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  • First Watch Elevates Brunch With New Restaurant in Fulshear, Texas

    First Watch Elevates Brunch With New Restaurant in Fulshear, Texas

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    The new location serving a full menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch opens its doors on Monday, December 11th, in Fulshear, Texas


    FULSHEAR, Texas, December 11, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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    First Watch, the leading Daytime Dining restaurant serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, announced today it has opened a new location in Fulshear, Texas. The new restaurant, located at 27120 Fulshear Bend Dr., Suite 100, brings a chef-inspired menu and rotating seasonal offerings to a 3,483-square-foot space that seats more than 208 people, provides outside dining under a covered patio and serves signature housemade fresh juices at an indoor brunch bar. The restaurant will employ approximately 40 people. 

    To celebrate the opening of the new Fulshear location, customers who dine in-restaurant during its first five days in business will receive free coffee with their meal. In addition, the first 120 customers to visit the new restaurant will also receive a custom, reusable travel mug.

    “Culinary creativity meets family-friendly ambiance in our new Fulshear, TX, daytime restaurant. We’re excited to serve up a memorable dining experience where every meal is a chance to bring families closer together.” – Dan Anfinson, COO of MHFW Restaurants LLC

    First Watch’s curated menu takes an elevated approach to traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch that are made to order using farm-fresh ingredients. The menu includes crave-able items such as Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The new restaurant offers healthy, flavorful favorites like house-made granola and pico de gallo, organic greens, house-roasted vegetables, cage-free eggs and 100% fresh-squeezed orange juice as well as more indulgent, classic offerings. 

    First Watch Fulshear will also offer options from the restaurant’s fresh juice bar – including the best-selling Morning Meditation (made with orange, lemon, turmeric, organic ginger, agave nectar and beet) – juiced in-house daily using only the highest quality fruits and vegetables. The new restaurant features First Watch’s brunch cocktail program, which allows guests to enjoy signature creations like the Blackberry Bramble Sangria (a signature blend of Merlot, mixed berries and apple with a squeeze of orange and lime) and Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk (coconut rum, cold brew coffee, coconut milk and agave nectar).

    Five times a year, First Watch offers a revolving seasonal menu that follows the sun to source the highest quality ingredients, wherever and whenever they are in season. This ever-evolving menu has items like Crab Avocado Toast, Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast, Elote Mexican Street Corn Hash, and Watermelon Wake-Up fresh juice, among many others.  

    The interior brightly builds upon First Watch’s Urban Farm design prototype with the addition of warm blue tones, quartz countertops, and a subway-tile backsplash. A grab-and-go retail area will showcase Sweet Street’s line of GMO-free, additive-free desserts for purchase and the concept’s socially responsible and award-winning Project Sunrise coffee, grown by independent groups of women farmers in South America, called the Mujeres en Café. Communal tables as well as patio and bar seating make First Watch a great place for guests to work remotely in an approachable atmosphere. 

    First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. for pickup, delivery and dine-in service. The restaurant also offers customers complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access. 

    For more information about First Watch, its menu offerings or to find the nearest location, visit firstwatch.com. 

    About First Watch

    First Watch is an award-winning Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients. A recipient of hundreds of local “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch’s chef-driven menu includes elevated executions of classic favorites along with specialties such as the protein-packed Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation (juiced in-house daily) and its signature Million Dollar Bacon. In 2023, First Watch was named the top restaurant brand in Yelp’s inaugural list of the 50 most loved brands in the U.S and recognized as a Customer Experience All-Star by Forbes. In 2022, First Watch was awarded a sought-after MenuMasters honor by Nation’s Restaurant News for its seasonal Braised Short Rib Omelet, recognized with ADP’s coveted Culture at Work Award and named a Most Loved Workplace® in Newsweek by the Best Practice Institute. There are 500 First Watch restaurants in 29 states, and the restaurant concept is majority owned by Advent International, one of the world’s largest private-equity firms. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com.

    About Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE)
    Mac Haik Restaurant Group (MHRG) is a division of Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE), a diversified holding company based in Houston, TX. MHE is a major investor in three rapidly growing fast casual restaurant brands, Original ChopShop, Slapfish and Due’ Cucina, and one of the largest franchisees of First Watch Restaurants. MHE also owns Mac Haik Outdoor Media, Mac Haik Hospitality, and Mac Haik Automotive Group which encompasses 23 car dealerships. The eleven affiliated companies of MHE have engaged in the development, ownership and management of commercial real estate and health care facilities, asset acquisition and disposition, facilities management, property management, leasing, project management, construction plus janitorial services, as well as hotel ownership. The overall MHE companies employ over 3,000 employees. To learn more about MHRG, please visit www.machaik-enterprises.com.

    Source: Mac Haik Restaurant Group

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  • After more than a year of discussion, L.A. is ready to make outdoor dining permanent

    After more than a year of discussion, L.A. is ready to make outdoor dining permanent

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    When the L.A. Al Fresco dining program was established in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Christy Vega said it saved her 67-year-old family-owned restaurant.

    The program let restaurant owners bypass red tape to quickly set up outdoor dining areas, a necessity during the pandemic.

    For Vega’s Sherman Oaks restaurant, Casa Vega, this meant converting two parking lots into outdoor dining space, a change that made it possible for Vega to continue to serve customers and pay her employees.

    “It was wildly vital to our survival,” she said.

    The city is now moving to make the program’s relaxed regulations permanent, allowing restaurants to continue operating outdoor space without pre-pandemic zoning restrictions. The Los Angeles City Council signified its commitment to al fresco dining with a vote Friday requesting the city attorney draft an ordinance to make the program permanent.

    It’s a victory for the restaurant industry and for communities accustomed to eating outside, but some business owners and residents say the city’s new version of the program isn’t perfect.

    A last-minute amendment to the ordinance mandates that restaurants include one parking spot for disabled people on their property, a requirement that would effectively eliminate outdoor dining space for smaller businesses, Vega said.

    “It’ll kill al fresco for anybody that doesn’t have a giant parking lot,” she said.

    Vega said she would have to take down her patio and lose $1 million in revenue if she had to make space for a disabled parking spot that also includes room for a vehicle to back out and turn around. To avoid that, she said, she’s spent $60,000 trying to obtain a conditional use permit to keep her patio permanently.

    In an effort to protect small businesses, the City Council on Friday added an exception to the parking space requirement for restaurants with 3,000 square feet of indoor space or 1,000 square feet of parking space or less.

    Vega said she is grateful for the exemption, but other owners say it’s not enough.

    “Square footage has nothing to do with the size of the business,” said Brittney Valles, who sits on the board of the Independent Hospitality Coalition and owns Guerrilla Tacos in downtown Los Angeles. “It shouldn’t be a requirement at all.”

    Valles, who has enough outdoor space for dining and a disabled parking spot, said the rule could be devastating for many restaurants who don’t.

    “I think that there are a lot of restaurants that would have to rethink whether their business is feasible without outdoor dining,” she said.

    Councilmember Tim McOsker, who introduced the exception to the parking requirement, said at Wednesday’s council meeting that he was trying to strike a balance between supporting al fresco dining for small businesses and ensuring accessibility for disabled customers.

    Implementing a permanent al fresco program has been a long road for the City Council and the restaurant community. City officials first drafted an ordinance in November 2022 and have spent more than a year receiving public comment.

    The initial ordinance required restaurant owners to navigate a complicated process to get their outdoor dining approved, Valles said.

    “It was going to be this overbearing process that costs restaurants a lot of money and made it very complicated to do basically what we’re already doing,” she said.

    To reach a compromise, Valles and her fellow restaurant owners agreed to a ban on outdoor ambient music, which is prohibited by the temporary program. Live music is also prohibited.

    Venice resident David Feige said the current ban on ambient music is not enforced in his neighborhood, and the new version of the al fresco ordinance doesn’t do enough to create enforcement mechanisms.

    Casa Vega owner Christy Vega talks to customers Kendra Dousette, left, and Scarlett Pettyjohn on Thursday.

    (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

    There are several unpermitted outdoor speakers at restaurants on his block near Washington Boulevard that are disruptively loud, he said.

    “If we close all the windows, turn on the noise machine and we can still hear the music in our bedroom, that’s a problem,” he said.

    Although the ordinance includes the establishment of a hotline for complaints and says the public can contact the Department of Building and Safety to report a violation, Feige said those measures will be ineffective.

    “The minute they see the cops coming, they turn it down,” he said of the restaurants with speakers, “and 10 minutes later, they turn it back up. There is no meaningful ability for redress here.”

    Feige spoke at Tuesday’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee meeting and said he was representing more than a dozen of his neighbors. He called for a complaint-based system, in which a restaurant gets cited or shut down if it receives too many complaints.

    Vega also said enforcement is an important issue. Only a handful of restaurants play disruptive music, but she doesn’t want them to ruin the reputation of the al fresco program.

    But Vega said she is most worried about the parking space measure and the restaurants that may have to lay off employees after shutting down outdoor space.

    “Restaurant workers have not had any financial security or job security since the pandemic,” she said. “The No. 1 gift of this program was that we were able to get our employees back to work.”

    Restaurant owners say they hope the new version of L.A. Al Fresco will run just as smoothly as the first. The original program during the pandemic was “the absolute easiest thing” to take advantage of, Valles said.

    “This was such a beautiful, simple win for restaurants when it launched in 2020,” she said. “We just want to keep it that way.”

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    Caroline Petrow-Cohen

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  • Gunfire erupts inside L.A. Live restaurant; 1 killed, 1 injured

    Gunfire erupts inside L.A. Live restaurant; 1 killed, 1 injured

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    A man was shot and killed Tuesday night as he was dining at an L.A. Live restaurant. Another restaurant-goer was injured.

    The shooting took place inside Fixins Soul Kitchen, a restaurant at the downtown entertainment complex, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

    The incident was reported at 6:15 p.m. at the restaurant at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., near Crypto.com Arena.

    LAPD Cmdr. Lillian Carranza said the preliminary investigation determined the gunman entered the restaurant where the two victims were separately dining. He shot a 43-year-old man, who collapsed on the ground, and a woman, who suffered a graze wound.

    Carranza said the male victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His identity is being withheld pending notification of family. The female victim was treated at the scene.

    The suspected gunman fled the scene in a white Honda, according to authorities. No arrests have been made.

    Representatives for Fixins Soul Kitchen, which also has locations in Sacramento and Tulsa, Okla., issued a statement Tuesday night in response to the shooting.

    “Fixins Soul Kitchen is shocked and saddened by the incident that occurred this evening at our L.A. location,” the statement read. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones.”

    Figueroa Street was closed between Olympic Boulevard and Chick Hearn Court for police to conduct an investigation. Police request that any witnesses of the incident call the LAPD tip line at (800) 222-8477.

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    Jeremy Childs

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  • A work potluck party at San Pedro Taco Bell turned into a boozy bash with sex and vomiting, lawsuit claims

    A work potluck party at San Pedro Taco Bell turned into a boozy bash with sex and vomiting, lawsuit claims

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    A company Christmas potluck for employees of a San Pedro Taco Bell turned into a boozy bash, with one worker having sex with his wife in front of spectators and another vomiting into a guacamole bowl, according to a lawsuit by one of the employees.

    The worker, Alana Bechiom, filed the lawsuit last week in Los Angeles Superior Court. She’s seeking unspecified damages in the suit.

    When Bechiom reported the incident to human resources, the lawsuit claims, three co-workers who took part in the party were fired, but Bechiom said she was physically threatened and her car window was smashed, and she claims Taco Bell and and the franchise owner did nothing to protect her against the threats.

    “While we don’t own or manage this location, the franchisee who owns and operates this restaurant has shared that they take these claims very seriously,” a Taco Bell spokesperson said in a statement.

    The franchise owner, Alvarado Restaurant Group, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The alcohol-fueled party took place on Dec. 18, 2022 at the Taco Bell on 1031 S. Gaffey St. in San Pedro, where Bechiom had worked as a cashier, according to court records.

    Workers were “encouraged to bring food in a potluck-styled buffet,” and Bechiom had decided to take a guacamole bowl to the party.

    When she walked in, however, the lawsuit claims, she noticed the windows in the restaurant were covered with wrapping paper, and the cameras in the Taco Bell lobby were also covered.

    She had been socializing in the parking lot for a while but, when Bechiom walked back in, according to court records, she found one of her male co-workers was “having sex with his wife in front of everyone at the party.”

    The co-worker’s wife, the lawsuit states, was bent over and kissing two other co-workers, including a supervisor, simultaneously.

    “[Bechiom] was shocked, disgusted and outraged by what she saw and ran,” according to the suit.

    But before leaving, the lawsuit states she went back into the Taco Bell to get her guacamole bowl. Instead she found two of her co-workers vomiting, with one retching into her bowl.

    Bechiom complained to her supervisor about what she saw and about someone vomiting into her bowl, but the supervisor then threatened to fight her, according to the suit.

    After she reported the incident, three of the Taco Bell employees, including the supervisor and the male co-worker who had sex with his wife, were fired, the lawsuit claims.

    But Bechiom claims she continued to receive threats from co-workers who called her a “snitch.” Four days after the party, she claims, someone smashed the window of her car.

    When she reported the threats, she claims, Taco Bell and the franchise owner offered to transfer her.

    Bechiom resigned, and is suing Taco Bell and Alvarado Restaurant Group for alleged discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and failure to investigate.

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    Salvador Hernandez

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  • Orange County bartender pleads not guilty to beating woman to death with fire extinguisher

    Orange County bartender pleads not guilty to beating woman to death with fire extinguisher

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    An Orange County bartender accused of bludgeoning a woman to death with a fire extinguisher pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him Monday.

    Dino Rojas-Moreno, 26, was arrested Wednesday in Laguna Hills and charged with one count of murder with two felony enhancements: that the killing was committed in commission of a kidnapping and that it was carried out with a personal weapon, a fire extinguisher.

    Those enhancements would potentially make him subject to the death penalty, according to authorities.

    “The loss of an innocent life is a travesty for the entire community,” Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

    A call to Rojas-Moreno’s attorney was not immediately returned Monday. Rojas-Moreno is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 30.

    Prosecutors allege that Rojas-Moreno, who lives in Laguna Hills, assaulted 27-year-old San Clemente resident Tatum Goodwin around 1 a.m. on Nov. 12 in a parking lot near Carmelita’s restaurant in Laguna Beach.

    Goodwin had worked at Carmelita’s for four years, rising to the position of assistant manager, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up by the restaurant’s owner.

    Rojas-Moreno, prosecutors allege, dragged Goodwin to the rear of the parking lot and down an alleyway to a secluded area. There, he is accused of beating her to death with a fire extinguisher, according to the district attorney’s office.

    About 8:20 a.m., a construction worker found Goodwin’s body under a chain-link fence at a nearby work site with a sandbag placed on her head, authorities say.

    “It is heartbreaking that a young woman with her entire future ahead of her had her life ended in such a brutal way and then discarded like her life never [mattered],” Spitzer said.

    It is unknown whether there was a prior relationship between the two. Though some news outlets reported that Rojas-Moreno had worked as a bartender for Goodwin at Carmelita’s, that is incorrect, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.

    Rojas-Moreno called in sick to work the day Goodwin’s body was found, saying he had been jumped in Santa Ana, according to the district attorney’s office.

    He is being held without bail.

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    Andrew J. Campa

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  • Rams will move headquarters and practice facility to Woodland Hills

    Rams will move headquarters and practice facility to Woodland Hills

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    The Los Angeles Rams will move their practice facility to Woodland Hills next season as part of a large-scale real estate development planned by owner Stan Kroenke that could help give the car-centric Warner Center district a more urban feel.

    The Rams officially announced the long-expected move Tuesday at an outdoor shopping center that Kroenke bought earlier this year as he assembled a 100-acre parcel for future development that will include a new headquarters for the Rams.

    The move will center the Rams, now based in the city of Agoura Hills, in Los Angeles’ Woodland Hills neighborhood. The team plays at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on game days, but spends most of the year at its headquarters and practice facilities.

    “It’s important for us to have a foothold in L.A.,” said Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer of the Rams.

    A temporary practice facility similar to the one the team now uses at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks will be built on what is now a parking lot next to an unoccupied office tower the Kroenke Group bought in Warner Center in 2022.

    Kroenke plans to build a more permanent and expansive training facility and team headquarters on the site in the future, part of what is expected to be a sprawling mixed-use complex that may include stores, restaurants, hotels and residences.

    The parking lot at the former Anthem building in Warner Center will be the new location of the Los Angeles Rams practice facility.

    (Los Angeles Times)

    Work will start shortly on the temporary football compound at Erwin Street and Canoga Avenue, Demoff said. Asphalt and two one-story buildings will be removed to make way for two practice fields and a network of temporary modular trailers that will be similar to the setup the team uses at Cal Lutheran.

    The trailers will include office space and meeting rooms for coaches, players, scouts and staff, along with a weight room, a training room, a locker room, a media room and a meal room.

    City Councilman Bob Blumenfield called the facility “a great use that brings a lot of value” to the neighborhood and “not much traffic.”

    The 13-story tower on the site that was formerly home to health insurer Anthem Inc. may be part of the future mixed-use campus or could be eventually razed to make way for other uses.

    Kroenke Group is working on a new land-use design for the site that also includes the former Woodland Hills Promenade, a largely inactive shopping center built in 1973, and the thriving outdoor mall Topanga Village built next to the Promenade in 2015. The move was announced at the Village, which will remain a cornerstone of the Kroenke complex that could take many years to complete.

    Los Angeles city officials are encouraging dense mixed-use development in the Warner Center neighborhood that could include new housing, offices, shops, restaurants, hotel rooms and entertainment venues.

    The planned building boom may help Warner Center finally achieve its original purpose. In the early 1970s, planners decided that the west San Fernando Valley land, once the site of movie mogul Harry Warner’s horse ranch, should be turned into a “downtown” for the Valley.

    As it developed, however, Warner Center bore only passing resemblance to the densely built urban districts people associate with that word.

    Today, the neighborhood is mostly a mix of office towers that jut up from a sea of cookie-cutter, low-slung office buildings served by acres of surface parking lots. Apartments and stores are mostly isolated in discrete blocks, and the whole expanse is cleaved by wide, fast-moving streets that flow to freeways.

    Kroenke’s $325-million purchase of the Village in January further signaled the billionaire businessman’s intention to build a sports-centric development like the one around SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

    In Inglewood, Kroenke controls nearly 300 acres surrounding SoFi Stadium, in what was formerly the Hollywood Park horse racing venue. When the Inglewood complex is completed, it will be 3½ times the size of Disneyland and contain a performance venue, hotel, stores, restaurants, offices, homes and a lake with waterfalls.

    With the additional 100 acres in Woodland Hills, Kroenke is now one of the largest real estate developers in the Los Angeles region, Demoff said. His company could build and operate as much as 7 million square feet of property in Woodland Hills as envisioned under the city’s Warner Center 2035 Specific Plan.

    “Stan and everybody else is a believer in the potential of Warner Center,” Demoff said. “Everything keeps growing here.”

    The Kroenke Group owns and operates shopping centers in 39 states with a combined total of 40 million square feet, the company said.

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    Roger Vincent

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  • Thanksgiving With Rosebud Restaurants: Take-Home & Dine-in Specials

    Thanksgiving With Rosebud Restaurants: Take-Home & Dine-in Specials

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    Press Release
    •

    Nov 9, 2023

    Whether you’re staying home, or dining out, Rosebud has this Thanksgiving covered


    CHICAGO, November 9, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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    Rosebud Restaurants is here to make Thanksgiving convenient by catering to both those who prefer to enjoy their meal in the comfort of their own home and those who seek a dine-in experience. 

    Thanksgiving can quickly become stressful with the demands of meal preparation and the post-feast cleanup consuming precious moments that could be spent with loved ones. Why not have Rosebud handle the heavy lifting and allow you to be present with your family during the holiday? 

    Whether you prefer to spend Thanksgiving at one of Rosebud’s locations, or in the comfort of your home, Rosebud has your Thanksgiving feast covered. This year’s special comes with:

    • Turkey or Brisket
    • Green Beans
    • Mashed Potatoes
    • Candied Carrots
    • Creamed Corn
    • Cranberry Sauce
    • Stuffing
    • Rigatoni Vodka
    • Savory Gravy
    • Jalapeño-Infused Cornbread
    • Your Choice of Pecan, Cherry, or Pumpkin Pie
    • *A la carte options also available with the purchase of a package

    The take-home Thanksgiving special is priced at $300 and serves 8-10 individuals, roughly $30/person. Orders will be accepted until noon on Friday, Nov. 17. Orders can be placed by going to rosebudrestaurants.com. 

    For those opting to dine in on Thanksgiving, the turkey dinner special is priced at $59.95 per person and will be available at most Rosebud Restaurant locations. Seating is limited, so we encourage you to secure your reservation by going to rosebudrestaurants.com or straight to OpenTable. 

    For further details about Rosebud Restaurant’s Thanksgiving Specials, please reach out to marketing@rosebud-restaurants.com.

    Source: Rosebud Restaurants

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  • Just in Time for Thanksgiving, Pizza Inn Introduces ‘The Gobbler’ Pizza

    Just in Time for Thanksgiving, Pizza Inn Introduces ‘The Gobbler’ Pizza

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    DALLAS, November 3, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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    Giving Americans another reason to count their blessings this time of year, Pizza Inn has added a unique new Thanksgiving-themed pizza, called “The Gobbler,” to its ever-popular and extensive array of buffet options. This limited-time item will be placed on all Pizza Inn buffets through Nov. 22.

    The new specialty pizza begins with a foundation of Pizza Inn’s fresh, house-made pizza dough that is spread with a thin layer of homestyle gravy, instead of pizza sauce. “The Gobbler” is then layered with sliced turkey, onions and house-shredded mozzarella, followed by dollops of mashed potatoes and traditional stuffing. Finally, it’s baked, then topped with a light cranberry drizzle. 

    “Imagine having all the flavors of Thanksgiving in one bite, and you’ve got The Gobbler,” explained Brandon Solano, CEO of Pizza Inn’s parent company RAVE Restaurant Group. “We wanted to, literally, mix things up this holiday season by offering our buffet customers the flavors they crave before the holidays. Our franchisees are really excited to surprise their guests with an entree option they’re going to love. I mean, every bite is an explosion of taste and enjoying it at one of our buffets — while you’re surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors — makes it just that much better.”   

    The creative campaign for “The Gobbler” features a classic Norman Rockwell-style illustration depicting a gathered array of family members, accompanied by the phrase “A pizza as unique as your family.”  

    “At Pizza Inn, our employees give thanks every day for our guests — whether they’ve been coming to see us for decades or it’s their very first time — because they are what make our restaurants the fun, friendly, gathering places they’ve been for decades,” added Solano. “Offering them something that’s fun and delicious like ‘The Gobbler’ is just another way we can show our appreciation of their ongoing loyalty and unwavering support.”

    For more than 60 years, Pizza Inn has been America’s Hometown Pizza Buffet, thanks to its fresh pizza dough, made at each restaurant every day, and a plentiful buffet loaded with more than 40 appetizer, entree, side, and dessert options designed to appeal to people with a variety of tastes and preferences. The hearty selection offers items ranging from salads, wings, and stromboli to specialty pizzas and desserts. 

    For more information, visit www.pizzainn.com.

    About Pizza Inn

    Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s popular pizza buffet and friendly service have solidified the brand as America’s hometown pizza place. Unlike your typical buffet, Pizza Inn built a reputation for using house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce. This, combined with its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of its restaurants that feature signature pan pizzas, chocolate chip “pizzerts,” pasta dishes, salads and innovative creations that reflect today’s customer cravings. The brand continues to thrive with new menu innovations, including its popular NYXL pizza. Follow Pizza Inn on Instagram @pizzainn and to learn more about franchising opportunities, visit www.pizzainn.com/franchise.

    Source: Pizza Inn

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  • RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results

    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results

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    DALLAS, November 2, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVE) today reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 ended September 24, 2023.

    First Quarter Highlights:

    • Total revenue increased by $0.1 million to $3.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Adjusted EBITDA increased by $0.1 million to $0.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pizza Inn domestic comparable store retail sales increased 6.8% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pie Five domestic comparable store retail sales increased 1.2% in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • The Company recorded net income of $0.4 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to net income of $0.3 million for the same period of the prior year.
    • Income before taxes increased by $0.1 million to $0.5 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • On a fully diluted basis, net income increased by $0.01 to $0.03 per share for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Cash and cash equivalents were $5.9 million at September 24, 2023.
    • Pizza Inn domestic unit count finished at 111.
    • Pizza Inn international unit count finished at 22.
    • Pie Five domestic unit count finished at 26.

    “We are pleased to record our 14th consecutive quarter of profitability with same store sales growth at both Pizza Inn and Pie Five along with a year-over-year reduction in G&A expenses in this challenging cost environment,” said Brandon Solano, Chief Executive Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

    “While maintaining the discipline of cost controls, we continue to invest in the future of our business,” Solano said. “The investments in our Pizza Inn retail image have begun to pay returns as we opened our first new image retail prototype in Asheboro, NC, in May and begin a new era of reimaging our tired buffet assets in the Pizza Inn system. Our development pipeline yielded no new buffets in Q1, however we opened two in October. Franchisees are excited about our new image and are in the process of building and reimaging stores.”

    Solano continued, “Similarly, Pie Five is undergoing significant investment and changes. After rolling out the most significant menu transformation in the brand’s history, focusing on differentiated pizzas made for the individual and eliminating large pizzas, we are implementing a test to add Pizza Inn “ghost kitchens” to targeted Pie Five locations. This test will leverage Pizza Inn’s “latent brand equity” in areas without Pizza Inn coverage to drive volume and four-wall economics. We have signed a franchise agreement for a Pie Five in Kentucky to begin this test in the coming weeks.”

    “Q1 saw a significant number of Pizza Inn non-buffet store closures including eight express stores and one PIE, which on average sold less than $800 per store, per week. Three fourths of these closures were non-financial terminations for failure to adhere to our franchise agreements and standards. All franchisees must maintain our standards and their responsibilities as outlined in our franchise agreements. While unpleasant, these terminations demonstrate our commitment to maintain high standards and we won’t apologize for having high standards.

    “Q1 will be our last full quarter with the services of Mike Burns, our former EVP and Chief Operating Officer, who resigned recently to become CEO of another company. I can’t thank Mike enough for his leadership and service to our brands, franchisees, and employees. I will personally miss him and wish him the best.

    “Mike leaves RAVE in significantly better shape than he found it nearly four years ago. Our major operational initiatives are complete or nearly complete including the Pie Five menu launch and ghost kitchen initiative, Pizza Inn point-of-sale system implementation, Pizza Inn National Advertising Fund franchise commitments, and updated operating standards, manuals, training, and recipes. With our strong operations and training team in place and franchisees operating at a high level, now is the time to invest in other areas of the business. To that end, we will not be replacing Mike and will instead invest in personnel in other areas of the business with greater need and prospective returns including franchise development to increase new unit sales, construction to drive Pizza Inn reimage and new store construction, and information technology as we continue to upgrade our consumer-facing point-of-sale and ecommerce platforms.”

    Clint Fendley, Chief Financial Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. further explained, “Our improved comparable sales and acute attention to our expense controls yielded year-on-year earnings growth.”

    Fendley continued, “While our Q1 store count shows a year-on-year decline, our revenues increased due to our strengthening network of stores and strong comparable sales.”

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, the Company also presents and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures that it believes are useful to investors as measures of operating performance. Management may also use such non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating the effectiveness of business strategies and for planning and budgeting purposes. However, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be viewed as an alternative or substitute for its financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

    The Company considers EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to be important supplemental measures of operating performance that are commonly used by securities analysts, investors and other parties interested in our industry. The Company believes that EBITDA is helpful to investors in evaluating its results of operations without the impact of expenses affected by financing methods, accounting methods and the tax environment. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional useful information to investors by excluding non-operational or non-recurring expenses to provide a measure of operating performance that is more comparable from period to period. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures for evaluating operating performance, assessing the effectiveness of business strategies, projecting future capital needs, budgeting and other planning purposes.

    “EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. “Adjusted EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock compensation expense, severance, gain/loss on sale of assets, costs related to impairment and other lease charges, franchise default and closed store revenue/expense, and closed and non-operating store costs. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to net income is included with the accompanying financial statements.

    Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Assumptions relating to these forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, the effectiveness of our cost cutting measures, the continued returns on our reimaging initiatives, the strength of our development pipeline, as well as future economic, competitive and market conditions, regulatory framework and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Although the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements are believed to be reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in these forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation that the objectives and plans of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. will be achieved.

    About RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

    Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group [NASDAQ: RAVE] has inspired restaurant innovation and countless customer smiles with its trailblazing pizza concepts. The Company franchises, licenses and supplies Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. The Pizza Inn experience is unlike your typical buffet. Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s house-made dough, house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce combined with friendly service solidified the brand to become America’s favorite hometown pizza place. This, in addition to its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of Pizza Inn restaurants. In 2011, RAVE introduced Pie Five Pizza, pioneering a fast-casual pizza brand that transformed the classic pizzeria into a concept offering personalization, sophisticated ingredients and speed. Pie Five’s craft pizzas are baked fresh daily and feature house-made ingredients, creative recipes and craveable crust creations. For more information, visit www.raverg.com, and follow on Instagram @pizzainn and @piefivepizza.

    Source: RAVE Restaurant Group

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  • Willie’s Grill & Icehouse Puts Fresh Spin on Smash Burger Trend With Cheesy Smash Tacos

    Willie’s Grill & Icehouse Puts Fresh Spin on Smash Burger Trend With Cheesy Smash Tacos

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    The Beloved Texas Icehouse Welcomes the Fall Season With Exciting Menu Additions and Budget-Friendly Entrees


    HOUSTON, October 4, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Willie’s Grill & Icehouse is welcoming the long-awaited fall season with delicious new menu items that pack a flavorful punch. Willie’s is rolling out changes to menu items that include mouthwatering tacos, along with margaritas that will appeal to the young at heart.

    With cooler fall temperatures on the way, Willie’s is warming things up with their new savory dishes. The quintessentially Texan icehouse is putting their unique spin on a classic with their brand new Cheesy Smash Tacos. All tacos are made of corn or flour tortillas that are smashed with cheese on the outside, while the protein and contents pack the entirety of the tortilla, filling the taco to the brim with flavor. Available now at all Willie’s Grill & Icehouse restaurants are the Burger Smash Tacos, two smashed burger patty tacos, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and house-made 1000 island, served with choice of one side for $8.99; Chipotle Ribeye Tacos, two shaved chipotle ribeye tacos, topped with onion and cilantro, spicy crema, and cotija cheese, served with choice of one side for $12.99; and Chicken Tendie Tacos, two fried chicken tender tacos, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno lime aioli, served with choice of one side for $9.99.

    Adults looking to add some whimsy to their happy hour gatherings and dinner dates can now order the Bomb Pop Rita at Willie’s locations that feature bars. The margaritas are available in Lime, Strawberry, and Traditional (with blue curacao) flavors and are topped with a red, white, and blue Bomb Pop popsicle. The new bar menu feature is perfect for washing down the Cheesy Smash Tacos or any of the other icehouse favorites that Willie’s is known for across the state of Texas. 

    “We’ve all seen the smash burger phenomenon that has swept the nation. Our Cheesy Smash Tacos are a delicious spin on an age old dish, the Taco Dorados,” said Greg Lippert, CEO of Willie’s Restaurants. “Making our menu accessible from a cost perspective is also hugely important to the Willie’s brand, so we are happy to offer these delicious combos at an affordable price. Throw in Bomb Pop Ritas and fall is off to an excellent start.” 

    At Willie’s Grill & Icehouse, everyone belongs. Started in 1993 as a humble burger joint in Houston, Texas, Willie’s has grown into a Texas institution with 20 locations statewide, beloved by millions as the family’s favorite place to unwind. At Willie’s, arcade games await the kids and young at heart while wide-open giant garage doors reveal ample patio spaces with sandboxes and plenty of room to play and relax. Juicy burgers piled high with fixings anchor the gargantuan menu of delicious Texas comfort food, promising something for everybody. For locations, hours, menus, and more, visit www.williesgrillandicehouse.com. 

    Source: Willie’s Grill and Icehouse

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  • RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results

    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results

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    DALLAS, September 21, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVE) today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 25, 2023.

    Fourth Quarter Highlights:

    • Total revenue increased by $0.2 million to $3.0 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $0.2 million to $1.0 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pizza Inn domestic comparable store retail sales increased 9.0% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pie Five domestic comparable store retail sales decreased 0.6% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • The Company recorded net income of $0.6 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to net income of $6.8 million for the same period of the prior year.
    • Income before taxes decreased by $0.3 million to $0.8 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • On a fully diluted basis, net income decreased by $0.34 to $0.04 per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Cash and cash equivalents were $5.3 million on June 25, 2023.
    • Pizza Inn domestic unit count finished at 123.
    • Pizza Inn international unit count finished at 34.
    • Pie Five domestic unit count finished at 27.

    Annual Highlights:

    • Total revenue increased by $1.2 million during fiscal 2023 to $11.9 million at June 25, 2023.
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $2.7 million for fiscal 2023 was a $0.1 million decrease from the prior year.
    • RAVE total domestic comparable store retail sales increased 10.3% for the year ended June 25, 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pizza Inn domestic comparable store retail sales increased 11.3% for the year ended June 25, 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pie Five domestic comparable store retail sales increased 5.4% for the year ended June 25, 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Net income decreased by $6.4 million to $1.6 million in fiscal 2023 compared to net income of $8.0 million for fiscal 2022.
    • Income before taxes decreased by $0.2 million to $2.2 million in fiscal 2023 compared to $2.4 million in fiscal 2022.
    • On a fully diluted basis, the Company reported net income of $0.10 per share in fiscal 2023 compared to $0.45 per share in the prior year.
    • The Company used $5.0 million to repurchase shares of its common stock during fiscal 2023.
    • Both fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022 contained 52 weeks.
    • Cash provided by operating activities increased by $1.2 million to $2.6 million in fiscal 2023 compared to $1.4 million in fiscal 2022.
    • Cash and cash equivalents decreased $2.4 million during fiscal 2023 to $5.3 million at June 25, 2023.

    Said Brandon Solano, Chief Executive Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc., “Our fiscal year shows significant same store sales growth at both Pizza Inn and Pie Five, double-digit total revenue growth, and an increase in earnings quality as we overlapped $0.7 million in prior year Employee Retention Credit (ERC) funding resulting in a modest $0.2 million dip in pre-tax income.” 

    “While maintaining the discipline of cost controls, we continue to invest in the future of our business,” Solano said. “The investments in our Pizza Inn retail image have begun to pay returns as we opened our first new image retail prototype in Asheboro, NC, in May and begin a new era of reimaging our tired buffet assets in the Pizza Inn system. Our development pipeline yielded four new buffets in Q4, resulting in net +5 Pizza Inn buffets for FY ’23, marking the second consecutive year of net buffet increases after 24 consecutive years without growth.”

    Solano continued, “While the restaurant industry appears to have abandoned dine-in, we continue to lean into our differentiated strategy, focusing on the value and variety of Pizza Inn’s buffet while capturing delivery and carry-out. We know our customers are hungry for a connection and an ’experience‘ with their families. To deliver on customer expectations and increase our competitiveness, we announced a required buffet reimaging program at our July Pizza Inn franchise convention. We plan to reimage our tired buffet assets and bring our new retail image to 95% of our locations within the next three years.”

    “Similarly, Pie Five is undergoing significant investment and changes. After rolling out the most significant menu transformation in the brand’s history, focusing on differentiated pizzas made for the individual, and eliminating large pizzas, we are implementing a test to add Pizza Inn “ghost kitchens” to targeted Pie Five locations. This test will leverage Pizza Inn’s “latent brand equity” in areas without Pizza Inn coverage to drive volume and four-wall economics. We expect to be in-field with this test in Q2.”

    “Overall, we had a strong fiscal year ’23 and I’m grateful for our gritty franchisees and team members and their relentless commitment to excellence.”

    Clint Fendley, Chief Financial Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. further explained, “Fiscal 2023’s financial results highlight the Company’s continued efforts to invest in our brands while maintaining a healthy balance sheet and creating value for our shareholders. During fiscal 2023, domestic buffet count increased and comparable sales grew for both brands, resulting in revenue growth outpacing expenses. Cash provided by operating activities increased by $1.2 million and we repurchased shares of our common stock for a total of $5.0 million during fiscal 2023.”

    “In fiscal 2022 we fully recognized our deferred tax asset of $5.7 million due to the long-term earnings and growth prospects for our company, impacting year-over-year fiscal 2023 net income comparisons.”

    “As we reimage locations and expand our brand, we plan on maintaining cost controls and seeking out ways to maximize value for our shareholders. We look forward to continued execution of our differentiated strategy and investment in our brands during fiscal 2024.”

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, the Company also presents and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures that it believes are useful to investors as measures of operating performance. Management may also use such non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating the effectiveness of business strategies and for planning and budgeting purposes. However, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be viewed as an alternative or substitute for its financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

    The Company considers EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to be important supplemental measures of operating performance that are commonly used by securities analysts, investors and other parties interested in our industry. The Company believes that EBITDA is helpful to investors in evaluating its results of operations without the impact of expenses affected by financing methods, accounting methods and the tax environment. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional useful information to investors by excluding non-operational or non-recurring expenses to provide a measure of operating performance that is more comparable from period to period. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures for evaluating operating performance, assessing the effectiveness of business strategies, projecting future capital needs, budgeting and other planning purposes.

    “EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. “Adjusted EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock compensation expense, severance, gain/loss on sale of assets, costs related to impairment and other lease charges, franchise default and closed store revenue/expense, and closed and non-operating store costs. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to net income is included with the accompanying financial statements.

    Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Assumptions relating to these forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, the effectiveness of our cost cutting measures, the continued returns on our reimaging initiatives, the strength of our development pipeline, as well as future economic, competitive and market conditions, regulatory framework and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Although the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements are believed to be reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in these forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation that the objectives and plans of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. will be achieved.

    About RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

    Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group [NASDAQ: RAVE] has inspired restaurant innovation and countless customer smiles with its trailblazing pizza concepts. The Company franchises, licenses and supplies Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. The Pizza Inn experience is unlike your typical buffet. Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s house-made dough, house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce combined with friendly service solidified the brand to become America’s favorite hometown pizza place. This, in addition to its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of Pizza Inn restaurants. In 2011, RAVE introduced Pie Five Pizza, pioneering a fast-casual pizza brand that transformed the classic pizzeria into a concept offering personalization, sophisticated ingredients and speed. Pie Five’s craft pizzas are baked fresh daily and feature house-made ingredients, creative recipes and craveable crust creations. For more information, visit www.raverg.com, and follow on Instagram @pizzainnofficial and @piefivepizza.

    RAVE RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.

    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

    (In thousands, except share amounts)

    (Unaudited)

     
     
     
      Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
     

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022

    		  

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022
    REVENUES: $ 3,048   $ 2,823   $ 11,889   $ 10,692
                           
    COSTS AND EXPENSES:                      
    Cost of sales    –     –     –     1
    General and administrative expenses   1,208     1,506     5,490     5,446
    Franchise expenses   923     809     3,956     3,284
    Impairment of long-lived assets and other lease charges   –     6     5     6
    Bad debt expense   36     37     73     46
    Interest expense   –     –     1     61
    Depreciation and amortization expense   56     49     214     187
    Total costs and expenses    2,223     2,407     9,739     9,031
                           
    OTHER INCOME:                      
    Gain on forgiveness of PPP loan   –     –     –     –
    Employee retention credit   –     704     –     704
    Total other income   –     704     –     704
                           
    INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE TAXES   825     1,120     2,150     2,365
    Income tax benefit   (190)     5,667     (537)     5,657
    NET INCOME    635     6,787     1,613     8,022
                           

    INCOME PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK – BASIC:

    		 $ 0.04   $ 0.38   $ 0.11   $ 0.45
                           
    INCOME PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK – DILUTED: $ 0.04   $ 0.38   $ 0.10   $ 0.45
                           
    Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic   14,154     17,958     15,323     17,993
                           
    Weighted average common and potential dilutive common shares outstanding   14,742     17,958     15,911     17,993

    RAVE RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.

    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

    (In thousands, except share amounts)

    (Unaudited)

     
     
     
     

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022
    ASSETS          
               
    CURRENT ASSETS          
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 5,328   $ 7,723
    Accounts receivable, less allowance for bad debts of $58 and $27, respectively   1,145     1,981
    Notes receivable, current   105     172
    Property held for sale   19     —
    Deferred contract charges, current   33     36
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   204     146
    Total current assets   6,834     10,058
               
    LONG-TERM ASSETS          
    Property and equipment, net   258     365
    Operating lease right of use asset, net   1,227     1,664
    Intangible assets definite-lived, net   328     232
    Notes receivable, net of current portion   28     201
    Deferred tax asset, net   5,342     5,772
    Deferred contract charges, net of current portion   220     224
    Total assets $ 14,237   $ 18,516
               
    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
    CURRENT LIABILITIES          
    Accounts payable – trade $ 502   $ 669
    Accrued expenses   890     1,082
    Other current liabilities   1     81
    Operating lease liability, current   463     490
    Short term loan   —     30
    Deferred revenues, current   342     538
    Total current liabilities   2,198     2,890
               
    LONG-TERM LIABILITIES          
    Operating lease liability, net of current portion   958     1,421
    Deferred revenues, net of current portion   690     793
    Total liabilities   3,846     5,104
               
    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (SEE NOTE K)          
               
    SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
    Common stock, $0.01 par value; authorized 26,000,000 shares; issued 25,090,058 and 25,090,058 shares, respectively; outstanding 14,154,453 and 17,511,430 shares, respectively   251     251
    Additional paid-in capital   37,729     37,384
    Retained earnings   2,439     826
    Treasury stock at cost          
    Shares in treasury: 10,935,605 and 7,578,628 respectively   (30,028)     (25,049)
    Total shareholders’ equity   10,391     13,412
               
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 14,237   $ 18,516

    RAVE RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.

    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

    (In thousands)

    (Unaudited)

     
     
     
      Fiscal Year Ended
     

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022
               
    CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:          
    Net income $ 1,613   $ 8,022
    Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:          
    Impairment of long-lived assets and other lease charges   5     6
    Stock-based compensation expense   345     169
    Depreciation and amortization   141     140
    Amortization of operating right of use assets   437     421
    Amortization of intangible assets definite-lived   73     47
    Amortization of debt issue costs   —     21
    Allowance for bad debts   73     46
    Deferred income tax   430     (5,772)
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:          
    Accounts receivable   763     (1,116)
    Notes receivable   28     80
    Deferred contract charges   7     (18)
    Prepaid expenses and other   (58)     50
    Accounts payable – trade   (167)     25
    Accrued expenses   (272)     158
    Other current liabilities   —     35
    Operating lease liability   (490)     (465)
    Deferred revenues   (299)     (465)
    Cash provided by operating activities $  2,629   $  1,384
               
    CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:          
    Payments received on notes receivable   212     500
    Proceeds from sale of assets   7     —
    Purchase of intangible assets definite-lived   (169)     (96)
    Purchase of property and equipment   (65)     (66)
    Cash (used in)/provided by investing activities   (15)     338
               
    CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:          
    Purchase of treasury stock   (4,979)     (512)
    Payment of convertible notes   —     (1,597)
    Payments on short term loan   (30)     (220)
    Cash used in financing activities   (5,009)     (2,329)
               
    Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents   (2,395)     (607)
    Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period   7,723     8,330
    Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 5,328   $ $ 7,723
               
    SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION          
               
    CASH PAID FOR:          
    Interest $ 1   $ 64
    Income taxes (net of refunds) $ 87   $ 31

    RAVE RESTAURANT GROUP, INC.

    ADJUSTED EBITDA

    (In thousands)

    (Unaudited)

     
     
     
                           
      Three Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
     

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022

    		  

    June 25,

    2023

    		  

    June 26,

    2022
    Net income $ 635   $ 6,787   $ 1,613   $ 8,022
    Interest expense   –     –     1     61
    Income taxes   190      (5,667)      537      (5,657) 
    Depreciation and amortization   56     49     214     187
    EBITDA $ 881   $ 1,169   $ 2,365   $ 2,613
    Stock compensation expense   86     42     345     169
    Severance   –     20     –     53
    Pre-opening costs   –     –     –     –
    Gain on sale of assets   –     –     –     –
    Impairment of long-lived assets and other lease charges   –     6     5     6
    Franchisee default and closed store revenue   10     (17)      (13)      (38) 
    Closed and non-operating store costs   –      (1)      –     3
    Adjusted EBITDA $ 977   $ 1,219   $ 2,702   $ 2,806

    Source: RAVE Restaurant Group

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  • La Granja Central Florida Provides Delicious Lunch and Dinner for UCF Students on a Budget

    La Granja Central Florida Provides Delicious Lunch and Dinner for UCF Students on a Budget

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    La Granja Central Florida, the premier fresh homestyle food dining experience in the heart of the Sunshine State, serves lunch and dinner to students returning for the Fall Semester at UCF.


    ALAFAYA, Fla., August 15, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Fall is almost here, and school is ready to begin. La Granja Central Florida offers a truly unique dining experience for UCF students on a budget as they return to UCF campus. The La Granja location is right by UCF campus at 4650 N. Alafaya Trail, Suite 101 Orlando, Florida, 32828. It is the perfect spot for a student date night or a group outing. The beautifully designed space features an open kitchen and outdoor seating.

    La Granja is known for its fresh ingredients and homestyle food in large portions.

    The restaurant’s presence and fanbase in Alafaya is growing, including another La Granja in South Alafaya at 728 S Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32828. There are now eleven restaurants in the Orlando area where people can go for a delicious lunch or dinner. Go to La Granja Restaurants’ Locations page on their website and type in a zip code to find the nearest La Granja.

    La Granja is loved for its mouthwatering rotisserie chicken. One of their most popular and low-price dishes is their 1/4 Chicken Rice and Beans Special. Add plantains and soda for just a little more. 

    Also enjoy 1/2 lb Steak or 1/2 lb Pork with rice, beans, plantains, and soda for a low price.

    For those who want dessert afterwards, La Granja has a mouthwatering selection of desserts using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. To top off any meal, experience authentic Latin desserts like flan, alfajores, tres leches, and pionono.

    Also Craving Steak or Seafood? Check out La Granja Restaurant’s Menu Here.

    Call La Granja Restaurant at 407-440-3191 for pick-up orders or use DoorDash or Uber Eats for Delivery.

    La Granja Central Florida will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Be sure to come early because the restaurant is sure to be a popular spot for many UCF students, locals, and visitors.

    About La Granja

    For over 25 years, La Granja Restaurants has been known for their excellent and affordable Latin cuisine, including the 1/4 Chicken meal and delectable sides such as white rice, yuca, tostones, black beans or French fries. Their first location opened in Aruba in 1993 before expanding to the United States in 1995. 

    The award-winning restaurant has been recognized as the “Best Peruvian Restaurant of the Year,” “Best Family Style Restaurant” and “Best Peruvian Cuisine of Fort Lauderdale.” CFO Claudia Bartra was honored with the 2016 Women of Worth Award by Restaurant Review Magazine.

    La Granja’s focus on customer service and commitment to delicious cuisine keeps the restaurant chain growing. 

    Visit www.lagranjarestaurants.com or Call (407) 440-3191. Don’t miss out on this unique and exceptional dining experience. Dine-in, order takeout, or use a third-party delivery app service such as DoorDash or Uber Eats.

    Source: La Granja Restaurants

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  • First Watch Elevates Brunch With New Restaurant in Willis, Texas

    First Watch Elevates Brunch With New Restaurant in Willis, Texas

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    The new location serving a full menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch opens its doors on Monday, Aug. 14 in Willis, Texas.


    WILLIS, Texas, August 14, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    First Watch, the leading Daytime Dining concept with more than 480 restaurants nationwide, announced today it has opened a new location in Willis, Texas. The new breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant, which features an expansive dining room and bar, is located at 12360 I-45 N, Ste. 400, Willis TX 77378 and employs approximately 30 people. 

    First Watch’s curated menu takes an elevated approach to traditional and innovative offerings that are made to order using farm-fresh ingredients. The menu includes crave-able items such as Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The new restaurant will offer healthy, flavorful favorites like house-made granola and pico de gallo, organic greens, house-roasted vegetables, cage-free eggs and 100% fresh-squeezed orange juice as well as more indulgent, traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch offerings. 

    First Watch Willis will also offer options from the restaurant’s juice bar – including the best-selling Morning Meditation (made with orange, lemon, turmeric, organic ginger, agave nectar and beet) – juiced in-house daily using only the highest quality fruits and vegetables. The new restaurant features First Watch’s brunch cocktail program, which allows guests to enjoy signature creations like the Blackberry Bramble Sangria (a signature blend of Merlot, mixed berries and apple with a squeeze of orange and lime) and Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk (coconut rum, cold brew coffee, coconut milk and agave nectar).

    The concept also offers a revolving seasonal menu, following the sun to source the highest quality ingredients, wherever and whenever they are in season, which has items like Crab Avocado Toast, Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast, Elote Mexican Street Corn Hash and Watermelon Wake-Up fresh juice, among many others.  

    To celebrate the opening of the new Willis location, customers who dine in-restaurant during its first five days in business will receive free coffee with their meal. In addition, the first 120 customers to visit the new restaurant will also receive a custom, reusable travel mug.

    The interior brightly builds upon First Watch’s Urban Farm design prototype with the addition of warm blue tones, quartz countertops, and a subway-tile backsplash. A grab-and-go retail area will showcase Sweet Street’s new line of GMO-free, additive-free desserts for purchase and the concept’s socially responsible and award-winning Project Sunrise coffee, grown by independent groups of female farmers in South America, called the Mujeres en Café. Communal tables as well as patio and bar seating make First Watch a great place for guests to work remotely in an approachable atmosphere. 

    First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. for pickup, delivery and dine-in service. The restaurant also offers customers complimentary newspapers and free Wi-Fi Internet access. 

    For more information about First Watch, its menu offerings or to find the nearest location, visit firstwatch.com.

    About First Watch
    First Watch is an award-winning Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients. A recipient of hundreds of local “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch’s chef-driven menu includes elevated executions of classic favorites along with First Watch specialties such as the protein-packed Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation (juiced in-house daily), Spiked Lavender Lemonade and its signature Million Dollar Bacon. In 2023, First Watch was named the top restaurant brand in Yelp’s inaugural list of the top 50 most-loved brands in the U.S. In 2022, First Watch was awarded a sought-after MenuMasters honor by Nation’s Restaurant News for its seasonal Braised Short Rib Omelet, recognized with ADP’s coveted Culture at Work Award and named a Most Loved Workplace® in Newsweek by the Best Practice Institute. In 2021, First Watch was recognized as FSR Magazine’s Best Menu and as the fastest-growing full-service restaurant chain based on unit growth. There are more than 480 First Watch restaurants in 29 states, and the restaurant concept is majority owned by Advent International, one of the world’s largest private-equity firms. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com. 

    About Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE)
    Mac Haik Restaurant Group (MHRG) is a division of Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE), a diversified holding company based in Houston, TX. MHE is a major investor in three rapidly growing fast casual restaurant brands, Original ChopShop, Slapfish and Due Cucina, and one of the largest franchisees of First Watch Restaurants. MHE also owns Mac Haik Outdoor Media, Mac Haik Hospitality, and Mac Haik Automotive Group which encompasses 23 car dealerships. The 11 affiliated companies of MHE have engaged in the development, ownership and management of commercial real estate and healthcare facilities, asset acquisition and disposition, facilities management, property management, leasing, project management, construction plus janitorial services, as well as hotel ownership. Overall, MHE companies employ over 3,000 employees. To learn more about MHRG, please visit www.machaik-enterprises.com.

    Source: First Watch

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  • Italy’s Meloni covers unpaid bill of tourist ‘idiots’ in Albania

    Italy’s Meloni covers unpaid bill of tourist ‘idiots’ in Albania

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    In an unusual diplomatic move, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni settled a restaurant bill of four Italian tourists who left a restaurant in Albania without paying.

    Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama raised the issue with his Italian counterpart while Meloni was visiting Albania with her family last week. The incident reportedly took place in Berat, which sits on the Osum River, .

    Meloni responded by telling her ambassador to “go and pay the bill for these idiots,” Italian paper La Stampa reported. The bill amount to around €80, according to the BBC.

    Italy’s embassy in Albania confirmed that it paid the bill with Meloni’s personal funds.

    “The Italians respect the rules and pay off their debts and we hope that episodes of this kind will not repeat themselves,” the embassy said.

    Francesco Lollobrigida, the Italian agriculture minister, told Reuters that it was a matter of national pride. “She offered to pay the bill. The ambassador was on his way back to Tirana and was available to do this,” he told the news service. “A few dishonest individuals cannot embarrass a nation of decent people,” Lollobrigida said.

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    Antoaneta Roussi

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  • Willie’s Grill & Icehouse Donates Thousands Amidst Kyle Grand Opening

    Willie’s Grill & Icehouse Donates Thousands Amidst Kyle Grand Opening

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    Willie’s Kyle Soft Opening Raises Over $6K for First Responders and Nursing Staff


    KYLE, Texas, August 3, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Willie’s Grill & Icehouse officially opened its doors in Kyle, Texas, on Monday, July 17. In a big-hearted move that underscores the definitively Texas brand’s commitment to its communities, Willie’s Kyle turned days one and two of its soft opening into two local fundraisers: On July 14, proceeds went to the Kyle Fire Department and on July 15, cash raised went to Seton Foundations. Both organizations received checks for $3,300 each. 

    The highly anticipated Kyle outpost is the 20th in the state for the Texas-based, Texas-grown Willie’s, as well as the eighth location to feature an expansive full bar—the largest of the franchise’s bars. The addition underscores Willie’s reign as the region’s top family-friendly haven, where a renowned scratch Texas kitchen and casual icehouse vibes offer wholesome fun for parents and kids.

    At the Willie’s Kyle ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by the Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, July 20, members of the Kyle Chamber joined the celebration. Willie’s community outreach assumes a variety of forms. In addition to ongoing philanthropic efforts, Willie’s presence in Kyle has also created more than 100 quality, local jobs. A job at Willie’s offers a bright future: Willie’s actively promotes and hires from within, believing every position has the potential for long-term career growth.  

    “If our time here thus far is any indication, the future for Willie’s Kyle is bright,” said Greg Lippert, CEO of Willie’s Restaurants. “We’ve loved getting to connect with the community and are thrilled to offer families a laid-back, delicious place to come and gather over delicious food and drink.” 

    Located at 19200 S I-35 Frontage Rd, Kyle, TX, 78640, Willie’s Kyle is defined by the same mouthwatering menus, sprawling open-air patio spaces, and genuine friendliness that have endeared the brand to families for almost three decades. Retractable glass garage doors facilitate easy movement between outdoors and Willie’s colorfully decorated interior, rooted in vintage-inspired nods to the Texas icehouse tradition. Outside games, 18 massive flat-screen TVs, and ample seating beckon, providing plenty of room for relaxing, watching a game, and reconnecting with family over classic dishes always made from scratch, served with inspired craft cocktails, local brews, and more.

    Willie’s Kyle is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to Midnight; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

    Source: Willie’s Grill and Icehouse

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  • Pizza Inn Delivers on Growth Strategy With Second Consecutive Year of Increased Buffet Unit Count

    Pizza Inn Delivers on Growth Strategy With Second Consecutive Year of Increased Buffet Unit Count

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    DALLAS, July 10, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RAVE Restaurant Group, owner and franchisor of Pizza Inn and Pie Five restaurants around the world, today announced the second consecutive year of positive net unit growth of Pizza Inn buffets as we continue to reposition and invest in the 65-year-old Pizza Inn brand. 

    Increased unit count is just one indication of Pizza Inn’s transition from a turnaround company to one primed for further expansion. Other indicators include several new product and marketing innovations, updated brand graphics, and a well-received reimagined restaurant design.

    CEO Brandon Solano said, “Last year marked our first unit count growth in 24 years and this year marks the second. In my book, two data points make a trend and that’s good for our franchisees. We’ve also had twelve consecutive quarters of profitability through this third quarter, and an unbelievably positive response to our new store image. I’m excited to see what our franchisees can achieve as we continue to expand our footprint, introduce delicious new products, and roll out this updated look across the company.” 

    The five new buffets are located in geographic markets in which Pizza Inn once had a footprint, and the reintroduction of buffets in those areas contributes to the company’s ongoing plan to reclaim markets it once served. Pizza Inn aims to leverage existing brand familiarity among consumers as well as a pent-up demand for the buffet-style chain’s signature pizzas, salad bars, pastas, and desserts.

    The re-imaging of Pizza Inn was unveiled last month in North Carolina and was designed to appeal to former and new customers alike. The new retail prototype blends: (1) nostalgia, with a movie theater marquee and depictions of the brand’s distinctive mascot, JoJo, as he has evolved through the past six and a half decades, (2) quality, with booth seats that remind customers that pizza dough is made in-house every day, and (3) social media opportunities, with a mural of wings made of cheese, a customizable game room marquee, and mirrors with JoJo’s classic mustache.

    Solano added, “We’re excited about the new design. It keeps our restaurants relevant, while honoring the memories that millions of people have of our buffets. We kept the buffet as the star of the show and added some really cool elements our customers tell us they relate to and enjoy.”  

    Pizza Inn is renowned for making fresh pizza dough, using house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, hand-cutting fresh vegetables and their house-made signature pizza sauce. Their menu also includes more than a dozen signature pizzas, traditional pastas and strombolis, as well as unique desserts, called Pizzerts®. One of the biggest draws, however, is a robust, all-you-can-eat, fresh salad bar, with an abundance of house-cut ingredients, a multitude of popular toppings, and six different dressings, including authentic house-made ranch.

    For more information, please visit https://www.pizzainn.com and to learn more about franchising opportunities visit www.pizzainn.com/franchise.

    About Pizza Inn
    Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s popular pizza buffet and friendly service have solidified the brand as America’s hometown pizza place. Unlike your typical buffet, Pizza Inn built a reputation for using house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce. This, combined with its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of its restaurants that feature signature pan pizzas, chocolate chip ‘pizzerts,’ pasta dishes, salads and innovative creations that reflect today’s customer cravings. The brand continues to thrive with new menu innovations, including its popular NYXL pizza. Follow Pizza Inn on Instagram @pizzainn and to learn more about franchising opportunities visit www.pizzainn.com/franchise.

    About RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.
    Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group [NASDAQ: RAVE] has inspired restaurant innovation and countless customer smiles with its trailblazing pizza concepts. The Company owns, franchises, licenses and supplies Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. The Pizza Inn experience is unlike your typical buffet. Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce combined with friendly service solidified the brand to become America’s favorite hometown pizza place. This, in addition to its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of Pizza Inn restaurants. In 2011, RAVE introduced Pie Five Pizza, pioneering a fast-casual pizza brand that transformed the classic pizzeria into a concept offering personalization, sophisticated ingredients and speed. Pie Five’s craft pizzas are baked fresh daily and feature house-made ingredients, creative recipes and craveable crust creations. For more information, visit www.raverg.com, and follow on Instagram @pizzainn and @piefivepizza.

    Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Assumptions relating to these forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, the effect of our efforts to reinvigorate our brand to reclaim strategic geographic markets, our efforts to improve the dining experience for our customers, as well as our efforts to move forward towards our ultimate turnaround strategies, as well as general competitive and market conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Although the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements are believed to be reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, including, without limitation, the risk that our recent effort do not have a lasting impact on the Company’s operations and financial results. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in these forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation that those or any other objectives and plans of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. will achieve the desired results for the Company and its stockholders.

    Source: RAVE Restaurant Group

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  • Spain’s Socialists have a Sánchez problem

    Spain’s Socialists have a Sánchez problem

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    SEVILLE, Spain — Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez won’t be on the ballot when Spaniards vote in local elections Sunday — but he might as well be.

    Everyone in the country sees this weekend’s municipal votes as a dress rehearsal for the national election, which has to be held by the end of the year.

    That’s bad news for Socialist candidates like Antonio Muñoz, the mayor of Seville who just wants to be reelected on his own merit — but may end up losing his post because Sánchez is so unpopular.

    In an interview with POLITICO, Muñoz complained that the national framing of the election — and the conservative party’s critiques of Sánchez — had undermined the possibility of real debate over how to improve Spain’s fourth-largest city, the capital of the country’s Andalusia region.

    “If you want to just generate noise and have a debate about national politics: run for parliament, not mayor of Seville,” Muñoz said. “Me, I’ve stayed faithful to my slogan in these elections — Seville and only Seville — and I think that’s what voters want to hear about.”

    In any ordinary election season, Muñoz might be right.

    The openly gay, 63-year-old economist is an unusually popular mayor in Seville, a city that once had a reputation for being inward-looking and socially conservative.

    Elected to the city council in 2011, Muñoz has worked to redefine the city’s identity and reinforce the idea that there’s more to it than bullfights, religious processions and flamenco — while being careful not to alienate Seville’s traditionalists.

    As the city council member in charge of the powerful urbanism, tourism and culture portfolios, he bet on a more alternative, vibrant vision of Seville — promoting electronic music and indie film festivals; and lobbying to steal major events like the Goyas, Spain’s version of the Oscars, away from Madrid.

    It was under Muñoz’s watch that Game of Thrones came to town, when the dragon-packed extravaganza used the lush Alcázar palace as a stand-in for the kingdom of Dorne. The producers of Netflix’s The Crown also passed through, using the palatial Alfonso XIII Hotel as a double for Beverly Hills and filming Mohamed Al-Fayed’s Egyptian wedding in Seville’s sumptuous Casa de Pilatos estate.

    At the same time that he’s shown off the city center — famed for its narrow, winding streets, whitewashed homes, interior gardens and Moorish architecture — he’s also promoted newer parts of Seville. These include the high-tech Cartuja Science and Technology Park, where the European Commission recently inaugurated the headquarters of its new European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency.

    He’s also an enthusiastic booster of the eclectic Fibes Conference Center, located in the working-class Sevilla Este district, which this year will host the 2023 Latin Grammys, the first-ever to be held outside the United States.

    “During the next term, we’ll be doing even more to consolidate this city as a Spanish and European reference point for culture, the green economy and the digital transition,” said Muñoz. He became mayor early last year when his predecessor stepped down to run for office at the regional level.

    While crafting a more modern image of Seville, Muñoz has been careful not to neglect the city’s classic cultural scene.

    He may not be a member of any religious brotherhood, but he has no problem joining religious processions during Holy Week. He may not be a bullfighting enthusiast, but he’s happy to socialize with famous toreros. And while he may not have a passion for flamenco, he’s an almost omnipresent force at the city’s annual April Fair, where smartly dressed men spend a week dancing with women in long, ruffled, polka-dot dresses while downing pitchers of rebujito, the signature Andalusian cocktail.

    “You can like those events more, or less … but they’re a part of our history, our way of life,” said Muñoz.

    The skill with which Muñoz has walked the line has played well among sevillanos, especially those who work in the hospitality sector and have been delighted to see the number of tourists in the city boom. Some 6.5 million overnight stays were registered last year.

    “I’ve always been proud of my city, but right now I feel that Seville is at a new level as a destination, as a brand,” said restaurant owner Emilio Gimeno. “I think a lot of that has to do with the mayor because he’s always promoting the city, he never stops.”

    “I like that he’s a normal guy who lives in the city and doesn’t move around in an official vehicle or surrounded by bodyguards,” he added. “If you’re opening up a new bar, he’s the sort of person who will make time in his schedule to show up at the inauguration, the sort that wants things to work out and go well for you.”

    The Sánchez problem

    The trouble for Muñoz is that when Sevillanos head to the polls, they’re be making their choice based not just on his performance — but on the reputation of his party.

    “The polls suggest that three out of four Spaniards intend to base their vote on local matters, but a quarter admit their vote will depend on national issues,” said Pablo Simón, a political scientist at Madrid’s Carlos III university. “That’s problematic for some mayors because Sánchez is such a polarizing figure.”

    The local election will take place just months before Sánchez’s fragile left-wing coalition government — the first in Spain’s history — is set to complete its four-year term in December.

    Despite the devastating impact of the COVID crisis and the economic impact of the war in Ukraine, from the outside, Sánchez’s administration appears to have weathered the storm well.

    Spain’s gross domestic product has been growing at a rate above the EU average, and unemployment has dropped to levels not seen since 2008.

    The country’s residents pay some of the lowest power prices in Europe, thanks to the Iberian Exception energy price cap. The European Commission has applauded Spain for efficient handling of its share of the bloc’s pandemic recovery cash.

    And yet, within Spain, perception of the government is negative, and all of the parties in the ruling coalition have suffered a steep drop in the polls. Since May of last year, Sánchez’s Socialists have trailed behind the country’s conservative Popular Party, which is currently 7 percentage points ahead.

    Simón, the political scientist, said that some Spaniards distrust Sánchez for having entered into a coalition government with far-left parties with which he said he’d never govern. Not to mention that, like most political leaders, the prime minister’s prestige took a hit during the pandemic.

    “The government’s policies — the higher minimum wage, the basic income, the country’s role in Europe — are broadly popular,” Simón said. “But at a personal level, he isn’t.”

    Juan Espadas, Muñoz’s predecessor in Seville’s city hall and current leader of the Andalusian Socialists, admitted that the prime minister’s unpopularity had become a factor in the local elections.

    “The right has realized that they can’t challenge him on his politics, so now what they’re trying to do is to discredit him on a personal level,” he said, adding that the Popular Party had focused on casting Sánchez as “an egoist” willing to do anything to hold on to power.

    “Their only goal is to make it so that people won’t go vote because they don’t like the person behind the party,” he said.

    The ghost of ETA

    In addition to invoking the unpopular prime minister, the Spanish conservatives have been reminding voters of the coalition government’s cordial relations with pro-independence parties in the national parliament.

    When the Basque pro-independence party EH Bildu included 44 former members of the terrorist group ETA in its official lists for the local elections earlier this month, the Popular Party seized on the issue and turned it into a major talking point in its campaign in cities across the country.

    Muñoz has worked to redefine Seville’s identity and reinforce the idea that there’s more to it than bullfights, religious processions and flamenco | Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images

    In Seville, José Luis Sanz, the conservative candidate for mayor, rallied supporters by declaring that his neighbors “could not understand how Muñoz’s Socialists have surrendered to the heirs of ETA.”

    Like other Socialist candidates, Muñoz has denounced this line of attack, stressing its irrelevance in a campaign that should be about the threat posed by housing insecurity or extreme heat — not a terrorist group that ceased to exist more than a decade ago.

    “I think what the [Popular Party] is doing is enormously disrespectful toward voters,” he said. “Instead of talking about what’s needed in this city’s poorest neighborhoods, about what we can do to promote culture, about how we should manage tourism, they want to talk about a party that isn’t up for election in Seville.”

    But what politicians want to talk about and what voters are hearing seem to rarely be the same thing.

    In the middle-class Los Remedios district, 83-year-old María Camacho Rojas has followed the campaign and decided she won’t give her vote to the mayoral candidate of a party led by Sánchez, a politician she believes to be “a compulsive liar.”

    “[Sánchez] does deals with ETA, he doesn’t care about Spain, and I — like most Spaniards — am worried about the state in which he’s going to leave our country,” she said.

    She added she’d vote for Muñoz in a heartbeat if he belonged to another party. “I like the mayor, I like how much he does for the city, how much he cares about Seville,” she said. “I’m not going to vote against him but I won’t vote for him: I’ll cast a blank ballot on Sunday.”

    In Seville, the latest polls predict a technical tie, with Muñoz’s Socialists winning 12 or 13 seats in the city council and the Popular Party taking 12. That would leave the two mainstream parties dependent on the support of more extreme elements, the far-right Vox party on one side and array of left-wing groups on the other — with those two ideological blocs also nearly tied.

    Whatever the outcome, the fallout is not likely to remain contained within city limits: Muñoz’s Sánchez problem could easily become Sánchez’s Seville problem.

    Losing the city — the largest municipality controlled by the Socialists — would be a severe blow for the prime minister just months ahead of the national elections.

    “One city won’t decide a general election,” said Simón. “But it can make the outcome easier for some, and all the more difficult for others.”

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    Aitor Hernández-Morales

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  • New Pepp Rally Pizza Offers Enhanced Taste, Texture, and Overall Appeal of Conventional Pepperoni Pizza

    New Pepp Rally Pizza Offers Enhanced Taste, Texture, and Overall Appeal of Conventional Pepperoni Pizza

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    Pizza Inn’s New Specialty Pizza Features a Sweet-Heat Sauce and Three Kinds of Pepperoni on a Thin and Crispy Crust


    DALLAS, May 15, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Pizza Inn, America’s Hometown Pizza Buffet, today introduced The Pepp Rally Pizza at all U.S. locations, as well as those in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand. Created with considerable consumer input, the new specialty pizza features a thin, crispy crust glazed with a sweet-heat sauce made of Mike’s Hot Honey, Yellowbird Sriracha, and Pizza Inn’s own signature pizza sauce, then topped with 100% whole milk mozzarella and three different cuts of pepperoni, including classic slices, cup-shaped pepperoni with edges that curl to receive a slight sear, and Pizza Inn’s first-ever julienned pepperoni that bakes quickly to provide a flavorful crunch.

    “The best just got better,” states Pizza Inn’s Chef, Patty Scheibmeir. “64% of pizza lovers prefer pepperoni pizza over any other, so we turned to the public to help us transform the ever-popular and ubiquitous pepperoni pizza into a high-quality, premium pizza with an improved flavor profile, a more interesting texture combination, and undeniable craveability. They helped us create this slightly sweet and mildly spicy pizza with a cracker-like crust, and pepperoni that provides three completely different textures.”

    The company conducted consumer taste panels with different variations of dough, sauce, and toppings, resulting in the new Pepp Rally specialty pizza. Seventy percent of the test sample declared that the honey-sriracha sauce provided just the right amount of savoriness, spiciness, and tang without being too hot or spicy. In fact, many of the research participants said they would be “very likely” to visit or order from Pizza Inn specifically for the new pizza, alone. 

    “The launch of our Pepp Rally Pizza is part of the next wave in our brand renovation plan,” said CEO of Pizza Inn’s parent company, RAVE Restaurant Group, Brandon Solano. “We have updated our imagery, streamlined our operations, and launched the next era of growth for our company. By listening to our customers, we are now offering the precise product improvements they desire, not just those created in and recommended by test kitchens. I think it will be the best pepperoni pizza our customers have ever had and will further endear us to past and future fans of the Pizza Inn brand.”

    A large, thin crust Pepp Rally pizza, available for carryout or delivery, has launched with a promotional price of $12 at U.S. locations. The introductory price is valid through July 15, 2023. To promote the new pie, Pizza Inn has invited local schools, sports teams, and community groups to partner with them for festivals, sporting events, and pep rallies. Many of these events will feature new 20-foot inflatables of the brand’s pizza-making mascot, JoJo.

    Pepp Rally pizzas will be available through third party food delivery platforms, where available, including DoorDash, UberEats, and Grub Hub, with applicable additional fees. The new pepperoni toppings and honey-sriracha sauce are also now available to order on all of Pizza Inn’s build-your-own pizzas.

    For the restaurant nearest you, and more information in the entire menu, visit pizzainn.com. Franchising information can be found at pizza.com/franchise.

    About RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.
    Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group [NASDAQ: RAVE] has inspired restaurant innovation and countless customer smiles with its trailblazing pizza concepts. The Company owns, franchises, licenses and supplies Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. The Pizza Inn experience is unlike your typical buffet. Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce combined with friendly service solidified the brand to become America’s favorite hometown pizza place. This, in addition to its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of Pizza Inn restaurants. In 2011, RAVE introduced Pie Five Pizza, pioneering a fast-casual pizza brand that transformed the classic pizzeria into a concept offering personalization, sophisticated ingredients and speed. Pie Five’s craft pizzas are baked fresh daily and feature house-made ingredients, creative recipes and craveable crust creations. For more information, visit www.raverg.com, and follow on Instagram @pizzainn and @piefivepizza.

    About Pizza Inn
    Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s popular pizza buffet and friendly service have solidified the brand as America’s hometown pizza place. Unlike your typical buffet, Pizza Inn built a reputation for using house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce. This, combined with its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of its restaurants that feature signature pan pizzas, chocolate chip ‘pizzerts,’ pasta dishes, salads and innovative creations that reflect today’s customer cravings. The brand continues to thrive with new menu innovations, including its popular NYXL pizza. Follow Pizza Inn on Instagram @pizzainn and to learn more about franchising opportunities visit www.pizzainn.com/franchise.

    Source: Pizza Inn

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  • RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results

    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Results

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    DALLAS, May 4, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVE) today reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 ended March 26, 2023.

    Third Quarter Highlights:

    • Total revenue increased by $0.4 million to $3.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Adjusted EBITDA remained stable at $0.6 million for the third quarters of both fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022.
    • Pizza Inn domestic comparable store retail sales increased 15.6% in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Pie Five domestic comparable store retail sales increased 8.1% in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • The Company recorded net income of $0.3 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to net income of $0.5 million for the same period of the prior year.
    • Income before taxes decreased by $0.1 million to $0.4 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • On a fully diluted basis, net income decreased by $0.01 to $0.02 per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to the same period of the prior year.
    • Cash and cash equivalents were $3.9 million at March 26, 2023. 
    • Pizza Inn domestic unit count finished at 122.
    • Pizza Inn international unit count finished at 33.
    • Pie Five domestic unit count finished at 30.

    “Our third quarter results mark 12 consecutive quarters of profitability for RAVE driven by strong top line, strategic investing in the future of our business, and strong cost controls,” said Brandon Solano, Chief Executive Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. “Our third quarter showed continued strong same store sales growth at both Pizza Inn and Pie Five, EBITDA stability as well as strong operating cash performance.

    “We continue to make investment decisions with a goal of driving long-term performance and competitiveness,” Solano said. “We continue to innovate and invest in key initiatives we believe will provide returns long after our initial investments. While our Q3 same store and total sales were remarkably strong, Q3 pre-tax profit was below year ago as we invested in our new image prototype including preparation for our first reimages of existing franchise buffets, construction of new Pizza Inn Buffets, technology and the install of Revel point-of-sale, and in strategic positions and travel to support these initiatives.

    “In fiscal 2022, we delivered the first Pizza Inn buffet unit count growth in 24 years. In Q3, we did not open any buffets but closed zero buffets, leaving us net positive in buffet store count year to date. We continue to focus on building our strong pipeline of new buffet stores, including our first new-image Pizza Inn currently under construction and slated to open in May in Asheboro, North Carolina. We are also poised to begin scale reimage efforts at Pizza Inn buffets in the coming months, providing customers with an enhanced Pizza Inn experience across our footprint.”

    Solano continued, “The restaurant industry continues to abandon dine-in, leaving us an opportunity to win with our differentiated strategy, focusing on the value and variety of Pizza Inn’s buffet while opportunistically capturing delivery and carry-out. We are also targeting geographies where successful Pizza Inn buffets once stood, opening stores to adoring fans who are excited to welcome back Pizza Inn, validating our belief in the strong ‘latent brand equity’ of Pizza Inn.

    “The most significant Pie Five menu and operations changes in our history have been rolled out to all traditional stores and we are seeing strong consumer and franchisee acceptance and an improvement in same store sales consistent with our testing. These menu changes included the elimination of large pizzas, reinforcing our position as an individual pizza brand where everyone gets what they want with no compromises. In February, we rolled out an initiative to capture the family or group occasion lost with the elimination of large pizzas called the Pie Five ‘Free 4th All,’ delivering a fourth pizza free when consumers buy three pizzas. The Free 4th All rollout results have been positive, driving significant ticket and value for consumers, consistent with our testing.

    “I’m proud of our results and the inspired efforts of our team members and franchisees. They are a gritty, resilient bunch and I feel great about our future.”

    Clint Fendley, Chief Financial Officer of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc., further elaborated, “We are pleased to report our 12th consecutive quarter of profitability and another solid quarter of same store sales for both of our segments. During fiscal 2023 and continuing throughout the third quarter, we have strategically invested in additional team members, critical technologies and an enhanced store experience as we prepare for new Pizza Inn buffet openings, which are expected during our upcoming fourth quarter. 

    “These investments have negatively impacted our third quarter net income, however, it should be noted that the primary driver of our third quarter net income decline was an increase in our income tax expense of $112,000. This increase is the result of the full recognition of our deferred tax asset which occurred during the fourth quarter of 2022 as a result of Rave’s improved long-term growth and earnings prospects. The primary driver of the increase in income tax expense for the third quarter was for federal taxes, which represents a non-cash expense for the Company.

    “As we look forward to the fourth quarter, we are excited to open our new Pizza Inn buffets and share an enhanced dining experience with our customers.”

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). However, the Company also presents and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures that it believes are useful to investors as measures of operating performance. Management may also use such non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating the effectiveness of business strategies and for planning and budgeting purposes. However, these non-GAAP financial measures should not be viewed as an alternative or substitute for its financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

    The Company considers EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA to be important supplemental measures of operating performance that are commonly used by securities analysts, investors and other parties interested in our industry. The Company believes that EBITDA is helpful to investors in evaluating its results of operations without the impact of expenses affected by financing methods, accounting methods and the tax environment. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional useful information to investors by excluding non-operational or non-recurring expenses to provide a measure of operating performance that is more comparable from period to period. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures for evaluating operating performance, assessing the effectiveness of business strategies, projecting future capital needs, budgeting and other planning purposes.

    “EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. “Adjusted EBITDA” represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, severance, gain/loss on sale of assets, costs related to impairment and other lease charges, franchise default and closed store revenue/expense, and closed and non-operating store costs. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to net income is included with the accompanying financial statements.

    Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this press release, other than historical information, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations that involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Assumptions relating to these forward-looking statements involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions, regulatory framework and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the control of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. Although the assumptions underlying these forward-looking statements are believed to be reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in these forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation that the objectives and plans of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. will be achieved.

    About RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

    Dallas-based RAVE Restaurant Group [NASDAQ: RAVE] has inspired restaurant innovation and countless customer smiles with its trailblazing pizza concepts. The Company owns, franchises, licenses and supplies Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. The Pizza Inn experience is unlike your typical buffet. Since 1958, Pizza Inn’s house-made dough, house-shredded 100% whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh ingredients and house-made signature sauce combined with friendly service solidified the brand to become America’s favorite hometown pizza place. This, in addition to its small-town vibe, are the hallmarks of Pizza Inn restaurants. In 2011, RAVE introduced Pie Five Pizza, pioneering a fast-casual pizza brand that transformed the classic pizzeria into a concept offering personalization, sophisticated ingredients and speed. Pie Five’s craft pizzas are baked fresh daily and feature house-made ingredients, creative recipes and craveable crust creations. For more information, visit www.raverg.com and follow on Instagram @pizzainn and @piefivepizza.

    Source: RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc.

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  • Benton, Arkansas, is Home of New Pizza Inn Buffet

    Benton, Arkansas, is Home of New Pizza Inn Buffet

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    DALLAS, April 27, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Pizza Inn, America’s Hometown Pizza Buffet, and Franchisee Scott Brake announced the opening of Pizza Inn at 20770 Interstate 30, Suite 250, near the intersection of Alcoa Road and Arkansas Highway 5. The buffet-style restaurant features signature pizzas, traditional pastas, and unique desserts for dine-in, delivery, carryout, and catering. Customers can also enjoy a robust all-you-can-eat fresh salad bar, with a plentiful array of house-cut ingredients, popular toppings, and six different dressings, including house-made ranch. Employing about sixty Benton residents, the restaurant and its full buffet will be open every day from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. 

    According to the CEO of Pizza Inn’s parent company, RAVE Restaurant Group, Brandon Solano, “Pizza Inn has remained a hometown favorite in markets across the Southern United States for 65 years. Customers love our pizzas with house-made dough we make fresh at every store, every day, 100% whole milk mozzarella shredded in house, and the opportunity to top them with a variety of freshly cut toppings. The fact is, many people fondly remember Pizza Inn as an impactful part of their childhood. That’s why we’re bringing our updated look and beloved business model to markets that were previously part of our geographic footprint, like the Little Rock area. We believe we can recapture fans and leverage our ‘latent brand equity’ in these communities.”

    The introduction of a full-service Pizza Inn buffet in Benton further illustrates the company’s proactive strategy to reclaim a leadership position within the restaurant industry. During the past two years, the brand has introduced a new prototype and imagery, announced positive net growth of buffets, reported consistent sales increases, and garnered the attention of franchisees around the world.     

    Adds Solano, “This is the second new Pizza Inn buffet to open in as many weeks. Our healthy pipeline of new stores indicates our strategy is working. We’ve always focused on really good food, value, and convenience. However, I believe the warmth, authenticity, and emotional appeal of our Pizza Inn brand is what our customers most appreciate. Our restaurants have been called ‘America’s Hometown Pizza’ for more than sixty years because we provide an amazing, family-focused pizza experience that makes us the place for people of all ages to meet, relax, and celebrate.”

    The Benton Pizza Inn spans 2,780 square feet and can seat 119 guests. It will offer its specialty pizzas including Chicken Fajita, Loaded Baked Potato, Buffalo Chicken, and Taco pizza, as well as one-of-a-kind desserts, called “Pizzerts”, and video games.

    Regular specials include a Monday Night Seniors Buffet and Tuesday Night Kids Buffet with the purchase of an adult buffet. All customers are invited to join Pizza Inn’s Loyalty Punch Card Program to earn a free buffet.

    For the restaurant nearest you, and more information on the entire menu, visit pizzainn.com. Franchising information can be found at pizzainn.com/franchise.

    Source: Pizza Inn

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