"chain" news and stories

Tyler Florence, the popular Food Network host is teaming up with Applebees to "inject a youthful flair into an already outstanding menu," meaning that the restaurant that is primarily known for its family fare is hoping to attract diners in a different age bracket. The pairing makes sense since Florence's shows are geared towards a younger audience of less experienced cooks moreso than some of the network's programs. He is also known for helping to introduce home cooks to new ingredients and techniques in a familiar setting, which may make the new menu items he helped design more appealing. They include Penne Rosa with Sweet Italian Sausage; Herb-Crusted Chicken Topped with Italian Country Salad; Crispy Brick Chicken (a small flat-grilled chicken) with Warm Spinach Salad; and a Bruschetta Burger, which is a burger on focaccia, topped with a pesto and bruschetta mix.

Florence will also be feature in the chain's ads and will have a photo in their menus. The new foods will be available in mid-September.

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The driving force behind the changes that Dunkin Donuts has gone through in the past year seems to come from the three private firms that bought the company last year, steering it away from tradition and into new markets. Some changes, like adding smoothies and better coffees, are minor, but others are big. The chain does 70% of its business before 11am but several locations will now begin offering more savory lunch and dinner menu items in an attempt to attract customers throughout the day.

So far, at least three of these concept stores are planned, mostly to be in existing locations. They will offer foods such as hot dogs wrapped in pastry and flatbread sandwiches. The stores will also have a design makeover, with wooden chairs instead of plastic swivel ones, and with more liberal use of the chain's signature orange and maroon colors.

Since one previous attempt to sell sandwiches and soups was not a success, the Dunkin' executives have to hope that the new concept catches on with "the Dunkin' tribe," or they'll simply have to go back to the drawing board yet again.

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When Nicole posted about Chicago's proposed city-wide ban on the use of trans fats in restaurants, she suggested that fast food restaurants would feel the strongest effects of the ban. Now the Chicago alderman that proposed the ban has limited it to only major restaurant chains, specifically those with at least $20 million in annual gross sales, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The ban was apparently revised out of concerns that smaller independent restaurants could not afford the switch to pricier non-hydrogenated oils. Some feel that the ban is a positive move, while others still feel that their aldermans' time would be better spent on things other than cooking oil and foie gras.

Quite often, the things on which Consumer Reports reports don't make it online (or it's by subscription only), but since they tested casual dining restaurants - one of the most popular sectors of dining - it's no surprise that the story has popped up. Casual dining restaurants range from lower priced Cracker Barrel and Denny's to more upscale chains, like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. They're popular because not only do they offer a familiar option to hungry patrons, but you generally know exactly what you're going to get and how much it costs before you walk in the door. This can be a huge asset for diners on a budget.

CR grouped the chains by the type of food they offered and their price level, then rated them based on the survey results from 66,000 readers who ate 149,000 meals over the course of a year. If you're familiar with the magazine, you already know that they go into great detail on all the things that they review, so this piece doesn't even cover half of the info in the article. To get the full story, pick up a copy the next time you're out at the newsstand, but I'll share their quick picks for special occasions, where the food and service justify higher prices, and "good food at a good price", where price and quality hit an equilibrium:

Following Nicole's post about the new Dagwood sandwich restaurant, it seems only fitting to mention the recent opening of a new Earl of Sandwich restaurant in Tampa. The Orlando-based chain is operated by Lord John Montagu, the 11th Earl of Sandwich, a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sandwich (right), the British naval commander who supposedly invented meat between bread back in the 1700s. Also involved in the venture are Montagu's son Orlando and Planet Hollywood founder Gary Davis. This is the second EOS location to open since 2004, according to a recent story in the St. Pete Times (scroll down). On the menu, of course, are sandwiches, including roast beef, which was reportedly the filling of choice for the first sandwich back in 1762.