Heather Lalley

Managing editor

Articles by
Heather Lalley

Page 5
Marketing

Want free fries? Clear your schedule Wednesday

Chains around the country are celebrating National French Fry Day with giveaways, contests and even a chance to spend a couple of nights in a potato hotel.

Leadership

Dave & Buster’s shakes up its C-suite

Fresh off its acquisition of food-and-games chain Main Event, the eatertainment chain has filled eight executive posts. All came from one of the two brands.

The Arizona restaurateur is finally ready to add locations of Detroit-style Fly Bye and full-service Doughbird after running them as single units for years.

Twenty-five independent restaurants from around the country were awarded a total of $1 million in grants from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Marketing Bites: Problems with a third-party site kept some customers from getting an in-demand Grimace pool float, a hot dog stand offers free milkshakes with proof of vasectomy, and more marketing news of the week.

Once a “significant investor” in the fast-casual seafood chain, the company purchased the brand from founder Andrew Gruel, who will turn his attention to several new concepts.

It’s the latest twist in the ongoing legal feud involving one of the country’s top-grossing independent restaurants.

Marketing Bites: Chains go back to the future on menu prices despite inflation, Dave & Buster’s celebrates the indoors and more marketing news of the week.

What started early in the pandemic as a cheap, easy way to sell more wings and burgers is morphing into more-targeted digital menu offerings like melty cheese and loaded potatoes.

The New York City-based multi-concept operator, which was founded by restaurateur Danny Meyer, will reimburse up to $1,500 in travel expenses and will provide counseling and other support, the company said.

With the close of the $835 million deal, first announced in April, Main Event CEO Chris Morris will lead the two food-and-games chains.

The burrito chain once again teams up with athletes for limited-time digital menu offerings and video content, adding the training meals of Rose Lavelle and Sophia Smith.

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