Jul 15, 2009 -
Michael Ruhlman is a well-respected author in the food industry. Recently he shocked everyone when he wrote an article (prompted by a challenge from fellow journalist Kelly Alexander) that praised The Cheesecake Factory. A resident in malls across America, The Cheesecake Factory has an extensive 20-page laminated menu.
- 49 Comments
Jul 06, 2009 -
Subway's ready to test the waters again with spokesperson Michael Phelps: This past Sunday during the US national swimming championships, the sandwichmaker began airing commercial spots starring the Olympic gold medalist. Phelps' year got off to a rocky start when a photo surfaced in February of him smoking marijuana out of a bong.
Within days, USA Swimming had suspended the Olympian from the sport for three months, and Kellogg's decided not to renew its contract with Phelps.
- 9 Comments
May 13, 2009 -
Eating out is always a treat, but the problem with eating food someone else makes is that you have no idea how much sodium it's loaded with. 2,300 mg of salt (one teaspoon) is the recommended daily limit for healthy people, but if you have issues with high blood pressure, 1,500 mg is your limit. According to a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), "Unsafe levels of sodium chloride, or salt, in chain restaurant meals increase one's chance of developing hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease."
- 10 Comments
Feb 09, 2009 -
Sandwich chain Subway isn't dropping Olympian Michael Phelps as a sponsor yet — but it has removed all semblance of the swimmer from its website, and plans to delay its first TV campaign starring the gold medalist, which was originally slated for early 2009.
This is the fast-food chain's response after a photo broke last week of the Olympian smoking a bong. Immediately following the news, Kellogg's dropped its endorsement deal with the swimmer, and we wondered whether Phelps's other food sponsor, Subway, would follow the cereal maker's footsteps.
- 9 Comments
Dec 15, 2008 -
Hoping to put an end to hemorrhaging sales, Starbucks is moving full speed ahead with a new strategy. In addition to cutting workers' hours and streamlining recipes, the nation's largest coffee chain will be entering a partnership with the country's biggest sandwich franchise, Subway. Next month, select Subways will start selling Starbucks-owned Seattle's Best Coffee.
- 23 Comments
Jul 31, 2008 -
Restaurant chain Ruby Tuesday announced its plans to destroy one of its locations next Tuesday in an explosion that will be broadcast live on its website. The explosion signals a new era for the chain, something the company has been trying to do with its slogan, "It's a brand new Tuesday."
The bomb will go off on Aug.
- 10 Comments
Jul 14, 2008 -
With reality stars posing as fashion designers and singers turning into restaurateurs, it's no surprise that Starbucks and Subway would expand into something other than caffeinated beverages and sandwiches. Tomorrow Starbucks is scheduled to launch a new smoothie line. Called Vivanno Nourishing Blends, the smoothies come in two flavors: Orange Mango Banana and Chocolate Banana.
- 22 Comments
Apr 18, 2008 -
I applauded New York City when it banned trans fat from restaurants and started using healthier oils. I was psyched that fast food chains were also being required to post calorie counts on their menus but annoyed that McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's decided that rule didn't apply to them. So it went through the courts, and too bad for them, they're going to have to listen.
- 30 Comments
Apr 02, 2008 -
Health magazine just unveiled a big feature on the healthiest restaurants in the US, which breaks down eateries by category, including sit-down chains, fast food, and independent restaurants. The magazine studied 43 chains (each with at least 75 locations) and ranked them based on the nutritional information provided.
It sounded intriguing, until I started perusing the list and found many of the choices downright puzzling: Uno Chicago Grill, known for its deep-dish pizza, is the first restaurant on the list of sit-down chains.
- 42 Comments