were 267 McCafe locations in the Territories, of which 12% were operated by franchisees. Argentina, with 71 locations, has McCafe locations, followed by Brazil, with 67 locations. In addition to McCafe locations, it has Dessert Centers. Dessert Centers operate from existing restaurants, but depend on them for supplies and operational support. As of December 31, 2010, there were 1,306 Dessert Centers in the Territories.
Product Offerings
The Company�� menus feature three tiers of products: affordable entry-level options, such as its Big Pleasures, Small Prices or Combo del Dia (Daily Extra Value Meal) offerings, core menu options, such as the Big Mac, Happy Meal and Quarter Pounder, and premium options, such as Big Tasty or Angus premium hamburgers and chicken sandwiches and low-calorie or low-sodium products, which are marketed through common platforms rather than as individual items. These platforms can be based on the ty! pe of pro! ducts, such as beef, chicken, salads or desserts, or on the type of customer targeted, such as the children�� menu.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Hill]
In this segment of Friday's Investor Beat, Motley Fool analyst Ron Gross gives investors one stock that he'll be watching closely this week. He takes a look at Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO ) , which holds the franchise rights to McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company reports earnings next week, and while it has been a long-time holding for Ron in the Motley Fool's Million-Dollar Portfolio service, he sees reasons to be concerned here. The company's store growth is slowing, so he'll be watching closely to see what the company has to say next week.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Arcos Dorados Holdings (NYSE: ARCO ) , which operates McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) franchises in Latin America, has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
- [By Geoffrey Seiler]
Analyst John Ivankoe took Arcos Dorados (ARCO) from neutral to overweight and increased his target from $13 to $14. It is the first time the analyst has had a positive view on the stock since it IPO'd.
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Noodles & Co (NDLS)
Noodles & Company, incorporated on December 19, 2002, is a casual restaurant concept offering lunch and dinner. The Company offers noodle and pasta dishes, staples of many cuisines, with the goal of delivering fresh ingredients and flavors globally under one roof from Pad Thai to Mac & Cheese. The Company�� globally inspired menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, soups, salads and sandwiches, which are served on china by its friendly team members.
As of May 28, 2013, including the 16 Company owned restaurants and one franchise restaurant opened in 2013. The Company opened 39 new company owned restaurants and six franchise restaurants. In 2012, the Company began using Your World Kitchen to describe the breadth of its offering and its customers' dining experience.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeremy Bowman]
Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS ) looks like the newest Wall Street darling. Shares of the fast casual concept jumped from the $18 IPO price two weeks ago all the way up to $51, before settling in the $40 range it trades in today. Among the more flattering comparisons the pasta chain has received is that it's the "next Chipotle (NYSE: CMG ) ," the burrito chain whose shares are up about 800% since its 2006 IPO.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Amy Sancetta/AP Plenty of stocks go up and down in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets. Let's go over some of last week's best and worst performers. Chiquita Brands (CQB) -- Up 35 Percent Last Week Investors went bananas over Chiquita after it received -- and rejected -- a buyout offer. Cutrale and Safra offered an unsolicited offer to buy the banana giant at a price of $13 a share, representing a 29 percent premium to where Chiquita closed before bid was made public. Chiquita's board rejected the offer. The stock still moved higher -- above and beyond $13 -- on the possibility of Cutrale and Safra sweetening their bid. Monster Beverage (MNST) -- Up 34 Percent Last Week Soft drinks are out, and adrenaline-boosting energy drinks are in. Coca-Cola (KO) knows this, so it announced on Friday morning that it was buying a nearly 17 percent stake in Monster Beverage for $2.15 billion. Monster and Red Bull dominate this niche despite growing concerns about the health risks of young consumers taking in too many energy drinks. Monster's stock rallied on Friday. Investors may be hoping that Coca-Cola eventually swallows down all of Monster, but in the meantime it validates the beverage category. United Online (UNTD) -- Up 20 Percent Last Week It's possible to be at the right place at the right time but with the wrong approach. United Online hasn't been the market darling that it could have been given its ability to hop on to trends early. After all, it acquired alum-reuniting Classmates before social networking was hot. It built up NetZero when the country was just starting to migrate online. It also bought MyPoints from a legacy airline before the appeal of online coupons and loyalty clubs became popular. However, investors were rewarded last week when United Online posted preliminary quarterly results. Its bean counters are still trying to assess th
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Habit Restaurants Inc (HABT)
The Habit Restaurants, Inc. is a fast-casual restaurant company. The Company is engaged in preparing char-grilled burgers and sandwiches. The Company offers tri-tip steak, grilled chicken and sushi-grade albacore tuna cooked over an open flame. In addition, it offers prepared salads and a selection of sides, shakes and malts. The Company prepares its burgers with char-grilled preparation, topped with caramelized onions and fresh produce. The Company offers burgers, paired with fries, and offers a range of non-burger items, such as grilled albacore sandwich made with sushi-grade tuna, grilled chicken sandwich topped with crisp bacon and ripe avocado, Cobb salad, offered with a variety of dressings, and tempura green beans. As of October 20, 2014, the Company operates 99 restaurants in 10 markets in four states. The Company has operations in California, including Bay area, Central California, Greater La, Inland Empire, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego; Arizona; Utah and New Jersey. The Company�� wholly-owned subsidiaries include The Habit Restaurants, LLC and the Continuing LLC.
The Company�� Char burgers menu includes Double Char burger, Mushroom Swiss Char, Teriyaki Char burger, Barbecue (BBQ) Bacon Char burger and Santa Barbara Style. Its Sandwich menu includes Chicken, Tri-tip, Albacore Tuna, Veggie burger, Chicken club and Pastrami. It offers a range of salads, including Garden salad, Grilled chicken salad, Grille Chicken Caesar and BBQ chicken salad. In addition, it offers a range of shakes and malts, which consists of Shakes, including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee flavors; Malts, including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, mocha, coffee flavors; Cones and Sundaes, including Vanilla ice cream, Hershey's chocolate, whipped cream and nuts. Additionally, it offers French fries, Onion rings, Sweet potato fries, Side salad, Side Caesar salad, Tempura green beans, Chicken nuggets and Grilled cheese.
The Company�� restaurants are furnished with natural l! ight, hardwood accents, polished stone countertops and a dining area featuring vinyl booths, high-top tables and community table seating. The Company offers destination for a range of occasions, including lunch options, after-school hangouts, a social venue and restaurant for families. The Company also provides Habit Trucks to provide Char burgers at events. Each truck is equipped with a kitchen, digital menu board, and sound system. The Habit Truck can book with a food minimum of approximately $1250 regardless of the guest count.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
christianz1969/Flickr Americans lately have been transferring their love of fast-casual restaurant food to stocks of companies in the segment. Late last month, "better burger" specialist The Habit Restaurants (HABT) launched an initial public offering that doubled in price within hours of hitting the market. Like a meal from one of The Habit's more traditional fast-food rivals, though, the feeling of satisfaction didn't last: The shares started to drop after the initial euphoria. But that isn't stopping other fast-casual operators from listing on the exchange. They're finding, though, what works in the kitchen isn't necessarily successful on the market. IPOh Yes IPOs of fast-casual chain operators are coming to the market faster than you can get a refill at a soda machine. This year alone has seen the market debut not only of The Habit, but also the Mediterranean-flavored Zoe's Kitchen (ZOES) and West Coast chicken griller El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO), among others. Like The Habit, the stocks of the latter two saw impressive first-day rises (although they didn't pop quite as high as those of the burger purveyor). Why the excitement? Some of it can certainly be ascribed to the IPO market itself, which has had a frothy year. As of this writing, 262 companies have gone public, a 25 percent rise over the same period of 2013. In terms of total proceeds from IPOs, 2014 is set to be the best year for at least the past decade. Building a Better Burrito But likely a bigger factor is that the fast-casual segment has one great model that investors are hoping the newcomers can at least partially replicate -- Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG). Since going public in 2006, the stock of the now-ubiquitous chain has gone through the roof. Its IPO was priced at $22 a share and doubled in its first day of trading. Since then, its shares have ballooned -- at the moment, they trade at nearly $660, for a hard-to-believe 2,900-plus-percent rise from the issue price. It's not t
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW)
Burger King Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2012, is a fast food hamburger restaurant, under the Burger King brand. The Company generates revenues from three sources: franchise revenues, consisting primarily of royalties based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and fees paid by franchisees; property income from properties that it leases or subleases to franchisees, and retail sales at Company restaurants. In September 2012, it sold 41 Company-owned BURGER KING restaurants in Singapore to Rancak Selera Sdn Bhd. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or franchised a total of 12,997 restaurants in 86 countries and United States territories. In April 2013, it announced the sale of Burger King Restaurants of Canada (BKRC), including 94 Company owned BURGER KING restaurants in the Canada market to Redberry Investments Corp.
The Company operates in the FFHR category of the quick service restaurant (QSR), segment of the restaurant industry. In the United States, the QSR segment is the segment of the restaurant industry and has demonstrated steady growth over a long period of time. The Company launched four new menu platforms (salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts) and expanded its chicken, coffee and ancillary menu platforms. It has established a data driven marketing process, which is focused on driving restaurant sales and traffic, while targeting a broader consumer base with more inclusive messaging to reach women, parties with children and seniors.
United States and Canada (U.S. and Canada)
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 7,293 franchise restaurants and 183 Company restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company refranchised 752 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, bringing the region to 98% franchised. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it also continued to implement its Four Pillars strategy to improve comparable sales growth and franchise profitability by enhancing its Menu, Marke! ting Communications, Image, and Operations.
Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,989 franchise restaurants and 132 Company restaurants in EMEA. While in Germany continues with 684 restaurants as of December 31, 2012, Turkey and Russia are two of its growing markets with net openings of 78 restaurants and 47 restaurants, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2012.
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,290 franchise and 100 Company restaurants in LAC. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Vinci Partners for Brazil and granted franchise and development rights to the joint venture. The Company received a minority stake and board seats in the joint venture without deploying its own capital.
Asia Pacific (APAC)
As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,007 franchise and 3 Company restaurants in APAC. As of December 31, 2012,the Company had 357 restaurants in Australia. It contributed 44 Company restaurants in China. In September 2012, the Company sold 38restaurants to Rancak Selera, the Burger King franchisee in Malaysia.
The Company competes with McDonald�� Corporation, Wendy�� Company, Carl�� Jr., Jack in the Box and Sonic.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Andrew Marder]
This is where we look out
That's a good reason to be worried, if you're an investor in Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) or Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR ) or really any major coffee company. Master Blenders' main line is a brand called Douwe Egberts, which used to be served in Burger King (NYSE: BKW ) until the company signed with Seattle's Best, a Starbucks brand. - [By Nickey Friedman] We probably should have seen this coming. After all, for the last few months, Burger King Worldwide (ticker: BKW) has taken its royal crown back amid strategic moves aimed directly at dethroning its larger rival McDonald's (MCD) . The latest policy change from Burger King threatens a key McDonald's demographic as the Home of the Whopper ups the stakes.
- [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Alamy Fried chicken and waffles is a staple menu item at countless soul food and comfort food restaurants, but that's not stopping Burger King (BKW) from trying to give the meal a fast-food spin. Burger King is testing a new sandwich in the Northeast that takes the breaded chicken patty used in its Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwich from its King Deals Value Menu and replaces the bun with a split waffle. Burger King's Chicken & Waffle Sandwich isn't as hearty as the meal that it's based on. It's selling for as little as $2.29. But the chain's latest attempt to turn heads with a unique menu item will at least attract curious nibblers if it does decide to broaden the offering across the country. Waffling About Burger King isn't the first popular chain to attempt to reinvent this classic dish. As Nation's Restaurant News points out, last summer, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI) offered Chicken Waffle Tenders -- consisting of chicken tenders dipped in a vanilla maple-scented waffle batter, served with a honey maple dipping sauce. DineEquity's (DIN) IHOP did it three years ago by combining its chicken strips with Belgian waffle quarters. Yum! Brands (YUM) tried to breathe new life into its breakfast business last summer by testing a Waffle Taco -- an egg, sausage, and waffle breakfast sandwich. Even if it doesn't succeed -- and some of the early taste tests haven't been very flattering to the chain's new sandwich -- it's at least comforting to see that Burger King isn't just copying McDonald's (MCD) the way that it has for the past couple of years. Burger King followed McDonald's in offering fancy coffee drinks, fresh fruit smoothies, and popcorn chicken. It has gone on to roll out doppelgangers of the Egg McMuffin and McRib sandwiches. In November, it introduced the Big King, which any patron will quickly recognize as a body double to the Big Mac. Then again, it's not as if following McDonald's lead is such a clever idea right now. The world's largest re
- [By Lauren Pollock]
Burger King Worldwide Inc.'s(BKW) third-quarter earnings soared from a year earlier as the fast-food chain posted significantly fewer operating expenses and as same-store sales increased in its international regions. Results beat Street estimates. Shares rose 1.2% to $20 premarket.
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Potbelly Corp (PBPB)
Potbelly Corporation, incorporated on June 5, 2001, is a neighborhood sandwich concept offering toasty warm sandwiches, signature salads and other fresh menu items. Its sandwiches, salads and hand-dipped milkshakes are all made fresh to order and its cookies are baked fresh each day. As of June 30, 2013, it had a domestic base of 286 shops in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Of these, the Company operates 280 shops and franchisees operate six shops. In addition, there are 12 franchised shops in the Middle East.
The Company�� menu features items made from ingredients such as fresh vegetables, hearth-baked bread and all-natural chicken (without preservatives or artificial flavors). The Company also uses whole muscle turkey, ham and roast beef, rather than chopped and formed deli meats. Its menu includes toasty warm sandwiches, signature salads, soups, chili, sides, desserts and, in its breakfast locations, breakfast sandwiches and steel cut oatmeal. Its sandwiches can be customized with a variety of toppings, including its Potbelly hot peppers that are made with a combination of spices. Customers can also order off-menu sandwiches and variations on our sandwiches, including the Wrecking Ball (A Wreck plus meatballs), the Lucky Seven (which includes all seven of its sliced meat choices) and the Cheeseburger (the Meatball with cheddar cheese and no marinara). Customers may order any of its salads without meat for a vegetarian option and may customize a salad as they desire. Salads come with a choice of dressing, including Potbelly Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Buttermilk Ranch and Non-Fat Vinaigrette.
The Company offers soups, chili and side dishes. Different soups are offered daily, including varieties such as Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken Noodle, Loaded Baked Potato, Chicken Enchilada and Spicy Southwest Veggie. It has vegan soup options, including Garden Vegetable and Spicy Black Bean. Its chili is available seven days a week and is a hearty recipe of ground beef, k! idney beans, onions and bell peppers sweetened with a touch of molasses. Additionally, customers can choose side dishes of coleslaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, potato chips or a whole dill pickle. Its classic shake flavors include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee and Oreo, and its smoothies include real fruit, such as bananas and strawberries. Its varieties of cookies are baked fresh in each shop daily and include Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Sugar, Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Cherry Granola cookies. Customers can also order an ice cream sandwich, with their choice of cookies and ice cream, or its signature chocolate and caramel Dream Bar.
The Company competes with Chipotle, Jimmy John��, Panera Bread and Subway.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images March hasn't been a good month for the quick-service industry. Sbarro -- the pizza and pasta chain that's a staple in many malls -- filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization earlier this month. A few days later it was toasted-sandwich maker Quiznos following suit. This doesn't mean that you'll never have another slice of Sbarro's New York-style pizza or a French dip sub at Quiznos. Unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcy, where cash-strapped companies wind down their operations, Chapter 11 gives companies another chance to get it right after negotiating with creditors. It's not a good place to be -- and this is the second time Sbarro has gone this route in the past three years. However, things have to be pretty bad if you're willing to risk upsetting creditors and potentially hand over ownership in the pursuit of a cleaner balance sheet. Sbarro and Quiznos hope that a fiscal makeover will turn the tide. Sbarro will surrender ownership to lenders in a move that will replace 80 percent of its debt with equity. Quiznos filed a prepackaged restructuring plan that would shave $400 million of debt. Both chains will live on, but they may not be the same. Mauled at the Mall Sbarro has shut 180 company-owned locations with plans to shutter dozens more. There are now less than 800 units. Quiznos has 2,100 largely franchisee-owned locations, but we'll have to see how that holds up over time. Sbarro cited an "unprecedented decline in mall traffic" as a factor in its slide. As shoppers migrate online, there has been slower foot traffic at the suburban mall and hence to the food court. Quiznos relies on standalone locations and strip-mall outlets that haven't necessarily suffered from the thinning shopping mall crowds that have hurt Sbarro. However, Quiznos has been hit by everything from the larger Subway following it into toasted subs to folks scaling back on carbohydrates. It didn't seem as if this was a problem last year. Two of the hotte
Top Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI)
Darden Restaurants, Inc. (Darden), incorporated in March 1995, is a company owned and full-service restaurant company. As of May 27, 2012, the Company operated through subsidiaries 1,994 restaurants in the United States and Canada. In the United States, it operated 1,961 restaurants in all 50 states, including 677 Red Lobster, 786 Olive Garden, 386 LongHorn Steakhouse, 46 The Capital Grille, 30 Bahama Breeze, 23 Seasons 52, eight Eddie V's Prime Seafood and three Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants, and two test synergy restaurants, which house both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building. In Canada, the Company operated 33 restaurants, including 27 Red Lobster and six Olive Garden restaurants. Through subsidiaries, it owns and operates all of its restaurants in the United States and Canada, except for three restaurants located in Central Florida that is owned by joint ventures it manages. On November 14, 2011, it acquired eight Eddie V's Prime Seafood restaurants and three Wildfish Seafood Grille restaurants.
As of May 27, 2012, the Company had 28 restaurants outside the United States and Canada operated by independent third parties pursuant to area development and franchise agreements, including five LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants in Puerto Rico, 22 Red Lobster restaurants in Japan, and one Red Lobster restaurant in Dubai. During fiscal year ended May 27, 2012, it opened 89 net new restaurants in the United States and Canada.
Red Lobster
Red Lobster is a full-service dining seafood specialty restaurant operator in the United States. It offers a menu featuring fresh fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops and other seafood. The menu includes a variety of specialty seafood and non-seafood entrees, appetizers and desserts. Red Lobster maintains different lunch and dinner menus and different menus across its trade areas.
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is a full service dining Italian restaurant operator in the United Stat! es. Olive Garden�� menu includes a range of authentic Italian foods featuring fresh ingredients and a wine list that includes a selection of wines imported from Italy. The menu includes flatbreads and other appetizers, soups, salad and garlic bread sticks, baked pastas, sauted specialties with chicken, seafood and fresh vegetables, grilled meats, and a variety of desserts. Olive Garden also uses coffee imported from Italy for its espresso and cappuccino.
LongHorn Steakhouse
LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants are full-service establishments serving both lunch and dinner. With locations in 35 states, primarily in the Eastern half of the United States, LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants feature a range of menu items, including signature fresh steaks, as well as salmon, shrimp, chicken, ribs, pork chops, burgers and prime rib.
The Capital Grille
The Capital Grille has locations in metropolitan cities in the United States. The Capital Grille offers seafood flown in daily and culinary specials created by its chefs. The restaurants feature a wine list offering over 350 selections, personalized service, and private dining rooms.
Bahama Breeze
Bahama Breeze restaurants bring guests the feeling of a Caribbean escape, offering the food, drinks and atmosphere found in the islands. The menu features Caribbean-inspired seafood, chicken and steaks, as well as signature specialty drinks. During fiscal 2012, it opened four Bahama Breeze restaurant.
Seasons 52
Seasons 52 is a grill and wine bar with seasonally inspired menus offering ingredients to meals that are lower in calories than comparable restaurant meals. It offers a wine list of more than 90 wines with approximately 60 available by the glass. As of May 27, 2012, there were 23 Seasons 52 restaurants in the United States.
Synergy restaurant
Synergy restaurant houses both a Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurant in the same building, but ! with sepa! rate front doors, dining rooms and brand-specific menus. It opened a second synergy test location during fiscal 2012.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By DAILYFINANCE]
Alan Diaz/AP NEW YORK -- The struggling parent company of Olive Garden and Red Lobster reported a sharply lower quarterly profit Friday and said that its president and chief operating officer will retire. Darden Restaurants (DRI) said Drew Madsen, 57, will be succeeded by the president of its specialty restaurant group, Gene Lee. The appointment is effective immediately. The company's specialty restaurant group, which includes chains such as The Capital Grille and Bahama Breeze, has performed better than the company's flagship chains. At Olive Garden, the company's biggest chain, sales fell 4 percent at restaurants open at least a year in the latest quarter. The figure fell 5.2 percent at Red Lobster. The declines came despite the company's ongoing efforts to revitalize menus and advertising to better reflect changing eating habits. In the specialty restaurant group, sales edged up 0.5 percent at restaurants open at least a year. The metric is a key gauge because it strips out the impact of newly opened and closed locations. To cut spending by about $50 million a year, the company is also reducing its workforce by between 80 to 85 positions, as well as making program cuts. A representative said the personnel cuts won't be at the restaurant level. For the three months ended Aug. 25, the company said it earned $70.2 million, or 53 cents a share. That's compared with $110.8 million, or 85 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Analysts expected a profit of 70 cents a share. Sales rose to $2.16 billion, helped by the opening of new locations. That was short of the $2.19 billion Wall Street expected, according to FactSet. Darden, based in Orlando, Fla., said Madsen will work with Lee and Darden's other executives on the transition until he retires. Madsen joined the company in 1998 as executive vice president of marketing for Olive Garden. He became COO in December 2004. Lee joined Darden in 2007. Kim Lopdrup will take over leadership of the company's speci
- [By Garrett Cook]
Toward the end of trading Friday, the Dow traded down 0.60 percent to 16,947.43 while the NASDAQ declined 0.75 percent to 4,557.59. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.83 percent to 1,980.97.
Leading and Lagging Sectors Cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell by just 0.50 percent in trading on Friday. Top gainers in the sector included ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance NASDAQ: (ULTA), up 17.5 percent, and 1-800-Flowers.com (NASDAQ: FLWS), up 4.5 percent. In trading on Friday, utilities shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.89 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais - CEMIG (NYSE: CIG), down 4.7 percent, and CPFL Energia SA (NYSE: CPL), off 4.3 percent. Top Headline Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) reported better-than-expected fiscal first quarter earnings. The Orlando, Florida-based company reported a quarterly loss of $19.3 million, or $0.14 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $42.2 million, or $0.32 per share. Excluding non-recurring items, the company earned $0.32 per share. Its sales surged to $1.6 billion versus $1.53 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.30 per share on revenue of $1.6 billion. Equities Trading UP Conversant (NASDAQ: CNVR) shares shot up 30.25 percent to $34.79 after Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) announced its plans to buy Conversant for $35 per share. Shares of ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA) got a boost, shooting up 17.69 percent to $114.72 after the company reported upbeat second-quarter results and raised its outlook. The company also unveiled a five-year plan for impressive growth. Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings (NASDAQ: SPWH) shares were also up, gaining 15.89 percent to $7.00 after the company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results. Equities Trading DOWN Shares of Ruckus Wireless (NASDAQ: RKUS) were down 5.19 percent to $14.35. Buckingham - [By Anora Mahmudova]
Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI) �rose 2.8% even as the firm said profit and sales fell compared with a year earlier. Darden is spinning off its Red Lobster chain.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
If you're reading this, then you already know the big news from Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE:DRI) today. The chain is letting go of its Red Lobster unit, for a sum of $2.1 billion. The DRI investor base isn't pleased, judging from the stock's 4% drop in value. Many shareholders - and a couple of institutional investors - were hoping the company would either elect to turn things around and/or spin the company off into a publicly-traded company. The company elected to just wash its hands of it the easier way... by letting it move into the hands of a private equity firm.
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