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☆ How a global seafood giant broke Red Lobster
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Former Red Lobster employees say that while the pandemic, inflation and rent costs impacted Red Lobster, Thai Union’s ineptitude was the pivotal factor in Red Lobster’s decline. Kenny criticized Red Lobster employees at meetings and made derogatory comments about them, according to former Red Lobster leaders who worked closely with Kenny. Red Lobster’s annual customer count has dropped by 30% since 2019, Red Lobster said in its bankruptcy filing. Red Lobster employees say they were pressured by Thai Union representatives to buy more seafood from Thai Union. Thai Union representatives also began sitting in on meetings between Red Lobster and seafood suppliers, said one of the former Red Lobster employees who witnessed these conversations.

Persons: “, Ludovic Garnier, Jorge Silva, Red Lobster’s, ”, Les Foreman, Red, Thiraphong Chansiri, Angel, Feng shui, Chansiri, Amanda Mustard, Paul Kenny, Kenny, ’, Kenny’s, Bill Darden, General Mills, Darden, Kelli Valade, Valade, Trin, Tapanya, Kevin Lamarque, Barry Fulghum, Lobster, Leah Millis Organizations: New, New York CNN, Thai Union Group, Red, Lobster, Thai Union, CNN, Red Lobster, John West Foods, longtime, Reuters, Thai, West Coast, Lobster’s, Bloomberg, Getty, Minor, Thai Union —, Union, Darden, Gate, Golden, Capital, Facebook, Thai Union . Thai Union, ” Thai Union Locations: New York, Thai, Thailand, Thai Union, United States, Orlando, Australian, Dallas, America, United, Texas, Spring , Maryland

☆ After Outcry, Chuck E. Cheese Says It Will Keep More Animatronic Bands
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Orlando Mayorquín | More About Orlando Mayorquín | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After Chuck E. Cheese’s plans to retire most of its animatronic bands sparked an outcry from wistful fans, the pizzeria-arcade chain said it would keep a few more of the bands. The company will increase to five the number of animatronic bands that will stay, a company spokeswoman said to The New York Times in a statement on Thursday. The move comes after The Times detailed the chain’s plan to phase out the iconic animatronic performers, known as Munch’s Make Believe Band, at all but two of the more than 400 Chuck E. Cheese locations in the United States by the end of the year. The company said it had wanted to update the Chuck E. Cheese experience for a new generation of digitally-inclined children. A few distraught fans even managed to get a hold of the chain’s chief executive, David McKillips, on his personal phone to appeal for the survival of at least a few more of the animatronic bands.

Persons: Chuck E, David McKillips Organizations: The New York Times, Times Locations: United States

☆ This Man Did Not Invent Bitcoin
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( David Yaffe-Bellany | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For much of its existence, the cryptocurrency company nChain was governed by a golden rule of office politics: It was not a good idea to challenge Craig Steven Wright, the chief science officer. At nChain’s London offices, Dr. Wright, an Australian computer scientist, was treated as a sort of philosopher king. In 2017, Martin Sewell, an nChain employee, circulated a skeptical memo documenting technical errors in a series of papers that Dr. Wright had published about economics and computer science. A manager called Mr. Sewell into his office and told him that he had to stop. The deference to Dr. Wright “was just this extraordinary arrangement,” Mr. Sewell recalled.

Persons: nChain, Craig Steven Wright, Wright, Wright’s, Martin Sewell, Sewell, Wright “, ” Mr, “, ” Organizations: Lamborghini Locations: nChain’s London, Australian

☆ How Red Lobster’s misguided endless shrimp promotion drove it into bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy Sunday, and the bankruptcy filing sheds new light on Thai Union’s role in the endless shrimp mishap. Red Lobster said it is investigating the circumstances of that promotion, which Red Lobster management opposed. Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images“This decision created both operational and financial issues for [Red Lobster]… saddling the company with burdensome supply obligations” to Thai Union, Red Lobster said in the filing. “Certain operational decisions by former management have harmed [Red Lobster’s] financial situation in recent years,” Red Lobster said in its bankruptcy filing. Red Lobster stallsBut Red Lobster fell behind its sister brand Olive Garden under Darden.

Persons: Michael Nagle, ”, Alex Susskind, Susskind, General Mills, Bill Darden, Charley Woodsby, Darden, ” Woodsby, Jonathan Maze, Betty Crocker, Red, Mills, Cyrus McCrimmon, ” Joe Lee, Olive, Red Lobster’s, “ Darden, ” Les Foreman, Anthony Behar, SIPPL, AP Darden, they’ve, John Gordon, “, Patrick T, Fallon, Thiraphong Chansiri, ” “, ” Chansiri Organizations: New, New York CNN, Union became Red, Thai Union, Red Lobster, Bloomberg, Getty, Cornell University, CNN, Baby Boomers, General, Howard, Restaurant Business, Darden, Lobster, Denver Post, Harvard Business School, Longhorn, AP, Gate, ‘, Thai, Getty Images Thai Union, ” Thai Locations: New York, Thai Union, Bangkok, Thai, underinvestment, Lakeland , Florida, Orlando, America, Olive, Square , New York, Sale, Torrance , California, AFP

☆ Two former MIT students charged with stealing $25 million of crypto in 12 seconds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Authorities said they executed their elaborate heist in April 2023, stealing $25 million from traders in just 12 seconds by fraudulently gaining access to pending transactions and altering the movement of cryptocurrency. “As we allege, the defendants’ scheme calls the very integrity of the blockchain into question,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. An indictment charged them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Anton Peraire-Bueno was arrested in Boston, while James Peraire-Bueno was arrested in New York. Prosecutors said that after carrying out the heist, the brothers rejected requests to return the funds and instead took steps to launder and hide the stolen cryptocurrency.

Persons: Anton Peraire, James Peraire, ”, Damian Williams, Bueno Organizations: CNN, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Authorities, MIT, Prosecutors Locations: Manhattan, U.S, Boston, New York, Cambridge , Massachusetts

☆ Dozens of Red Lobster Restaurants Are Auctioning Off Equipment
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Mike Ives | More About Mike Ives | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If you ever wanted to buy a lobster tank and an industrial freezer, now is the time. Equipment from more than 50 Red Lobster restaurants across the United States was up for auction on Tuesday, a liquidator said, as the embattled seafood chain’s website listed dozens of locations as being temporarily closed. Whoever who wins the bid for a particular restaurant will receive everything inside it (not including perishable goods and alcohol, the auction site noted). Red Lobster did not respond to inquiries Tuesday morning. Red Lobster, based in Orlando, Fla., opened its first location in 1968 and now has restaurants across the United States, plus others in Asia and Latin America.

Organizations: TAGeX Brands Locations: United States, Redding, Calif, Orlando, Fla, Asia, Latin America, Bar, Maine

For decades, Munch’s Make Believe Band at Chuck E. Cheese has performed for countless birthdays, end-of-season Little League parties and other celebrations. There’s been Chuck E. Cheese and Helen Henny on vocals, Mr. The band of robot puppets has been a mainstay at the colorful pizzeria-arcade chain where children run amok and play games for prizes in between bites of pizza slices. By the end of 2024, the animatronic performances — endearing and nostalgia-inducing, if perhaps slightly creepy to their audiences — will be phased out at all but two of the chain’s more than 400 locations in the United States: one in Los Angeles and another in Nanuet, N.Y. The departure of the band comes as Chuck E. Cheese undergoes what its chief executive, David McKillips, recently described as its largest and “most aggressive transformation.”

Persons: Chuck E, There’s, Helen Henny, Munch, Jasper T, Jowls, Pasqually, David McKillips Organizations: Little League Locations: United States, Los Angeles, Nanuet, N.Y

☆ Howard Schultz wants Starbucks to fix its American business
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz might have left the coffee giant several months ago, but he’s still offering critiques of the company he ran for about 25 years over three stints. The answer does not lie in data, but in the stores,” Schultz wrote. Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks’ current CEO who Schultz helped pick, reported a “disappointing” quarter in its second-quarter earnings last week. The company experienced a decline in same-store sales for the first time since 2020 and slashed its full-year sales outlook. Narasimhan vowed to turn the business around by including an update to its app and mobile and payment offerings, improving service times and rolling out revamped menu items to lure customers back.

Persons: Howard Schultz, he’s, Schultz, ”, ” Schultz, “, Laxman Narasimhan, Narasimhan Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, National Labor Relations Board Locations: New York, United States, China

☆ Restaurants are competing for frugal diners’ dollars
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For some restaurants, it feels like a battle to get them to spend. Olive Garden-parent Darden Restaurants saw same-restaurant sales dip during its most recent quarter. Darden saw sales from households with incomes above $150,000 climb from the prior year. What to expect in Friday’s jobs reportThe US job market has been on a roll for the past three years. That’s about 25,000 more jobs per month than last year and 111,000 more per month than in 2019.

Persons: ”, Laxman Narasimhan, “, we’ve, Ian Borden, Ricardo Cardenas, Scott Sheffield, “ Mr, —, Matt Egan, Read, Alicia Wallace, ” Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Starbucks, Darden, OPEC, Federal Trade Commission, Sheffield, Organization of, Petroleum, Saudi Arabia, Regulators, Pioneer Natural Resources, CNN, of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, China, Olive, American, Saudi, Sheffield, Texas, OPEC, Russia

☆ Red Lobster brought seafood to the masses. Now it’s on the verge of bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

While it was a delicious deal for customers, it was terrible for the company: Red Lobster lost $3.3 million in seven weeks. The deal was once again too popular, and Red Lobster was unprepared for its customers’ insatiable lust for discounted shellfish. Red Lobster is now reportedly considering filing for bankruptcy protection to restructure its debt and shed some of its 650 US locations. Red Lobster stallsBut Red Lobster fell behind its sister brand Olive Garden under Darden. In 2021 and 2022, Red Lobster brought on a new CEO, chief marketing officer, chief financial officer and chief information officer.

Persons: Lobster, “, ”, John Gordon, Michael Nagle, Alex Susskind, General Mills, Bill Darden, Charley Woodsby, Darden, ” Woodsby, Jonathan Maze, Betty Crocker, Red, Glen Martin, Mills, ” Joe Lee, Olive, Red Lobster’s, “ Darden, ” Les Foreman, Justin Sullivan, they’ve, Les Foreman, Thiraphong Chansiri, ” “, ” Chansiri Organizations: New, New York CNN, Lobster, Thai Union, Bloomberg, Getty, Red Lobster, CNN, Cornell University, Baby Boomers, General, Howard, Restaurant Business, Darden, Denver Post, Harvard Business School, Longhorn, Darden Restaurants, Gate, ‘, Thai, “, ” Thai Locations: New York, United States, Bangkok, Thai, underinvestment, Lakeland , Florida, Orlando, America, Olive, Sale, Thai Union, Thailand

☆ Starbucks just had a ‘disappointing’ quarter. Here’s how it plans to turn things around
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Starbucks is brewing a turnaround plan that involves speedier service and expanding the number of promotions after its most recent quarter was “disappointing,” in the words of its own chief executive. “Let me be clear from the beginning, our performance this quarter was disappointing,” said CEO Laxman Narasimhan on the earnings call. Same-store sales in the United States fell 3%, a sharp reversal from the same quarter a year ago, when they grew 12%. In China, the chain’s second-largest market, sales fell a staggering 11%, with the company blaming competition from “value players” in the country. Starbucks is now forecasting revenue to grow in the low single digits, a steep decline from its previous forecast of 7% to 10%.

Persons: ”, Laxman Narasimhan, ” Narasimhan, “ Headwinds, Narasimhan Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, East, Alshaya Locations: New York, United States, China, Gaza

☆ Your movie theater may be shortchanging your drinks, a lawsuit alleges
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Not even a beer at the movies is spared from shrinkflation, alleges a lawsuit against Cinemark. Waldrop then took the container home and measured it for himself, finding it only held 22 ounces, according to the lawsuit. Rising prices seem to have boosted that revenue: Cinemark reported concession revenue for 2023 exceeded revenue in 2019 by 3%, even though movie attendance was 25% lower. A 20-ounce drink at the Plano, Texas, Cinemark theater Waldrop visited costs $7.80 pre-tax, while a 24-ounce drink costs just $1 more, at $8.80. “The 24 oz drink should provide a deal for consumers over the 20 oz drink’s price: $0.37 per ounce vs. $0.39 per ounce,” the lawsuit said.

Persons: Shane Waldrop, Waldrop, overpaying, ” Jarrett Ellzey, Cinemark, ”, Pennsylvania Democratic Sen, Bob Casey, ” Ellzey, “, CNN’s Bryan Mena Organizations: CNN, Cinemark, Pennsylvania Democratic, Labor Department Locations: shrinkflation, Texas, Plano , Texas

☆ McDonald’s prices are up, so lower-income consumers are eating at home
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“It’s a challenging consumer environment,” said Ian Borden, McDonald’s CFO, noting that many consumers are trying to manage inflation, higher interest rates and dwindling savings. That includes their spending on food at restaurants such as McDonald’s, fast-food restaurants that historically prize value and affordability as core business values. According to February inflation data in the Consumer Price Index, food at home prices grew 1% year over year, while restaurant prices rose 4.5% over the last year. But the current surge in restaurant prices has flipped the script from a year ago, when it was cheaper to dine out. At that time, restaurant prices were up 8.4% and grocery prices were up 10.2% year over year.

Persons: “, ”, Ian Borden, ” Borden, Borden, McDonald’s, Dollar Organizations: New, New York CNN, Consumers, Company, Dollar General, Walmart Locations: New York, United States

☆ High spirits in Hollywood: What’s behind the boom of celebrity liquor brands?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Why does actor Aaron Paul co-own a mezcal brand? Rob Kim/Getty Images for NYCWFFIt’s an “opportunity, to be honest,” Cranston told CNN. Celebrities are attractive to the spirits space because of their clout and connections, so the industry has “the door open. Four years later they sold the tequila brand to liquor giant Diageo for $1 billion, and the industry gold rush was on. The side of a Casamigos delivery truck promoting George Clooney and Rande Gerber's tequila brand in a 2015 photo.

Persons: Aaron Paul, Bryan Cranston, —, Niro, Issa Rae, Dwayne “, ” Johnson, Matthew, Camila McConaughey, Eva Longoria, Casa Del, Kendall Jenner, Shirley Temple, Warren Beatty, Rob Kim, ” Cranston, George Clooney, Rande Gerber, George Rose, Ryan Reynolds, Conor McGregor, Jose Cuervo, Michael Yanover, Yanover, Jeff Spicer, ” Lisa Hawkins, , Drizly, Dwayne Johnson, Mike Segar, ” Andrew Chrisomalis, Tequila, Ed Mundy, ” Mundy, Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, Jennifer Lopez’s Delola, Lopez, she’s, Delola, Paul, Cranston, Dos, ” Applebee’s, ” Aaron Paul, CAA’s Yanover, “, There’s, Kylie Jenner, Kendall, It’s, I’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hombres, Hollywood, Dos Hombres, Food Network New York, Food Network New York City Wine, Food Festival, CNN, Diageo, Aviation, UFC, Creative Artists Agency, ”, Reuters, Jefferies, Diddy, New York, New York City Wine, Applebee’s Locations: New York, Casa Del Sol, Food Network New York City, Hollywood, New York City, Iowa, Applebee’s

☆ Greggs overtakes McDonald’s to become king of the British breakfast
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Brits are going crazy for the bacon and sausage buns offered by Greggs, an 85-year-old chain of budget bakeries that just posted its best-ever performance. Pre-tax profit also jumped more than 13% last year to a record high of nearly £168 million ($213 million). Greggs’ breakfast meal deal — which includes a sausage, bacon or omelette-filled bun and a drink — starts at £2.85 ($3.62), and is particularly popular with customers, a company spokesperson told CNN. Sales grew to a record £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) last year, up from £1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) in 2021. Greggs café, Tasty by Greggs, inside Primark's Oxford Street store in London in October 2022.

Persons: London CNN —, Greggs, Ireland —, McDonald’s, Roisin Currie, “ Greggs, ” Matt Britzman, Hargreaves Lansdown, Greggs café, John Nguyen, benedict — Greggs Benedict, Still, Alex Morton Organizations: London CNN, Ireland, CNN, Press Association, AP Locations: United Kingdom, Newcastle, England, London, Fenwick

☆ Maldives signs China military pact in further shift away from India
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In January, Muizzu set a deadline of March 15 for the complete withdrawal of Indian military personnel stationed in the archipelago nation, according to the president’s office. India has also given Maldives two helicopters and a Dornier aircraft, which are mainly used for marine surveillance, search and rescue operations and medical evacuations, Reuters reported. The new deal with China marks a significant shift in Maldives’ foreign policy from Muizzu’s pro-India predecessor, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. But Maldives has long found itself in the middle of a geopolitical tussle with both India and China vying for influence. China has increasingly expanded its footprint in Maldives, most visibly through large-scale infrastructure projects such as the $200 million China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

Persons: Mohamed Muizzu, Muizzu, “, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, ”, Mao Ning Organizations: CNN, Ocean, Maldivian Defense Ministry, Beijing, Reuters, Dornier, Maldives ’, Analysts, Foreign Locations: Maldives, China, India, Delhi, Beijing

☆ Blocking Kroger’s mega-merger with Albertsons won’t save your local grocery store
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

High grocery prices helped scuttle the dealInflation at the grocery store loomed over the proposed merger. Over the past four years, grocery prices have risen significantly,” the FTC said in its lawsuit. Kroger had committed to invest $500 million in lower prices and $1.3 billion to improve Albertsons’ stores if the merger cleared. Yet consolidation in the grocery sector is growing, and small grocery stores are struggling. Traditional grocery stores have also lost ground to Walmart, Costco, dollar stores and online retailers during that span.

Persons: it’s, Kroger, Ash, “, ” Greg Ferrara, Joe Biden, Lina Khan, Khan, Marc Perrone, ” Sen, Elizabeth Warren, ” Joe Feldman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Kroger, Albertsons ’, Albertsons, Walmart, FTC, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Albertsons Cos, Safeway, Bloomberg, Getty, Agriculture Department, Costco, Independent, National Grocers Association, Meta, Microsoft, Unions, Democrats, Food, Commercial Workers ’, ”, Top Democratic, Twitter, Aldi, Activision, Telsey Advisory Locations: New York, Scottsdale , Arizona

☆ Outback Steakhouse’s parent company closes 41 ‘underperforming’ restaurants
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Bloomin’ Brands revealed in an earnings call Friday that it closed 41 “underperforming locations” across the brands it owns, including Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s. The company didn’t release a list of closed restaurants. Local reports show that Outback locations in Pennsylvania, Iowa and every Outback restaurant in Hawaii recently shuttered. Bonefish Grill locations in New Jersey and Virginia also closed, plus at least three Carrabba’s locations in New York closed. Of the 41 closures across the brands, 33 restaurants were closed Friday, a Bloomin’ spokesperson told Nation’s Restaurants News.

Persons: Bloomin ’, Bloomin, David Deno, Carrabba’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Brands, Restaurants, CNN, Employees Locations: New York, Pennsylvania , Iowa, Hawaii, New Jersey, Virginia

☆ Are these the most beautiful coffee shops in the world?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( David Tran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The Budapest Café is one of many eye-catching businesses featured in “Designing Coffee: New Coffee Places and Branding,” a coffee table book — no pun intended — that puts the world’s most photogenic, eccentric cafés and roasters on display. Its "bright, playful design and color palette transform a former dental office into a bustling and vibrant bakery café," Kingston writes in "Designing Coffee." In an increasingly competitive coffee industry, coffee shop owners are putting thoughts into how their spaces are designed. Across its ambience and menu, the Genovese Coffee House in Sydney offers Australian consumers an "espresso" ticket to Mediterranean café culture. Anson Smart/Genovese Coffee House/Courtesy gestaltenElsewhere, Genovese Coffee House (pictured above) in Sydney, Australia drew inspiration from Italian coffee culture.

Persons: James Morgan, they’re, Wes Anderson, Lani Kingston, Kingston, Mikhail Loskutov, Yuh Nguyen, Luca Rinaldi, Jamie Yelo, Urbain, Jin Weiqi, Marco Pinarelli, Julius, Damir Otegen, Karin Pasterer, Hernan Taboada, Carlos Artalejo, Xavier Alexander, Alexander, ”, “, ” Alexander, ” Kingston, David Dworkind, ” “, ’ ”, Fritz, K Kim, Angela Wijaya, Fritz Coffee, Ben Hamilton, Anson Smart, “ It’s Organizations: Budapest Cafe, CNN, Portland State University, Melrose, Rupertinum, Salzburg's Museum of Modern Art, Kingston, Fritz Coffee Company, Coffee House, Genovese Coffee, Coffee Locations: Budapest, Chengdu, China, Odessa, Ukraine, Hanoi, Vietnam, Milan, Italy, Taipei, Taiwan, Montréal, Canada, Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City, Central Highlands, Kyiv, Ukraine's, Hong Kong, Forme, Beirut, Lebanon, Almaty, Kazakhstan, Salzburg, Austria, 220GRAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Caffettiera, Montreal, Asia, Seoul, South Korea, Belfast, Los Angeles, California, Sydney, Australia

☆ Starbucks customers can now earn
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Starbucks customers who use a Bank of America card will now get additional cash back for their purchases as part of a new partnership between the two companies. The expanded rewards are in addition to the existing cash back and stars that both companies already offer to customers. Expanding Starbucks Rewards gives the chain access to customers’ data and ordering habits, which in turn helps the company target members with deals, a stated goal for the company. In 2022, Starbucks partnered with Delta Air Lines to give bonus SkyMiles to registered customers. Starbucks members typically spend more money on each purchase compared to non-members.

Persons: cardholders, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, of America, Bank of America, Starbucks, Bank, America’s, Delta Air Lines Locations: New York

☆ Celebrities are paid a shocking amount for 30-second Super Bowl ads
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Elizabeth Wagmeister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Los Angeles CNN —After Ben Affleck appeared as a Dunkin’ drive-thru worker in a Super Bowl commercial last year, the breakfast chain’s sales exploded. “They sold more donuts the next day than any other day in their history,” an individual close to the Dunkin’ Super Bowl campaign told CNN. Affleck was paid close to $10 million dollars for last year’s Dunkin’ Super Bowl commercial, three sources with knowledge of the partnership told CNN. It’s rare for someone that you think of as a true movie star to be paid less than a million.”Most Super Bowl shoots are usually one to two days, the agent added. Even though we’ve got over 30 celebrities in the Super Bowl this year, we had over 70 offers.

Persons: Ben Affleck, Dunkin, “, Affleck, ” Scott Murphy, Dunkin ’, Affleck’s Dunkin, Matt Damon, Larry David, Sam Bankman, David, Michael Lewis, Jennifer Aniston, ”, David Schwimmer, Uber, Chris Pratt, Pringles, Jason Momoa, Martin Scorsese, Tim Curtis, Peter DeLuca, Zach Braff, Donald Faison, John Travolta, Jennifer Beals, Tina Fey, John Cena, Usher, it’s, we’ve, Curtis, ” Curtis, “ You’ve, —, Aniston, Schwimmer, Jelly Roll, David Beckham Organizations: Los Angeles CNN, Bowl, “, CNN, Boston, Equity, Eastern Congo Initiative, Artists Equity, Super, Hollywood, WME, Mobile, Super Bowl, BMW, CBS Locations: Hollywood, Victoria

☆ Subway franchisees are underwhelmed by its new $6,000 slicers
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Last year, Subway paid to install $6,000 slicers at the chain’s 20,000 US locations in response to its rivals serving freshly sliced meat. The results, so far, have been a “mixed bag,” according to Bill Mathis, the chairman of the North American Association of Subway Franchisees (NAASF), which represents as many as half of Subway locations on the continent. Franchisee’s flaring tensionsThe candor expressed by Mathis isn’t the first time franchisees have expressed their frustration with Subway. Subway, a privately held company, highlights praise from some franchisees during its periodic financial releases. In 2022, a release featured a quote from Donna Curry, a Subway franchisee that owns about 65 locations.

Persons: Bill Mathis, ” Mathis, “, Mathis, he’s, ”, there’s, it’s, you’re, Mathis isn’t, Elisabeth DeLuca, Donna Curry, John Chidsey Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Subway, North American Association of Subway, Restaurant Business, CNN Locations: New York, NAASF

☆ Applebee’s is offering a subscription pass for your date nights
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Applebee’s will offer a subscription date night pass for $200, beginning on Monday. The pass will cover roughly a year of weekly date nights, according to the company. Starting February 1 — about two weeks before Valentine’s Day — and ending on January 31, 2025, the pass is valid 52 times. That can cover two servings of all-you-can-eat boneless wings, riblets and shrimp – but the cost of margaritas will have to come out of your own pocket. The pass can be used for online orders, but cannot be used through third-party delivery orders — such as Doordash and Postmates.

Persons: New York CNN —, Applebee’s, Nathaniel Meyersohn Organizations: New, New York CNN, Valentine’s Locations: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida, Ohio, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas

☆ Subway is adding something big to its menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The permanent sides, called Subway Sidekicks, will be available across the US beginning January 22. Sidekicks marks a whole new menu category for Subway, best known for their sandwiches. The additions come from customers demanding more from the menu, according to Douglas Fry, Subway’s North America president. Technomic data shows that Subway also lags in sales for sides and snacks compared to its competitors. Yearly sales at Subway US restaurants are still much lower compared to its sandwich-making rivals.

Persons: Auntie Anne’s, Douglas Fry, “, we’ve, ” Fry, Fry, ”, David Henkes, ” Henkes, doesn’t, Jimmy John’s, Roark Organizations: New, New York CNN, Subway, North America, CNN, “, Sidekicks, US Subway, QSR Magazine, Jersey, Roark Capital Locations: New York, North America

☆ Panera hit with another wrongful death suit over caffeinated lemonade
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A loyal Panera customer, he started regularly ordering “charged lemonade” in late September, according to the suit. The complaint resembles another wrongful death suit filed earlier this year by the parents of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old woman who died in September 2022 after drinking Panera’s charged lemonade. “Panera Charged Lemonade is a juice beverage marketed to children and adults alike,” the suit claims. Katz, who died last year, may have believed the caffeinated drink was regular lemonade, her parents alleged in the suit they filed against Panera. Now, a 30-ounce charged Panera drink has no more than 237 milligrams of caffeine, according to Panera’s site.

Persons: New York CNN —, Dennis Brown, Brown, Sarah Katz, Katz, Panera, “, Brown’s, Kline, Specter, ” Panera, — CNN’s Eva Rothenberg Organizations: New, New York CNN, ”, CNN, Food and Drug Administration Locations: New York

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