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Burger King once again has revamped its coffee, this time adopting a “a new, 100% Latin American arabica bean custom blend” from supplier Seattle’s Best, a unit of Starbucks. The new Smooth Roast platform includes brewed coffee, iced coffee and, for the first time, lattés (beginning in March), which moves Burger King a bit closer [...]

Fondue-chain operator The Melting Pot Restaurants Inc. tested the better-burger-restaurant waters in November 2010 by opening Burger 21 in Tampa, Fla. The fast-casual restaurant takes its name from the 21 “chef-inspired” burgers—priced from $5.95 to $8.95— on its menu. It also features signature hand-dipped milk shakes, a dipping-sauce bar and more. Front Burner Brands—the corporate [...]

Wendy’s North America systemwide same-store sales increased 2.3% in the second quarter, ended July 3, 2011, President-CEO Roland Smith reported this morning. Average check increased 1.4% in the quarter; transactions rose 0.9%.  Now free of Arby’s drag, The Wendy’s Co. appears energized about strengthening the Wendy’s brand. Most of what was discussed on today’s analyst [...]

Peter Backman is managing director of Horizons, one of Britain’s leading foodservice consultancies. I’ve always found his annual analysis of the National Restaurant Association Show to be particularly insightful, and it has proved very popular with BurgerBusiness readers. Rather than give a link, I’ve printed this year’s, titled “A Chastened U.S. Foodservice Market,” for Memorial [...]

Jake’s Wayback Burgers came within a fry’s length of unseating Blanc Burgers + Bottles as winner of this year’s Burger Brackets. Finishing second is never completely satisfying, but its hundred of votes show that the chain has amassed a cadre of loyalists who love its triple-patty Big Jake burger (at right), chicken, hot dogs, house-made [...]

Responding to consumer healthful-eating concerns around the world, McDonald’s is testing oven-baked chicken and fish in Australia and is vowing to voluntarily post calorie information on menu boards in its 1,200 United Kingdom stores. The Oven Baked menu, launched this month in 44 restaurants in the state of South Australia, includes entrées, breakfast items and desserts [...]

Wendy’s is asking its operators to invest between $13,000 and $23,000 per store in the next months in preparation for this fall’s planned national rollout of the Dave’s Hot ‘n Juicy Cheeseburger that it has been testing since November. CEO Roland Smith said the investment will be needed to cover equipment such as a bun [...]

◙ Wendy’s/Arby’s Corp. executives have labeled 2011 “a transition year” as they “explore strategic alternatives” for Arby’s (i.e. try to find a buyer for it). But it’s clear the big picture includes continuing to revamp the Wendy’s menu with new wraps, burgers, chicken and more. The Fresh Wraps line of  tortilla wraps that Wendy’s tested [...]

Burger King is extending its “Have it your way” philosophy to music. At the chain’s newest location in Japan, which opened June 29, diners at some tables can plug an iPod (or other mp3 player) into wall-mounted docking stations. A speaker in a plastic jellyfish-like dome overhead directs the music to those at the table below. Called a [...]

Big Boy, the iconic American burger concept that looks retro but really just dates to 1936, is recognizing that tastes, times and business models have changed. In mid-July, Big Boy will open @burger, an upscale fast-casual burger concept with beer and wine in Ann Arbor, Mich., with intentions of opening more. That doesn’t mean the [...]

[Watch the BK ribs commercial here.] Burger King began its roll out of its new Fire-Grilled Ribs today. The limited-time promotion, expected to last through July 4, puts the chain’s new batch broilers to work and adds a super-premium-price product to the chain’s “barbell” pricing strategy, which seeks to balance budget-price and higher-ticket “indulgent” items [...]

No longer just a regional chain with retro carhops, Sonic Drive-In establishes itself as an innovative, national QSR power with a new game plan outlined to Wall Street this week at “Analysts Day” meetings at its Oklahoma City headquarters. That strategic plan includes the menu introductions this year of a line of Loaded Burgers, a [...]

Extra small beat extra thick. Burger King said U.S./Canada same-store sales dropped 6.1% for its third quarter, ended March 31, 2010, despite its $1 Double Cheeseburger promotion and introduction of the Steakhouse XT burgers. That decline compares with BK’s +1.6% comp sales a year ago, when it was promoting mini BK Burger Shots, mini BK [...]

[As forecast below, BK rolled out ribs on May 17. Read it here.] [May 3 Update: Country Pork sandwich has moved into select Chicago restaurants and Indianapolis. Oddly, radio ads describe it as a "pork fritter" on a bun.] Burger King and pork producers are old friends, primarily through a shared affection for bacon. Now [...]

With its smaller rivals already struggling to match its sales, McDonald’s Corp. today told analysts that it and its franchisees will spend heavily on an accelerated “reimaging” of its restaurants, an effort that it says boosts remodeled stores’ sales by 6% to 7%. CFO Peter Bensen said the company will be “investing on a scale that [...]