Firehouse Subs Debuts in Chicago’s Loop, International Expansions for

: Jul 23, 2015; restaurant design digest; The Editors

Kason: Sustainable Energy Saving Products for Walk-In Coolers and Freezers.

restaurant design digest from restaurant development + design magazine

July 23, 2015

Firehouse Subs Debuts in Downtown Chicago

Firehouse Subs opened its first location in downtown Chicago. Growth has been steady for the nearly 900-unit chain headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. The 1,380-square-foot Chicago restaurant, located in the office-heavy Loop neighborhood, is the second restaurant for local franchisees Phillip and Alan Forfar.

South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries: New Name, New Prototype

Villa Enterprises, a global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, renamed the 30-year-old quick-serve restaurant South Philly Steaks & Fries to South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries, while also debuting a new prototype design. The new South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries will open August 13 in the new SIMON Gloucester Premium Outlets in Morristown, N.J.

Alto-Shaam heated holding equipment is a virtual time machine

Gentle Halo Heat® keeps items hot, succulent and ready for hours. Food retains its natural moisture without the drying effects of fans or added humidity. Presentation and taste are perfect, every time. Click here to learn more.

Global Customer Traffic Patterns Offer Mixed Results, NPD Reports

Though lunch visits to restaurants have increased, customer traffic at major chains is declining on a global level, according to recent research from The NPD Group.

Restaurant Development Report

Restaurant chains making headlines this week include Cold Stone Creamery, Dunkin’ Donuts, Mad Greens and more.

BURGERFI To Open in London

Fast-growing fast-casual chain BURGERFI announced its first international development agreement in the UK. In a deal with Ground Round Ltd.’s Jamie Wood, son of Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ron Wood, the brand will expand its footprint into the European market with a location in central London set to open before the end of the year.

The ONE Group to Purchase Katsuya and Cleo Restaurant Brands

The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc. has agreed to acquire the Katsuya and Cleo restaurant brands from SBEEG Holdings, LLC, holding company of the SLS, Redbury and Hyde hotel brands.

Texas Chicken Expands to New Zealand

Quick-serve chain Texas Chicken opened its first restaurant in New Zealand, with plans to open multiple restaurants in the U.S. and overseas in the next 10 years.

Restaurant Development Professionals on the Move

Here’s the latest personnel news from the movers and shakers in the restaurant development community.

UFood Grill Debuts New Restaurant Prototype

UFood Grill rolled out images for its new prototype for a traditional in-line design that the fast-casual restaurant chain plans to make available to franchisees.

Multiple Levels, Multiple Challenges: Smart Design for Restaurants with Multiple Levels

When designing and developing a restaurant with multiple levels, operators and designers have so much more to consider — spatially, operationally, mechanically and more. And every decision seems to have a more powerful impact on success when compared to a single-level restaurant. With a single level, getting customers in the door may be the biggest worry, but a multilevel restaurant has to multitask, moving staff, guests, food, dishes and supplies up and down efficiently and safely.