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Introduction of the Premium McWrap has given McDonald’s image a positive spike among self-described healthy fast-food eaters, according to ongoing research by YouGov BrandIndex. Beginning in mid-March when word spread that McWrap was coming through the beginning of April after its rollout, McDonald’s brand image rose to 44 on March 29 on the YouGov BrandIndex [...]

Ruby Tuesday has taken off its ill-fitting suit, put its jeans back on and is ordering a cold one and a burger. James J. “JJ” Buettgen, named president-CEO of Maryville, Tenn.-based Ruby Tuesday last November, told analysts he is continuing to dismantle the efforts by his predecessor—Founder Sandy Beall, who retired after 40 years at [...]

What a long, strange trip it’s been. Ryan Harkins and Matt Chernus were among the early food-truck heroes when they got the Grill ‘Em All rolling the streets of Los Angles in 2009. They built their fame on a menu of heavy-metal-themed burgers like the Behemoth (grilled-cheese buns, Cheddar, barbecue sauce, pickle, grilled onion and [...]

“It’s the bacon, baby!” will be Wendy’s new mantra in a campaign with high-decibel announcer loudmouth Dick Vitale touting the double-patty Baconator burger. The campaign begins Feb. 25, but you won’t see it unless you live in one of seven Northeast cities (including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia) where spots will air. Vitale appears [...]

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers announced positive results for 2012’s Q4, including a 1.4% same-store sales increase (1.1% of which came from check increase). It also provided an update on its ongoing efforts to make the chain more appealing to adults dining without children. This includes a shift this year to serving its burgers on china [...]

Jake’s Wayback Burgers is no stranger to change. The chain that began in Newark, Del., in 1991 simply as Jake’s augmented its name in 2010 to gain some separation from all the other Jake’s. But that was two years and a couple dozen locations ago. On March 1, the chain introduces a new menu intended [...]

Burger King Worldwide’s recently released third-quarter results were reasonably strong, with a 1.4% systemwide increase in same-store sales. The U.S./Canada segment did even better, up 1.6%. But Asia/Pacific comps were down 2.2% as a result, the company said, of weak sales in Australia and Korea. This wasn’t the first time this year that Australia, where [...]

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is rethinking its full-service restaurant model top to bottom—from name to service style to menu—as it also expands its fast-casual concept, Red Robin Burger Works. Red Robin reported its Q3 results today, which include a 3.4% increase in total revenues and a 1.1% increase in same-store sales for company units. More [...]

Seeking to remake its floundering Mimi’s Café chain, parent Bob Evans Farms is testing a new prototype that is simultaneously French and American, upscale and budget-friendly. And there are burgers. The chain’s Valencia, Calif., location is the first of three Mimi’s to receive a brand makeover (ostentatiously dubbed by the company the “French Revolution“) that [...]

The Wendy’s Company announced that in March 2013 a new version of its logo will be introduced on packaging, advertising, crew uniforms, restaurant signage, menuboards and websites. The iconic Wendy character (modeled on founder Dave Thomas’s daughter) remains but with an updated look. This is part of a larger brand transformation being directed by Craig [...]

Despite earlier promises that its London Olympics-sites menu would be the broadest it ever has assembled for the Games, athletes, press and spectators will find a menu that’s so narrow and safe as to be a bit of a gold-medal disappointment. There may be a 9,843-square-foot McDonald’s (its largest) at the Games, but the menu [...]

It’s easy to over-analyze McDonald’s marketing skills because the chain does so much marketing, but it is just as easy to overlook some small efforts that show its finesse. An example: In many markets around the world, McDonald’s is promoting Olympics-themed Coke glasses. Coke-glass promotions are a long-standing tradition with McDonald’s and the offer does [...]

Adopting a marketing presence to match its national brand stature, Smashburger this month has launched a broadcast/digital ad campaign along with its new logo and tagline that all focus on its “smashing” identity. “Smashed fresh. Served delicious” is the tagline used with the logo and in a series of 60-second radio spots. The spots introduce [...]

Itself the target of a territory invasion by Pizza Hut’s P’Zolo, Subway is breaking down restaurant category barriers, too, with its take on burgers. A three-item line of Angus Melt sandwiches is being offered this month in 1,236 Subway restaurants in Atlanta, Detroit, Nashville and Macon and Northeast Georgia. The line includes Classic Angus Melt, [...]

Pal’s Sudden Service is almost unknown nationally but loved with cult-like ardor in its Tennessee/Virginia territory. Its 23 funky, boxy double-drive-thru restaurants tell you that Pal’s isn’t like other QSRs, which has been a point of pride since Pal Barger founded it in 1956. The Kingsport, Tenn.-based chain’s menu is limited to a few burgers, [...]