Hardee's Taps Alisa Gmelich as New President
CKE Restaurants names marketing veteran Alisa Gmelich President of Hardee's, tasking her with rebuilding franchisee trust and driving growth.
Oct 7, 2026
CKE Restaurants names marketing veteran Alisa Gmelich President of Hardee's, tasking her with rebuilding franchisee trust and driving growth.
Oct 7, 2026
Understand overtime rules for restaurant employees, including eligibility, pay calculations, hours worked, compliance requirements, timekeeping, and overtime management.
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POS data helps restaurant owners control food costs by improving purchasing, reducing waste, optimizing portions, analyzing profitability, and managing inventory.
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Hangry Joe's promotes insider Brandon Wilhelm to CEO, prioritizing franchisee profitability over rapid unit growth as the chain expands past 90 locations.
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Portillo's chief people officer Jill Waite departs as new CEO Brett Patterson reshapes leadership with layoffs and fresh executive hires.
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Uber is paying $2.3 billion to acquire ezCater, merging its catering network into Uber Eats and Uber for Business to enter workplace catering.
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A new lawsuit claims McDonald's pricing tool pressures franchisees into algorithmic price-fixing, raising fresh antitrust questions for the chain.
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True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 12 locations and shrinking to 34 restaurants across 14 states amid $42.1 million in debt.
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Snooze Eatery names industry veteran Amy Hom as COO, starting Sept. 28, to strengthen hospitality and operations ahead of its next growth phase.
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Opening a second restaurant location requires readiness, clear goals, financial planning, funding, smart strategy, standardized operations, strong teams, and careful launch monitoring for sustainable growth.
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Explore how Fat Brands is strategically expanding its operations, enhancing manufacturing capabilities, and maximizing digital sales to drive brand growth.
Photo by Nik
Fat Brands, under the leadership of Andrew Wiederhorn, is dedicated to prioritizing organic expansion and targeted acquisitions to strengthen its market presence. With a robust pipeline of over 1,000 units, the company is poised to open 100 new restaurants this year. Additionally, Fat Brands continues to forge strategic partnerships and large deals, such as the recent agreement to open 40 Fatburger locations across Florida over the next decade. These initiatives reflect the company's commitment to sustained growth and brand diversification.
Photo by Nik
A key focus for Fat Brands is to augment the manufacturing capabilities of its brands, particularly Great American Cookies. The current manufacturing facility, operating at 45% capacity, offers significant room for expansion. With plans to utilize the full four-acre space efficiently, the brand aims to enhance production capacity to meet increasing demand. This strategic move aligns with the brand's objective of expanding its reach and catering to evolving consumer preferences through innovative offerings.
In response to shifting consumer behaviors, Fat Brands is actively growing its digital sales across various brands, including Great American Cookies. By embracing digital channels, the company aims to enhance customer engagement and drive revenue. Notably, as of Q2, digital sales accounted for 25% of Great American Cookies' total revenue, underscoring the importance of online platforms in the brand's success. Furthermore, the surge in loyalty-driven sales by 40% signifies the effectiveness of the brand's digital marketing and customer retention strategies.
Fat Brands' collaboration with Virtual Dining Concepts and Chuck E. Cheese exemplifies its commitment to expanding its reach through innovative strategies. By offering cookie delivery from 400 Chuck E. Cheese locations, the brand taps into new markets and enhances its accessibility to consumers. These partnerships not only drive revenue but also reinforce Fat Brands' position as a dynamic and customer-centric brand in the competitive restaurant industry.
Photo by Nik