Ron Ruggless

2 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

Tariffs will likely cost Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. $5 million in the fourth quarter, executives said Thursday. The Lebanon, Tenn.-based full-service dining company, which includes a retail store component, said it is negotiating with vendors in China and domestic vendors who source from China “to mitigate the tariff impacts,” Julie Masino, Cracker Barrel’s president and CEO, said in an analyst call Thursday for the May 2-ended third quarter.

2 days ago | restaurant-hospitality.com | Ron Ruggless

A summer opening is expected for the New York City-based brasserie, founded by Keith McNallyThe Starr Restaurant Group will expand Pastis, its New York City-based brasserie, to Nashville, Tenn., this summer, the company announced this week. Pastis was founded by Keith McNally, who is behind Balthazar, Minetta Tavern, Morandi, and more. The 2,774-square-foot interior will seat 170 in the main dining room, and a grand bar will seat 18.

3 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

David Schmidt, president of Orlando, Fla.-based Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, has unveiled a new design package and updates for the 18-year-old concept’s offerings. Having just opened the 73rd restaurant in Dallas, a company market like Nashville, Tenn., the brighter colors and modified menu has become a hallmark of the Denny’s Corp. brand. “When I started in ’22,” Schmidt said, “one of the very first things that I did is I brought in I brought in a firm to help us.

3 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, the 73-unit daytime brand owned by Denny’s Corp., has been updating the look of its stores as it expands, the president says. David Schmidt, president of the Orlando, Fla.-based brand, said he started with the brand in 2022, when it had 54 units. “When I started in ’22,” Schmidt recalled, “one of the very first things that I did is I brought in I brought in a firm to help us.

3 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

Blaze Pizza has named Jaime Denney as chief operations officer, the company confirmed Tuesday. Atlanta-based Blaze said Denney joins the company with more than 25 years of leadership experience in restaurant operations. She succeeds Kevin Moran in the role. Most recently, Denney served as vice president of franchise operations at Omaha, Neb.-based Scooter’s Coffee, where she oversaw more than 840 franchised locations and $720 million in system sales.