Our customers care about where their food comes from,” insisted Nick Hindle, the company’s vice-president for communications from London. “People want to eat British food. They think it is supporting the British economy and they trust the quality.” But there’s one staple on the menu at McDonald’s that is not mentioned in any of the blurbs, that fails to feature in any of the media spin, and that undermines the whole PR exercise: chicken. The reason? Because 99% of it comes from abroad. Some 60% of the chicken breast meat used in the fast food chain’s sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads and the copyrighted Chicken McNuggets are imported from Brazil. About 30% is sourced from elsewhere in Europe, including Holland and France, and 9% is from Thailand.

 So in all of Friday’s “countryside to counter” tour, not a single chicken was on display, dead or alive. That was odd, given that up to half the meat eaten in branches of McDonald’s these days is chicken – said to be equivalent to 30 million birds a year.

RONALD McDonald is not retiring, McDonald's Chief Executive Jim Skinner said at the fast food giant's annual meeting in Chicago after recent calls for the mascot to be canned because he markets unhealthy food to children, The Chicago Tribune reported.

"Ronald McDonald is not retiring," Mr Skinner said, adding, "He is a force for good...he does not hawk food."

His comments were met with applause from shareholders.

Corporate Accountability International, which describes itself as a corporate abuse watchdog has called for McDonald's to retire Ronald.

Chipotle Mexican Grill /quotes/comstock/13*!cmg/quotes/nls/cmg (CMG 136.92, +8.09, +6.28%) today opened its first European restaurant in London located at 114-116 Charing Cross Road. The company, which operates nearly 1,000 restaurants in the United States, is also looking for additional sites in London and exploring other European markets including Paris and select cities in Germany.

"We think the prospects are very good for Chipotle in London and around Europe," said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-chief executive officer of Chipotle. "The food culture in Europe is based on local, sustainable and artisanal foods, which are all core values of Chipotle and we have been instrumental in bringing this kind of thinking to fast food in the U.S. We call it 'Food with Integrity' and it is one of the ways we are changing the way people think about and eat fast food."

Domino's launch subs NATIONWIDE 

LAUNCH: 7th June and include the following fillings -
Cheese Steak Melt, Meatball Sub, Vegetarian Supreme, New Yorker,
Breakfast Sub and Nuclear Sub.

 More to follow

The celebrity television chef criticised gastropubs and said they could learn a lot from the world’s largest chain of hamburger restaurants.

“McDonald’s in the UK is very different compared to the US model – the quality of beef, they only sell free-range eggs, they only sell organic milk, their ethics and recycling is being improved and improved,” Oliver said.

Jade Kindar-Martin will create history at Wembley Stadium on Saturday when he becomes the first person to walk across the width of the world famous venue - but he will be doing it at a height of more than 150 feet on a wire no wider than that width of your finger!
 
As part of the pre-match show at the Saracens v Harlequins Guinness Premiership clash, the daredevil performer will walk the 500 feet across the roof of the world famous venue on a wire just 16mm thick – while also delivering a pizza in full Domino’s uniform!
 
The sky walk, sponsored by Domino’s Pizza, is yet another first for Saracens at the iconic venue which has already hosted matches against Northampton Saints, South Africa and Worcester Warriors this season in front of club record crowds.
 
Kindar-Martin is no stranger to creating history having sky walked at some of the most unique spots around the world. He set a Guinness World Record when he walked 1,500 feet across the River Thames and he topped that with a 1km walk across the Han River in Seoul to set another world record.
 
The Sky Walk is just a small part of the pre-match show at Wembley on Saturday which includes performances from 90s pop sensations Right Said Fred, the hit West End play WarHorse, circus acts and there will also be 10,000 knights at the stadium.
 
Tickets are on sale now priced £10 for adults and £5 for U16s and are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0844 847 2482.
 
-Ends-

Fings were not lickin' good for KFC in their bid to sell fried chicken to Islamic customers in Britain, the News of the World reported Sunday.

The fast food chain was being threatened with a boycott by both Muslims and non-Muslims.
It hoped to woo the Islamic market by opening 86 trial outlets selling halal-only meat, slaughtered under strict religious guidelines.

The final ignominy has befallen the plucky/wildly over-leveraged island nation. Pizza Hut have announced that they're closing two of their three Reykjavik restaurants. McDonald's closed theirs earlier this year. Both companies blamed the collapse of the Icelandic economy.In 2008 the nation's currency and three of its largest banks collapsed. Since then unemployment has risen, and so have foreclosures. Which means that people have no money, and that importing things — even the crappy ingredients for fast food — as the Icelandic Krona is worth less, has become very expensive.

Subway hopes some people will eat breakfast and order lunch at the same time, since the regular menu also will be available in the morning. Based on test market results, a few may even start their days with meatball marinara subs and other lunchtime items, company officials said.
"It's an extension of what we've been doing all along, which is providing sandwiches," said Les Winograd, a spokesman for the Connecticut-based company. "The breakfast day part is one of the areas where we felt we could do a better job."

BERLIN — Forget about bratwurst, currywurst and other kinds of sausages — doner kebab, or shawarma, has overtaken traditional German fast food as the country's favorite snack on the go.

First brought to Berlin by Turkish immigrants in the 1970s, the grilled meat snack that comes wrapped in a pita bread with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions and different dressings, is now being sold everywhere in Germany from the Baltic Sea to the Bavarian Alps.

The U.S. military has long had the Taliban in its cross hairs, but it's recently set its sights on another target in Afghanistan - the Whopper.

Fast food joints like Burger King, Pizza Hut and T.G.I. Friday's have given soldiers at military bases throughout the country a taste of home during their combat tours. But those days are numbered, according to a Reuters report.

"This is a war zone -- not an amusement park," Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Hall blogged earlier this year.

"Supplying nonessential luxuries to big bases like Bagram and Kandahar makes it harder to get essential items to combat outposts and forward operating bases, where troops who are in the fight each day need."

£250,000 up for the grabs in the Saracens Domino’s Challenge
One lucky fan at the Saracens vs. Harlequins match at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 17th April will have a chance to win £250,000 during half-time.
Stuart Tinner famously won £250,000 during the interval when Saracens played at Wembley last November.
In the Domino’s Challenge, one spectator - selected at random from the crowd - will have as many place-kicks as possible in 30 seconds to kick the ball through a circular target within a giant Domino’s pizza box suspended between the posts.
Tickets from £5 are available at www.ticketmaster.co.uk <https://mail-svr01.saracens.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk>  or by calling 0844 847 2482.

Fast food joints are scrambling to find alternate sources for one of America's favorite sandwich toppings after a winter freeze took a huge bite out of Florida's tomato harvest. Due to unusually cold winter weather, 60% to 70% of Florida's tomato crop was destroyed, said Terence McElroy, a spokesman at the Florida Department of Agriculture. And because the sunshine state produces about 75% of U.S. tomatoes, prices across the country have spiked.

The Sunday Telegraph has established that chicken sold in chains including McDonald's, Subway and Kentucky Fried Chicken is often reared and slaughtered thousands of miles away and then shipped frozen to the UK in container ships.

There is no obligation on the fast food chains to admit to the country of origin on menus and boards, despite growing pressure to come clean.

Subway, which has 1,300 outlets in the UK – 100 more than McDonald's - has admitted sourcing its chicken from five different countries: Thailand, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. 

 McDonald's states on its website that all the beef in its burgers is sourced from the UK or Ireland, but neglects to mention that the chicken in Chicken McNuggets and other meals comes from not only the UK and Europe but also Brazil and Thailand. In all, McDonald's uses 14 million chickens a year in its UK outlets.

Last month, following an investigation by this newspaper, the sandwich chain Pret a Manger was forced to change its packaging, replacing the word 'fresh' on labels with 'good' in its description of ingredients.

Pret has admitted that all its chicken is sourced from Brazil although it is now looking to switch to a British supplier of free-range chicken.

Nina Arnott, a KFC spokesperson, said: "The majority (59%) of our chicken, including all of our signature Original Recipe chicken on the bone, comes from major suppliers in the UK, and all of our Original Recipe chicken is delivered fresh, not frozen, to our stores.

With the media really going to town with regards to soaring obesity rates in both adults and children, Scotland is set to introduce a number of measures, to try and tackle the problem at one of the major sources, junk food culture.

The fact of the matter is, the number of obese people in Scotland alone, is set to double by as soon as 2030. There will be 12m obese adults by 2010 and 1 in 4 children are already obese before school age. These are the facts and with obesity costing us a nation, £3 billion pounds yearly, it is definitely time that something was done.

The measures

Fast food venders will receive a blanket ban, preventing them from trading anywhere near schools. They will also need to curb portion sizes, as will restaurants.

The Public Health Minister, Shona Robison believes that fast food retailers should also limit the amount of sugar and salt that they put into food and to display the amount of calories present in every meal.

Criticism

The plan has been met with a great deal of criticism from people who believe that the move is ‘unenforceable nonsense’.

David Mcguire, the CEO of the Glasgow Resteraunters’ Association said it would simply place too many limitations on our decisions to dine out. We at WeightWorld believe that there is some substance the move. It would be good for raising awareness about the importance of a balanced diet although simply putting the number of calories alongside meals is not enough. People need to be educated about the dangers of excessive calorie levels.

We can help to prevent obesity through basic lifestyle choices. Our diet and exercise levels are key to staying healthy.

A fast food delivery man has been held at knife-point and robbed of his car in the Barmulloch area of Glasgow.

It is very important that all food businesses obey the law and supply food that is safe to eat. Consumers in certain areas can already see how well a food business complies with food hygiene regulations through Scores on the Doors schemes run by their local authority.

The primary purpose of these Scores on the Doors schemes is to allow consumers to make informed choices about the places in which they eat out and from which they purchase food, and, through this, to encourage businesses to improve hygiene standards.

Local authority enforcement officers are responsible for inspecting food businesses to ensure that they meet the legal requirements on food hygiene. Under Scores on the Doors schemes, each food outlet is given a hygiene rating or hygiene score that reflects the inspection findings and may display this in their premises where consumers can see it. Scores are also available via websites where consumers can see the scores for all the businesses in the local area.

At the moment, more than 200 local authorities across the UK have Scores on the Doors schemes in place. These schemes vary in their design and the way that they are operated so the Agency is working towards a national approach to avoid further proliferation of different arrangements in different areas, and so ensure consistency for consumers and clarity for businesses.

Following a public consultation in the summer of 2008, the FSA Board agreed that a six-tier national scores on the doors scheme should be established in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as the majority of schemes already operating in these countries are based on this design. A two-tier scheme will continue in Scotland in line with the prevailing views of stakeholders there.

A UK-wide Steering Group, with local authority, industry and consumer representation, has been established to oversee development of the six-tier national scheme and to ensure commonality of approach with the two-tier scheme continuing in Scotland.

After one of the coldest British winters in living memory, Domino’s is this month putting a bit of spice back into our lives with the launch of its hottest pizza yet – Meltdown-The Revenge.

 Set to tingle the taste buds of those who are brave enough to take on this fiery pizza, the new addition to the Domino’s menu is covered in an array of mouth and eye watering toppings. With five different types of heat in the form of chilli cheese slices, sweet chilli peppers, jalapeños, bird’s-eye chilli peppers and American style mustard, as well as ground beef, meatballs and mozzarella, Meltdown-The Revenge has the power to drive even the toughest pizza-eater to tears.

Domino’s Pizza UK & IRL plc has announced another exceptional set of results with like-for-like sales growth of 8.4% across 501 mature stores, an increase in system sales of 16.0% to £406.9m and a record 55 new store openings.

Chris Moore, CEO, said: “We continue to succeed, even in the current harsh economic conditions, because of our unrelenting 

focus on the quality of our pizzas, intense devotion to service and by marketing to our customers when and where they want to order. 

It is this passion that has delivered profit growth of 27.8% to £29.9m (2008: £23.4m) and that will continue to drive our business in years to come.

REF: Jack Swaysland, UK Managing Director

Leading pizza delivery operator Papa John’s has announced that Operations Director Jack Swaysland will be promoted to the role of UK Managing Director.

The move follows the announcement that current MD Ian Saunders has left the company to take up a leading role within a globally renowned brand.

Jack has headed up Papa John’s operations over the last three years, helping the company overhaul its product range to enhance its premium market positioning, implement a 100 per cent fresh dough policy and improve all aspects of customer service.

This role has seen him become a key interface between the company and its franchise community, and Papa John’s President of Global Operations Bill Mitchell believes he is a natural successor to Mr Saunders.

He said: “Ian and Jack joined the company at similar times and have worked very closely together during a very successful period in the UK.

“Ian has overseen a huge transformation in the business, which is highlighted by the fact that the business has doubled in size and shown 16 consecutive quarters of growth - a phenomenal result during some very difficult times.

“The product has become recognised as market leading, the infrastructure is better than ever with the announcement of our new Quality Control Centre and Dough Plant, and the franchisee pipeline is very healthy.

“Papa John’s UK is in great health with a hugely exciting future, and Ian leaves with our very best wishes and thanks for the part he has played in that.

“We believe that continuity is absolutely the key to maintaining this success and that is why Papa John’s is delighted to promote Jack to the position of managing director.

“He has become industry renowned as an operations guru and already has the respect and attention of our franchisees, who have reaped the rewards of his keen attention to detail on the pizza eating experience.”

ENDS

Leading UK Pizza Delivery and Takeaway chain Papa John’s Pizza has achieved two year like-for-like sales growth of almost 20 per cent after a reality TV powered fourth quarter helped cap off a record 2009.

The company, which was founded in the USA in 1984, achieved an 8.6 per cent increase in like-for-like sales in Q4. This is the 16^th consecutive quarter of comparative sales growth and helped Papa John’s end the year in 9.8 per cent growth.

The fourth quarter results follow a number of record weekends for Papa John’s, which has benefited from the ‘big weekend in’ culture fuelled by X-Factor and Strictly Come Dancing. This culminated in the company’s best ever Saturday sales on the weekend of the X Factor final.

The ‘big weekend in’ also appears to have affected ordering patterns, with online purchases making up 33 per cent of total deliveries as people use their additional time at home to peruse the site and find the products and deals that best suit them.

Papa John’s success in 2009 is evident in the fact that the company opened a record 24 franchised stores across the UK. The pizza experts are hoping to build on that success by opening 40 stores in 2010 so that Papa John’s UK and Ireland will have over 180 stores by the end of 2010.

The company’s overall performance has also been recognised by industry body the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association, who named Papa John’s as the Delivery Chain of the Year for the second consecutive year ahead of shortlisted rivals Domino’s and Pizza Hut.

As well as aiming to open another 40 stores this year, Papa John’s has other significant expansion plans. A new Quality Control Centre where Papa John’s 100% fresh dough will be produced is due to open in Milton Keynes in the Spring, following a £5m investment.

Managing Director’s comment:

UK MD Ian Saunders

We are delighted to have finished 2009 on such a strong note after building a fantastic platform for success in the early part of the year. 

Although the revised scheduling of popular reality television programmes such as Strictly and X Factor to encompass more of the weekend played a significant part in our outstanding sales figures in the fourth quarter of 2009, we firmly believe it is Papa John’s commitment to quality that has put us in a position of trust with these new customers.

We have continued to invest very heavily in all areas of the service we offer to customers, right through from the very latest website technology to the opening of new stores.

Papa John’s has also spent more on marketing in 2009 than ever before, because we believe that once customers are aware of our product and try it for themselves – they will become fans of our brand.

That has seen us carry out sustained TV and radio campaigns for the first time, as well as stepping up our presence in the printed media – both nationally and locally.

Another investment success story of late 2009 was the launch of our mobile web ordering service. We were delighted to become the UK’s first pizza chain to offer our customers the option of using their mobile phones to access all the functionality of our website. The significant percentage of purchases made online also proves that Papa John’s is moving apace with modern technology and making the ordering process even easier for our customers.

And this strategy will continue. We look forward to opening 40 stores in 2010, allowing even more people to hear about Papa John’s and try our exceptional pizzas. When it opens later this year, our new state-of-the-art dough plant will ensure that we can cater for our ever increasing production needs going forward.  

 ENDS

Three illegal workers found in fast food outlets in Hertfordshire have been deported.

The men, two 24-year-olds from India and a 22-year-old from Pakistan, had all overstayed their visas and were working in McDonald's restaurants.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) arrested the Indian workers in Howard's Gate, Welwyn Garden City and the 22-year-old at Monkwood Retail Park, Stevenage.

The men left the country on Saturday, a UKBA spokesman said.

Owner was 'concerned'

The shops' franchisee, Mike Ghazarian, contacted UKBA worried that the workers had used false documents to gain employment.

Chief immigration officer Jon Greenbank said: "Mike Ghazarian did just what a responsible employer should do.

"Concerned that members of his staff had used counterfeit documents to gain employment he came straight to us and as a result four people who had no permission to be in the UK have been brought to book."

Unfortunately, it was more of the same for Burger King (BKC) in the last quarter: Though the fast-food chain reported earnings per share of 37 cents -- above the Thomson Reuters estimate of 34 cents per share -- the company's same-store sales declined 2%, their third consecutive quarterly decline. A year ago, the company earned 33 cents per share.

 In its report, Burger King termed the the last quarter "a challenging operating and consumer environment." Was it ever: The most telling statistic in the earnings report was the 3.3% same-store sales decline in its U.S./Canada market.

The operator of KFC and Pizza Hut took a big bite out of the Chinese fast-food market in 2009, opening hundreds of new restaurants and helping the company’s bottom line.

After the close of trading on Wednesday, Yum Brands ( YUM - news - people ) reported fourth-quarter net income of $216 million, or 45 cents per share, up from $204 million, or 43 cents per share in the same period a year prior. Sales for the quarter were roughly flat, falling 1% year-over-year to $3.37 billion.

A Pizza Hut outlet west of Brisbane has voluntarily closed its doors after a cockroach was found in a pizza base served to a customer.

Brand owners Yum! Restaurants International closed the franchised store at Ipswich on Tuesday after a customer found a dead cockroach baked into the base of their pizza on Saturday night. The customer made a complaint to the local council.

Pizza eaters — which is to say, the entire U.S. population — were recently treated to a strangely satisfying spectacle when Domino's admitted, once and for all, that they actually made really crappy pizza. To atone for their sins, they announced, they redesigned their pies "from the crust up." The not-to-be-missed mea culpa video features ashen-faced executives responding like Soviet show-trial prisoners to customer complaints, which run along the lines of "totally void of flavor," "tastes like cardboard" and "the worst excuse for pizza I ever had."

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- McDonald's Corp. (MCD) fourth-quarter earnings rose 23% as the restaurant giant increased same-store sales across all regions despite a global downturn, offering hope for the struggling fast-food industry.

McDonald's also reported stronger results in December, with same-store sales rising 1% in the U.S. after two months of decline, and said trends continued to improve in January, with customers responding favorably to the chain's mix of value and premium items.

Shares of the world's largest restaurant chain rose 1.5% in recent trading to $64.16, and helped lift other fast-food players like Burger King Holdings Inc. ( BKC), up 2.5% to $18.20, and Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (WEN), up 3% to $4.78.

A spokesperson for Domino’s Pizza UK and Ireland said: “The US business was built on fast service and made history back in the sixties with its guaranteed delivery times. Quality wasn’t judged to be as important and the company grew extremely quickly on what was then a very successful formula.

“However, later on, this left the door open for newcomers to the pizza industry who adopted a ‘quality first, service second’ approach. Product quality increasingly became an issue and Domino’s in the US has now decided to tackle this head on, hence the Domino’s Turnaround Campaign and a completely new recipe in terms of dough, cheese and sauce.

“In the UK, the flavour of the pizza has always been of paramount importance and we have fantastic dough, a great tasting pizza sauce and excellent 100% mozzarella cheese. We know our customers love the taste of Domino’s in the UK and Ireland and we’d like to reassure them that we won’t be making any radical changes to our delicious pizzas.”

-Ends-

A North Lanarkshire chippy today scooped the title of best fish and chip shop in the UK, beating off competition from thousands of rivals.

Atlantic Fast Food in Coatbridge was awarded the accolade in the annual competition organised by the industry body Seafish.

The winning chippy is owned by Gianni Fionda – a Scot with Italian heritage – whose parents ran fish and chip shops for many years. He was crowned champion after a rigorous judging process, which included a customer vote, taste tests, two rounds of shop inspections and a presentation to a panel of industry experts.

Shops were judged not only on the quality of their fish and chips but also on responsible seafood sourcing, customer service, food hygiene, staff training and community spirit.

Media Relations Contacts:

Tim McIntyre                                        Chris Brandon

734-930-3563                                                734-323-7932

tim.mcintyre@dominos.com                chris.brandon@dominos.com

Domino’s reinventing its pizza with seasoned crust, robust sauce, shredded cheese

ANN ARBOR, Mich., December 14, 2009 – Approaching 50 years in the business, Domino’s Pizza (NYSE: DPZ), the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, announced today it is changing its core pizza recipe. With a new garlic seasoned crust, robust sauce and more flavorful shredded cheese, Domino’s new hand-tossed pizza has been reinvented to deliver more taste -- and Domino’s is backing it up with a guarantee.

Rolling out over the course of the next few weeks, Domino’s new pizza will be in all U.S. stores beginning December 27. 

“2010 will be our 50^th year in the business, and we are kicking it off with the most aggressive promotion in the history of our company,” said Domino’s Chairman and CEO David A. Brandon. “This is the biggest product introduction we’ve done since…well, pizza.”

The primary changes include:

·         Crust – A garlic seasoned crust with parsley baked to a golden brown

·         Sauce – Sweeter, bolder tomato sauce with a medley of herbs and a red pepper kick

·         Cheese – Shredded cheese made with 100% real mozzarella and flavored with just a hint of provolone

Reinventing the Domino’s Brand

 “The fact is, we love our pizza, but as times change, so do consumer tastes,” said Russell Weiner, Domino’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We’ve created a pizza to reflect what consumers are looking for. We’re not talking about a slightly-altered version of our previous pizza. It’s a completely new pizza reinvented from the crust up, and we are proud of it. To us, it’s as big as McDonald’s changing the Big Mac, or Burger King reinventing the Whopper. We spent the last 18 months reinventing the brand in anticipation of our 50^th anniversary.”

Weiner noted that more than 80 percent of the Domino’s menu is new since 2008. Added to the menu since that time:

·         Oven Baked Sandwiches, available in eight delicious varieties

·         Domino’s American Legends, a line of premium specialty pizzas

·         Breadbowl Pasta, five varieties of pasta baked into a seasoned bread bowl

·         Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes, oven-baked chocolate cakes, crunchy on the outside, with warm flowing chocolate fudge inside

“The cherry on the top of all this recent innovation is our newly-inspired pizza,” said Weiner. “Our inspiration came from the thousands of direct consumer feedback messages on several social media channels.

“Over a two-year period, we tested dozens of cheeses, 15 sauces, and nearly 50 crust seasoning blends and researched every possible combination with customers who order from us all the time and customers who haven’t tried us in years. Our extensive research showed that the new pizza is significantly improved over our previous pizza.”

Great Value Offer with Ads Featuring Real Domino’s Team Members

Domino’s Pizza will be marketing this new pizza aggressively in the next several weeks with advertising on many top-rated entertainment and sports programs, sampling opportunities throughout the country and a strong web-based presence, Weiner said.

The special introductory offer will be 2 medium, 2 topping pizzas for $5.99 each.

Advertising produced by creative agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky will include documentary-style anecdotes featuring real Domino’s Pizza team members. The spots, filmed at Domino’s World Resource Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan will show how the company took on the challenge of changing the negative perceptions of some consumers nationwide.

Putting Our Money Where Your Mouth Is

“We’ve long been known for service,” said Weiner. “With this new pizza we are convinced Domino’s can be known for both quality and service. That’s why we’re introducing this new pizza with a guarantee: If you are not completely satisfied with your Domino’s pizza experience, we will make it right or refund your money.

“The entire company has been involved in this,” Weiner continued. “From our CEO to our franchisees; from our supply chain division to our supply partners; from our product development team to our marketers -- everyone has had a hand in reinventing our pizza.”

Media: High resolution logos, photographs and b-roll clips are available at http://media.dominos.com

About Domino’s Pizza^®

Founded in 1960, Domino's Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery. Domino’s is listed on the NYSE under the symbol “DPZ.” Through its primarily locally-owned and operated franchised system, Domino’s operates a network of 8,886 franchised and Company-owned stores in the United States and 60 international markets. The Domino's Pizza^® brand, named a Megabrand by Advertising Age magazine, had global retail sales of over $5.5 billion in 2008, comprised of nearly $3.1 billion domestically and over $2.4 billion internationally. During the third quarter of 2009, the Domino’s Pizza^® brand had global retail sales of over $1.2 billion, comprised of over $672 million domestically and over $570 million internationally. Domino's Pizza was named “Chain of the Year” by Pizza Today magazine, the leading publication of the pizza industry. In 2009 Domino’s ranked number one in customer satisfaction in a survey of consumers of the U.S. largest limited service restaurants, according to the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). 

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###

19 January 2010 - The delivery of fast food from stores to home will continue to grow as consumers seek convenience and value. The US leader in the pizza delivery segment with about 18% share, Domino's Pizza, believes that its economic model, based solely on delivery and carry-out, continues to perform well despite the consumer's desire to lower his food budget.

Last year, Domino's introduced the 'Pizza Tracker', an online application that allows customers to view the status of their order in a simulated "real time" progress bar. This technological innovation has helped towards satisfying the consumer's need for convenience.

Simon Wallis to join Domino’s Pizza Group

Domino’s Pizza is delighted to announce that Simon Wallis, senior director of marketing UK and EMEA at Papa John’s, will be joining the Company in June this year as sales and marketing director. Simon brings a wealth of experience with him from Papa John’s and from his previous roles at Pizza Hut and KFC.

Chief Executive Chris Moore said: “We are delighted that Simon will be joining the team. Robin Auld has done a fantastic job since he joined Domino’s in 2004, but after six years, he has expressed a desire to pursue new challenges during 2010. With this in mind, we have decided to strengthen our marketing team and Simon’s appointment is great news going forward. We are confident that Simon is the right person to drive our marketing forwards as the Company continues to grow.”

Wendy’s, the popular fast-food chain, is exiting Japan after 30 years in the world’s second-largest economy.

The Atlanta-based franchiser Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc., the third-largest U.S. fast-food restaurant company, was unable to renew a franchise agreement with Tokyo-based Zensho.

By the end of 2009, 71 of the outlets will close down in Japan, the company said. The majority of the stores were located around Tokyo.

This decade has been a Golden Age for the fast-food industry, even though the new century hasn't been kind: The Nacho Cheese/Beefy Goodness/Deep-Fry Vat Complex has been blamed for America's obesity.

The industry has been forced to display calorie counts on menus and switch to trans-fat oils. Books have been written revealing the unseemly side of the quick-eats business.

Yet the fast-food industry has thrived, heralding a Renaissance of budget-friendly cuisine engineered to be portable, comforting and tasty. It's nosh scientifically designed to please your brain's pleasure centers.
But fast food is so much more than just empty calories, heart disease and obscene mash-ups of salt, sauce and Soylent meat. Our country's huts, shacks and drive-thrus represent a slice of the American Dream -- a decadent indulgence and convenient luxury that the entire socioeconomic strata can enjoy.

Walk through one of these establishments at noon near Wall Street in New York City and you'll find college students, bike messengers and Masters of the Universe soaking up the grease. It unites us as one big, fat family.

Over these surprisingly short years, we've seen the boundaries pushed, and trends tested. We've snacked on toasted subs, candy-laced milkshakes and piles upon piles of patties -- and those are just the obvious examples. Some innovations soared and some crashed.

Here are eight soon-to-be legendary examples. ...

IS THIS COMING TO THE UK??

In the USA, Domino's is switching its pizza recipe for the first time since the company started 50 years ago.

Domino's officials say, “We're not talking about a slightly altered version of our previous pizza. It's a completely new pizza reinvented from the crust up, and we are proud of it.”

Gee, it's not like Domino's old pizzas weren't selling. Domino's is the world's second-biggest pizza chain with 8,886 restaurants in the U.S. and 60 more countries. Last year, Domino's delivered 400 million pizzas. Its thin crust pizzas were my favorite because they're really, really thin, and I could eat the whole pie without feeling stuffed.

The last time a major food company ditched its wildly successful formula for something completely different was New Coke in 1985.

OK, bad example.

After testing “dozens of cheeses, 15 sauces and nearly 50 crust seasoning blends,” Domino's has changed its pizza three ways. The crust is now seasoned with garlic and parsley. It's pretty spicy, too — definitely not date food. The bad news is, people won't toss their crust back in the pizza box for vultures like me. If you've ever ordered garlic bread sticks from Domino's, the crust now tastes like that. I'm good with the new and improved.

Domino's says it now uses “shredded cheese made with 100 percent real mozzarella and flavored with just a hint of provolone.” Some pizza critics (see what I started?) think this means that Domino's wasn't using “real” mozzarella before. No, Domino's always used real mozzarella. It's just spiked with a little provolone now. Frankly, I don't taste the difference.

Domino's new sauce is “sweeter, bolder … with a medley of herbs and a red pepper kick.” OK, it's a little sweeter, and I do notice a peppery jolt. The flavor is a bit more grown-up. I was OK before, and I'm still OK with the sauce. It is different, though.

Pizza delivery expert, Domino’s Pizza has officially opened its 600^th store. Located in High Holborn, the 600th store is a significant milestone in Domino’s ongoing expansion plans.

The store was officially opened on Thursday [December 10, 2009] by Chris Moore, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Domino’s Pizza UK & Ireland. Entertainment was provided by Britain’s Got Talent dance sensation Stavros Flatley, who performed in front of the crowd of pizza fans and shoppers gathered outside the store. London Town Crier, Peter Moore, was also on hand to announce the news, plus stilt walkers and magicians took to the streets with company mascot Danny Domino to hand out free pizza.

All Domino’s stores in the UK are owned by franchisees and the owners of the 600^th store are a remarkable story of enterprise, initiative and determination. Amir Zarinabad and Ajaz Mirza now have 13 Domino’s stores in the Domino’s system – all in the London area.  Amir Zarinabad joined the Chalk Farm branch of Domino’s in 1992 as a trainee manager, having just finished at college, and opened his first franchise in 1999. Ajaz Mirza took a part-time job as a driver in 1996, while he was a student. By 2001, the two joined forces and began running stores together. Despite very modest backgrounds, they have continued to expand and now run a business with around 350 employees.

Chris Moore, CEO of Domino’s Pizza, said: “I am absolutely delighted to open our 600^th store, which is a testament to the hard work, dedication and pure passion for great pizza of all our franchisees and their in-store teams. The 600^th store is not only fantastic news for us, but it’s also brilliant for pizza lovers in the Capital – now they can be sure they’re never too far from a Pepperoni Passion!”

The new store is located at 166 High Holborn, London WC1V 6TT.

-Ends-

Local pizza lover, Emma Johnston from Glasgow, has received an early Christmas present, scooping £10,000 as the winner of a national Domino’s Pizza competition.

Emma has just been announced as the winner of the competition to find the next official Britain’s Got Talent pizza. The contest ran as part of Domino’s sponsorship of the top TV show and invited pizza lovers to send in their ideas for a new addition to Domino’s menu. Emma and two other finalists were chosen from the 38,000 entries received and their three pizza ideas put up for the public vote.

Emma’s Mexican Sizzler pizza caught the eye (and stomach!) of the nation with its spicy combination of chicken fajita slices, crunchy tortillas, green peppers, red peppers and jalapenos on Domino’s classic base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% real mozzarella cheese. The Mexican Sizzler beat off a British Breakfast pizza from Newhaven and an Asian Feast from Gateshead to scoop the top spot.

Emma Johnston said: “I am absolutely staggered to have won. It was such a surprise to get the call saying my pizza had been voted the winner – it took a few minutes to sink in and then I was just screaming with excitement! As a student, I’m currently having to work five days a week to pay for my studies and recently had to move back in with my parents to save on rent. The prize money is really going to help me get set up on my own and hopefully have a lovely holiday too. It’s pretty simple but this is going to make me very happy – that and the ultimate accolade of having my pizza sold in Domino’s stores across the UK!”

Surf-themed pasty company Phat Pasty has revealed it has signed five franchise agreements in the North East under the government-backed 'Be Franchising' initiative. The company serves more than 350 business from its Milton Keynes head office through a fleet of VW-camper-style 'Phat Vans', offering freshly baked Cornish pasties, breakfast items and home-made sandwiches and soups.

Each Phat Van includes an oven and fridge which allows pasties to be freshly baked in the van itself every morning. The company is offering its van concept franchise to solo operators, plus existing cafes, coffee shops and bakeries who wish to add a Phat Van.

The number of outlets selling meals-on-the-go has surged during the recession. But a shift to "healthier" eating means fewer McDonald's and more Subways

Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced revenues of $263.9 million for the third quarter of 2009, representing a decrease of 5.7% from revenues of $280.0 million for the comparable period in 2008.

Program Offers Zero Franchise Fee, Reduced Royalty Rate for First Year and Covers Cost of Pizza Ovens for New Restaurants Opened in 2010 Papa John's has made it easier for both new and existing franchisees to expand the 'Better Ingredients, Better Pizza' brand throughout the U.S. with the announcement today of an unprecedented U.S. Development Incentive Program. For qualifying restaurants opened in 2010, this best-in-class program features:

* No franchise fee ($25,000 value);

* Two Middleby-Marshall ovens, which may be purchased by the franchisee for $50 after operating for two years (a range in value of $20,000 - $30,000); and

Ana Idolo may be too young to order her own food, but the 2-year-old knows what she wants. As her father Marco unpacks the Happy Meal he ordered for her at a Barcelona McDonald's, she ignores the chicken nuggets and French fries, and instead holds out her hand in eager anticipation for the best part of the meal: a small plastic statue of the Star Wars character Yoda. "Sometimes I think we just buy these for the toys," says Marco.

Toys in children's food may be as old as Cracker Jack (the caramel-covered popcorn has had "a prize in every box" since 1912), but in Spain, the tradition may soon go the way of liquor commercials on TV and smoking in restaurants. Concerned about rising rates of childhood obesity, the Health Ministry is backing legislation that, if approved, would ban restaurants and food manufacturers from including toys and prizes with their products. It's an initiative sure to make multinational corporations — to say nothing of untold millions of children — unhappy, but one that health experts say is necessary.

A new report released recently unveiled analysis by Perfect Pitch Communications' Elizabeth Conley and Natasha Tobin who based on their experience of observing how freelancers win new business came up with seven animal caricatures that symbolise the inhabitants of the small business jungle.

Which one are you?

A Bear?

A Cat?

A Dog?

An Eagle?

A Fox?

A Pigeon?

A Squirrel?

Pizza delivery experts Domino’s has announced the three finalists in its national competition to find the next official Britain’s Got Talent pizza. The competition is running as part of the company’s sponsorship of the top TV show and will see one lucky pizza lover scoop £10,000 and have their pizza sold in Domino’s stores across the country next year.

To enter the competition, all the public had to do was to submit their idea for a new pizza using any toppings of their choice on Domino’s classic base with vine-ripened tomato sauce and 100% real mozzarella cheese. Entrants also had to give their pizza a catchy name and reasons why they chose their toppings. Domino’s received over 38,000 entries and the three finalists now up for the public vote are:

·         The British Breakfast pizza, designed by Anna Woolgar from Newhaven, with a combination of bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes and potatoes

·         Asian Feast – entered by Delwyn Hughes in Gateshead and featuring Chinese flavoured chicken, hoi sin sauce, sweetcorn, peppers and onion

·         Mexican Sizzler – a spicy suggestion from Emma Johnston in Glasgow, using chicken fajita slices, crunchy tortillas, green peppers, red peppers and jalapenos

To vote for any of the pizzas, log onto www.dominos.co.uk/vote. Each voter will also be entered into a free draw to win one of 25 Domino’s pizza parties, worth £100 each, and be given a voucher code for 20% off when spending £25 or more at Domino’s online. Voting is open until November 29, 2009.

The common perception is that Britain is a nation of fatties whose insatiable appetite for fast food is driving the rapid expansion of chains such as McDonald's and Burger King on the high street. But in terms of outlet numbers, the real growth story is actually with chains perceived to have a healthy eating image.

Among the UK's biggest fast-food chains, Subway grew its number of restaurants by 25.9 per cent to 734 in 2009, Domino's ramped up its outlets by 19.8 per cent to 260, and Eat expanded its estate by 17.8 per cent to 86, according to the Local Data Company's survey of 705 town centres. In the 10 biggest cities, fast-food outlets soared by 8.2 per cent to 1,456 premises, with London, Edinburgh and Glasgow leading the way.

Matthew Hopkinson, a director at the Local Data Company, said these chains had also been helped by the slump in commercial property prices and increased availability of sites during the recession.

"This increase has been massive: if you just look at the charge led by Eat, Pret a Manger, Eat, Domino's and Subway, they have been able to get sites on relatively cheap deals in centres that have high footfall of people looking for food on the go," he said.

From takeaway pizza outlets to purveyors of deep-fried chickens, the recession has proven to be a boon for fast-food operators as more people have turned to cheap and easy food.

At a time when restaurant chains, hit by higher operating costs and lower spending among diners, are scaling back growth plans, fast food companies, emboldened by new custom and lower rent, have expanded their presence on high streets. According to the Local Data Company, which monitors 705 town centres across the UK, the number of fast-food chains in the top 10 UK cities rose 8.2 per cent in the year to October, after a 6.6 per cent increase the previous year.

Central London posted the biggest gain, adding 73 units to bring the number of outlets to 847. It was followed by Manchester and Glasgow, which added 16 and 13 respectively bringing their number of fast-food restaurants to 74 and 94.

But the growing popularity of fast food has not been all bad news for the nation’s waistlines.

Indeed, some of the biggest increases in numbers of stores have been among the more healthy sandwich sellers on the high street, such as Prêt a Manger and Eat, although the largest store expansion has been from Subway, which has increased its stores across all town centres and shopping centres by more than a quarter.

Domino, which operates a franchise business, and KFC were among the traditional fast-food sellers to have also grown store presence although McDonald’s and Burger King have done little or even shrunk their numbers.

When the going gets tough, the tough discount. That has long been a truism in retailing, and the going hasn’t been this tough since the Great Depression.

But hundreds of Burger King franchise owners are drawing a line on a decision by Burger King Holdings Inc. to dictate price discounts. The issue has been brewing for months and finally came to a head in October when the corporation ordered franchisees to sell a $1 double cheeseburger as part of a “Value Menu” promotion.

The company claimed the move would lift sales by as much as 5 percent in the down economy and was a response to similar promotions by rivals McDonald’s and Wendy’s. But franchisees argued that they are losing money on every double cheeseburger they sell.

CHICAGO — Burger King Corp.'s franchisees are taking aim at the fast-food chain's management, complaining to the restaurant's board about a series of decisions they say are "ill-conceived" and put the burger joint's business in "deep trouble."

In a letter to Burger King's board, a group representing hundreds of franchisees blasted management for its $1 double cheeseburger promotion forced on them after they twice voted against it.

They also criticized an earlier corporate decision to take back millions of rebate money distributed to franchise owners from soft drink companies.

Franchise owners operate 90 percent of the company's 12,000 locations, making Burger King one of the nation's most heavily franchised restaurant chains.

While disputes between owners and restaurants aren't unusual, the sheer size of Burger King's franchise base could pose a heady challenge for the chain as the battle continues to brew.

CHICAGO — Burger King franchisees sued the hamburger company this week over its $1 double cheeseburger promotion, saying they're losing money on the deal and the company can't set maximum menu prices.

The National Franchise Association, a group that represents more than 80 percent of Burger King's U.S. franchise owners, said the $1 promotion forces restaurant owners to sell the quarter-pound burger with at least a 10-cent loss.

While costs vary by location, the $1 double cheeseburger typically costs franchisees at least $1.10, said Dan Fitzpatrick, a Burger King franchisee from South Bend, Ind. who is a spokesman for the association. That includes about 55 cents for the cost of the meat, bun, cheese and toppings. The remainder typically covers expenses such as rent, royalties and worker wages.

A WARNING FOR ALL FRANCHISORS?????

Starbucks' Seattle's Best Coffee brand will be in 9,000 Subway stores in the U.S. by the end of this year, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told analysts yesterday, reversing the company's long-held distaste for fast-food eateries, Melissa Allison and Amy Martinez report.

The UK to follow??

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- McDonald's Corp. (MCD) will likely use next Thursday's analyst meeting to highlight strategies to widen its lead in a fast-food industry that's losing customers as unemployment climbs.

Analysts are also looking for details on sales of McDonald's newest products including McCafe specialty coffees and its premium Angus burger, as well as any other new items. An expanded plan to remodel could also be on the table as another sales driver, since refurbished stores tend to attract customers.

At a McDonald’s Corp. test kitchen in an unmarked Illinois warehouse, next year’s menu plan for the U.K. has hit a snag. When the visiting British team adds wrap sandwiches, service slows.

Speed is increasingly the focus, as McDonald’s tries to increase customer satisfaction and gain market share amid an economic slowdown that’s driving people to eat at home. It’s banking on innovations tested at the center, including warming trays that hold 50 percent more burgers and software that streamlines ordering, to shave seconds off food delivery times. 

At Domino’s, all prospective franchisees have to attend  a three and a half week franchisee development programme (FDP) before being allowed to take on a franchise. This comes after candidates have completed a minimum of five shifts in an existing store to ensure they are made of the stuff that makes a good franchisee.

Of those who have a first interview with Domino’s, around two thirds don’t make it past the in-store sessions and other hurdles before getting a second interview – and we wouldn’t want it any other way.  Being a Domino’s franchisee is more than a job – it’s a way of life. And if you want to join the team, you have to be able to actively participate in all in-store roles. Our most successful franchisees are those that can still turn their hand to making a top quality pizza when they need to!

On his first day in Huntington, West Virginia, Jamie Oliver spent the afternoon at Hillbilly Hot Dogs, pitching in to cook its signature 15lb burger. That's 10lb of meat, 5lb of custom-made bun, American cheese, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo. Then he learned how to perfect the Home Wrecker, the establishment's famous 15in, 1lb hot dog (boil first, then grill in butter). For the Home Wrecker Challenge, the dog gets 11 toppings, including chilli sauce, jalapeños, liquid nacho cheese and coleslaw. Finish it in 12 minutes or less and you get a T-shirt.

Pizza Tracker, iPhone app and online promotion

launched to celebrate milestone anniversary

Having set the standard for online ordering in the home food delivery market, Domino’s today [October 26, 2009] celebrates ten years of online ordering in the UK. Rapid growth in internet penetration during that time, coupled with a clear, clean and easy to use online ordering system, has generated online sales for the last full year of �55.9m – and the platform now accounts for over 27% of delivered sales.

To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Domino’s has launched three new initiatives – the Pizza Tracker, an iPhone ordering app and a promotional offer giving customers a 50% discount on all orders over �30, excluding drinks and ice-creams.

The Pizza Tracker has been available in the US since January 2008 and will allow web customers in the UK and Republic of Ireland to see exactly where their pizza is at any time prior to delivery. Customers using the tracker can see a changing display that shows when the order has arrived at the store, when it is in the oven, when it is ready for collection or on the road and when it’s been safely delivered and the driver is back in the store. The tracker takes the angst out of those customers who have to know that their order has been received, cooked and dispatched.

The new iPhone app is accessed via the usual www.dominos.co.uk or www.dominos.ie  and offers a quick and easy way for iPhone users to get their favourite pizzas. It has all the functionality of Domino’s traditional online ordering, including meal deals, and as it is a weblink it come free rather than as a paid for download.

Finally, to celebrate ten years of online ordering in the UK, Domino’s will be offering all UK web customers a 50% discount on all pizzas, side orders and Domino’s desserts over �30 from Monday October 26 to Sunday November 1.

Sales and marketing director Robin Auld said: “Yet again, we are leading the way for technophiles with the Pizza Tracker. Having had online ordering for some 10 years now, we need to offer something new and exciting for our web customers – and the Pizza Tracker is a the ultimate toy for web-based control freaks! At the click of a mouse you can see exactly how near to delivery your pizza is.

“Combined with the new iPhone app and the 50% online discount offer, there is no better time to be ordering a Domino’s pizza through the web than the week of October 26, 2009. If you haven’t already got a high speed PC and wireless broadband – you should be investing today!”

McDonald's maintained solid same-store sales through September, with a 5.1% gain worldwide including a 3.2% jump in the U.S., helping the world's largest restaurant chain report third-quarter profit ahead of expectations.

Mr Mason exists on an extensive array of welfare benefits. He has two full-time helpers to wash him and take him to the toilet. His elaborately-adapted bedroom features an assortment of winches, hoists and motors to help him sit up so he can watch television and play computer games, the only exercise he gets.

It is estimated that he has cost taxpayers around £1 million over the past few years. The last time he left his house in Ipswich, Suffolk, for a hernia operation, it took a fork-lift truck to shift him.

Burger King contractually requires its franchisees to remodel regularly, this particular initiative goes hand-in-hand with a larger trend in fast food. As the recession pushes customers to trade down or go without fast food, chains are desperately fighting to maintain year-to-year sales levels.

Citing Subway's example, food service consultant Dean Dirks puts it this way: "Before the discounted menu, it took 1,000 units at $7 to produce $7,000 in sales. ... Now it takes 1,400 units to produce the same $7,000 in sales. Labor costs go up ... because at key times three people are needed to man the location instead of two. Basically, Subway is adding labor dollars to produce the extra amount in sales." These labor cost increases come out of franchisees' pockets, not from the corporate trough, and it's cost Taco Bell a 50 percent drop in profitability.

 It isn't surprising that transaction and same-store sales are such a priority at corporate headquarters: with stockholders clamoring for consistent recessionary profits, fast-food corporations need to keep stock price high. In the short term, expensive remodelings and cheap food may help drive these sales. But in the long run, many restaurant owners may find themselves having to choose between losing their franchise licenses and losing their businesses.

CHICAGO — Burger King Corp. plans to swap its generic fast-food feel and bland tiles and tabletops for a vibe that's more sit-down than drive-through.

As part of a plan to be revealed Wednesday in Amsterdam, the company will announce a massive effort to overhaul its 12,000 locations worldwide.

The sleek interior includes rotating red flame chandeliers, brilliant TV-screen menus and industrial-inspired corrugated metal and brick walls.

"I'd call it more contemporary, edgy, futuristic," Chairman and CEO John Chidsey told The Associated Press. "It feels so much more like an upscale restaurant."

But that comes with an upscale price: The new look is expected to cost franchisees, who operate 90 percent of Burger King's locations, between $300,000 to $600,000 per restaurant.

Recession Conquerors

IndigoVision (LSE: IND), the digital security specialist, is a popular company on the Fool discussion boards. Its share price leapt in early August when it said profits for the year ended 31 July would be materially ahead of market expectations and it's kept on climbing ever since. Its results on Wednesday should reveal sales up over 40% at around £26m.

The economic downturn has been kind to Domino's Pizza (LSE: DOM). Consequently, the pizza delivery outfit is expected to serve up another slice of good news with its third-quarter numbers on Thursday, as consumers choose to stay in rather than dine out. At the halfway stage, Domino's posted a mouth-watering 25% jump in profits on sales that rose 15%. That said, like-for-like sales only grew 7% compared to 11% a year earlier raising concerns that an over aggressive store opening programme is cannibalising its performance.

Over the last few weeks the price of commodity cheese has spiked rapidly – far more quickly and to a higher level than anyone has been able to forecast.

Since the massive price increases seen 18 months ago, milk prices particularly in Europe have seen a steady decrease, to the extent that in Europe farmers have thrown milk away rather than sell it.  The situation in the UK has not been so dramatic because the milk price has not fallen as rapidly and remains relatively higher than mainland Europe.

The Golden Arches may be tumbling soon. Subway recently declared they will have more locations than McDonald’s (Stock Quote: MCD) by the end of this year. Subway currently has 31,771 shops worldwide, but plans to open up several hundred more and surpass McDonald’s record of 32,158 restaurants.

Subway already owns the record at home, beating out McDonald's for most U.S. locations since 2002. They now have more than 22,000 locations in America. There are 1,500 stores in Wal-Mart locations (Stock Quote: WMT) alone, according to Subway’s public relations office.

KFC, whose new sandwich, the Double Down, features two kinds of cheese, bacon and a questionable sauce with two pieces of fried chicken in place of a bun. KFC claims that the calorie count is only 590, but that seems extremely conservative, especially when you consider that, according to KFC’s own handy nutrition guide, two pieces of KFC’s Original Recipe chicken breast contain 740 calories, 42 grams of fat and 2100 mg of sodium. That doesn’t even take into account the cheese, bacon or sauce. You don’t have to be a math major to figure out that something there doesn’t quite add up. For now, the sandwich is only being test-marketed in Rhode Island and Nebraska, and for the sake of responsible menu choices everywhere, let’s hope it fails. Check out what Willie Geist of ZeitGeist has to say about it in this video. (And look closely at the photo up there. Could it be that eating all that greasy fat and salt affects your spelling?)

Of course, KFC isn’t the only offender when it comes to fast food atrocities. And while it’s worth noting that many restaurants are taking steps to offer healthier options these days, it seems like a drop in Colonel Sanders’ bucket when you consider the competition.

For example, Wendy’s claims it’s “way better than fast food” and touts their salads and baked potatoes as healthier alternatives, but their Triple Burger with Everything and Cheese is a staggering 970 calories. And that’s just the tip of the nutritional nightmare iceberg. How about 60 grams of fat, double what you should consume in a day, and a cankle-inducing 2010 mg of sodium? Feeling the need to undo your pants yet?

If you’re more of a Golden Arches kind of eater, be sure to avoid McDonald's' Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, which will set you back a button-popping 740 calories, and includes 42 grams of fat and 1380 grams of sodium. And if you add a Triple Thick Chocolate Shake, you’re in for another 1160 calories, 27 grams of fat, 168 grams of sugar, and 510 grams of sodium. Want fries with that? Let’s not even go there. The sandwich and shake alone are about the equivalent of a day’s worth of calories and more than twice a days’ worth of fat.

Taco Bell promotes the concept of “Fourth Meal” and reminds its customers that they’re open late. That’s just what you need when you’re bored at night and can’t sleep—a nice assortment of high fat, high sodium, deep-fried menu items to clog your arteries. Their own web site claims that, “At Taco Bell, we believe eating sensibly, combined with appropriate exercise is the best way to achieve a healthy lifestyle.” Really? Then set up a row of treadmills in every location and stop serving things like Volcano Nachos (990 calories, 61 grams of fat, and 1880 mg of sodium).

Got a yen for Panda Express? Their web site boasts that their menu items contain zero grams of trans fat per serving and they don’t add MSG to their food. Well, good for them. But a serving of their wildly popular Orange Chicken still has 400 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 640 mg of sodium. Add a Chicken Egg Roll (200 calories, 12 grams of fat, 390 mg of sodium), and a side of Chow Mein (400 calories, 12 grams of fat, 1060 mg of sodium), and you’re in trouble.

Feeling sick yet? How about Domino’s current promotion, Bread Bowl Pasta with free Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake? If you’ve got the energy to sift more than halfway through their helpful 42-page nutrition guide PDF, you’ll learn that the Chicken Carbonara Bread Bowl Pasta has 740 calories per serving, in addition to 28 grams of fat and 1140 mg of sodium. But that’s not the worst part. The Bread Bowl Pasta serves 2. So if you’re going to down one all by your lonesome, you can double all of those figures. Throw in that Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake and that’s another 357 calories.

Fast food is not about nutrition. It’s about convenience. We eat it because it sounds good. We eat it because it’s quick. We eat it because it's there. We eat it because we like to give ourselves a treat. We eat it because it’s mass-marketed to the point that there is no escape.

As you may be aware there is a legal requirement for every business in the UK under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, to ensure that their fixed wire electrical installations are maintained and checked regularly. There were over 1000 fires caused by electrical causes in 2006/7 (HSE figures) causing permanent business closure, Directors and Duty Holders suffering substantial fines and even fatalities.

It is incumbent upon every business Director or Duty Holder to ensure that their electrical installations are maintained in a safe state. The only way to make sure that this happens is to have your sites inspected and tested at regular intervals.

For members of the Pizza Pasta and Italian Food Association, we have negotiated a 7.5% discount * for our members with Connaught Compliance Electrical Services Ltd.

Connaught Electrical offers a truly service and provides a solution to this legal requirement. Their inspectors are all qualified to the required standards and offer the latest technology for managing reports on line. They also offer national training courses to ensure that your maintenance and electrical staff are fully qualified and competent to manage your electrical installations on site. The company is also able to offer PAT testing for your electrical equipment.

This is obviously an important issue and one that research has demonstrated not all businesses are aware of.

For more information please call Connaught Electrical directly on 01709 360621 visit www.conaughtelectrical.co.uk or see the attached document.   Please quote your membership to ensure you get the discount.

Kind regards

Jim Winship

Director

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association

*on Fixed Wiring Inspection & Testing, Commit to Compliance Programmes and Electrical Condition reports.

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association has agreed to support the ‘Help for Heroes’ (www.helpforheroes.org.uk) charity by organising an industry-wide campaign to raise funds for them next February.   This activity will replace National Pizza Week which normally takes place in the Autumn each year.

A special ‘Pizza for Heroes’ logo, encompassing the formal ‘Help for Heroes’ logo, is being designed and we aim to employ the support of a PR consultancy to drive a massive publicity campaign leading up to – and during – the month.   Point-of-sale graphics will also be available for those requiring them.

This campaign has been agreed with the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity and The Sun newspaper has offered to give it editorial support.

 The co-founder of Leon, the high-quality fast food chain, talks to Simon Evans about his philosophy of the guilt-free good life

"I'm a certified Whopper-maker," laughs Dimbleby. "But, seriously, if you look at traditional fast food, there are lots of things they do well. Their health and safety standards are incredibly high. And they largely produce food quickly to a consistent standard. We wanted to learn from them because one of the key ingredients for Leon was always scaleability."

The king isn’t dead, but he’s been knocked down a notch on a listing of the nation’s top fast-food restaurants. In fact, both Miami-based Burger King and Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy’s slipped one spot on the QSR 50, an annual ranking produced by the business-to-business publication QSR.

Subway edged Burger King for the No. 2 spot, earning $9.6 billion in sales, while Starbucks edged Wendy’s for the No. 4 spot, with $8.75 billion in sales, up from the No. 5 spot last year.

Text Marketer has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of take away food restaurants using bulk sms marketing to drive sales.

In the past month both of the Uk’s largest take away pizza chains, Dominos and Pizza Hut, have started to use Text Marketer to send out offers to their customers.

Global comparable sales increased 4.8% with the U.S. up 3.5%, Europe up 6.9% and Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa up 4.4% McDonald's Corporation today announced strong operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009, driven by positive global comparable sales in every area of the world. In constant currencies, the Company posted higher revenues, operating income and earnings per share compared with the prior year.

A US-owned fast food company is moving into Milton Keynes and taking on Domino’s Pizza in its own back yard.

Rapidly growing Papa John’s has bought the freehold of a substantial industrial unit at Northfield Drive, Milton Keynes, through commercial property agent Douglas Duff.

The move is part of a massive UK expansion strategy that will create hundreds of new jobs, the company says.

Relocating from the Midlands, Papa John’s Pizza acquired the unit, which extends to 48,721 sq ft on a site of 3.85 acres, for a centralised dough production facility – within half a mile of junction 14 of the M1 – to supply its UK network of home-delivery pizza outlets.

ust-Eat, a company that serves as an online ordering provider for takeaways and restaurants, has just raised £10.5 million from prominent European VC firm Index Ventures.

It's the first institutional funding for the UK-based startup, which has 6,000 takeaway and restaurant partners throughout Europe.

Just-Eat allows its partners to accept orders online from customers for home delivery. It handles payment processing, submits orders and gives customers estimated delivery times. It also provides discovery services -- a directory of restaurants, online menus and customer reviews.

The company's focus is on "local, independently run businesses" who might otherwise not have the resources to build their own online ordering platforms.

The company's fundraising represents a good example of some of the changes VCs are making during tough times. According to Ben Holmes, a partner at Index Ventures:

The home delivery market is growing at 9% per year and it has proved to be a profitable business even in recessionary periods.

David Abingdon, CEO of the Alchemy Network, looks at what business people can learn from the way footballer Michael Owen was marketed before signing with Manchester United.

Michael Owen could have been forgiven for wondering why he bothered. Mocking laughter and pity were the kinder reactions to his 32 page sales brochure, in which the former England football international put himself on display, complete with moody portraits and jazzy graphs, as the “clean and fresh” “good-looking” candidate, looking for a fresh bench on which to park his “healthy” behind.

One unimpressed commentator even compared the attempts to sell the striker to flogging double-glazing. Ouch. Why would a player wanting to stay at the top level pitch himself in such a way?

LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Fastfood giant McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) will relocate its European headquarters to Geneva from London to take advantage of preferential intellectual property tax laws, FT.com reported on Sunday.

The website said the Geneva office would open in the autumn, making it the latest U.S. company to rebase in Switzerland to take advantage of that country's tax regime.

Under UK tax rules that came into force at the start of the month, McDonald's would pay tax on foreign profits relating to intellectual property twice over, FT.com said.

It quoted the company as saying that the move "enables us to conduct the strategic management of key international intellectual property rights, including the licensing of those rights to our franchisees in Europe, from Switzerland."

- Domino’s reveals the weird and wonderful suggestions for the 2010 Britain’s Got Talent pizza –

Over 35,000 entries have been submitted so far for Domino’s Pizza’s nationwide competition to find a new pizza for its menus in 2010. The competition, running as part of the Company’s sponsorship deal with Britain’s Got Talent, has caused a stir among budding foodies with a host of weird and wonderful toppings being suggested. The winner will scoop �10,000 and have their idea sold as the official Britain’s Got Talent pizza in Domino’s stores across the country next year.

Among the unusual combinations suggested to top a Domino’s pizza base covered in vine-ripened tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese are:

�         Reindeer with mushrooms, peppers and leeks

�         Salami, avocado, doughnuts, apple and peas

�         A roast turkey dinner with cranberry and stuffing

�         An Australian themed kangaroo, snag (Aussie sausage) and Vegemite topping with BBQ sauce

�         Bacon, carrots, peas and ketchup

�         Crushed cheese and onion crisps with spring onions and sandwich pickle

Interestingly, sweet toppings are also proving popular with numerous suggestions for fruit and other sugary ingredients including:

�         Berries and muesli fried in butter with mascarpone cheese

�         Cherries, honey, strawberries, coffee beans and chocolate brownies

�         Jelly, custard, cream and hundreds and thousands

To enter, consumers simply need to submit their ideas via the Domino’s competition microsite – www.dominos.co.uk/talent. The closing date for entries is July 12, 2009 so there’s still time for any budding Heston Blumenthals to send in their suggestions. Entries will be shortlisted and judged by a panel of pizza loving experts, with the winning design chosen at the end of the summer.

Robin Auld, sales and marketing director at Domino’s Pizza, said: “We’ve been staggered by the response to our competition. There really are some creative pizza lovers in the UK who aren’t afraid to step away from a Pepperoni Passion and push culinary boundaries. We’ve had such a wide variety of entries, from the delicious and interesting to the unusual and totally peculiar. Aside from these, we’ve had some other fantastic suggestions that really could make the grade as our next Britain’s Got Talent pizza. It’s going to be a tough competition to judge.”

For more information on Domino’s Pizza, visit www.dominos.co.uk/talent.

-Ends-

New website launched to spread the word

Domino’s Pizza, the leading pizza delivery company in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, is delighted to announce that there are now no artificial colours or flavours in any of its food. The move follows many months of working with suppliers and is part of the Company’s commitment to delivering the best tasting, highest quality pizza to pizza lovers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

To coincide with the announcement, Domino’s has also launched a new website – www.takeafreshlook.co.uk – to promote the quality of its food, show videos of where the food comes from and provide nutritional information to help customers enjoy a balanced diet. The site also takes pizza lovers on a global tour to see some of the weird and wonderful toppings on offer at Domino’s around the world.

Chief Executive Chris Moore said: “We are delighted to be free of artificial colours and flavours to add to our policy of no genetically modified ingredients or added hydrogenated fats. This has been a long process with our suppliers and it has been one of our goals to further improve the quality, taste and composition of our ingredients.

“We are well aware of the wider food debate and removing artificial colours and flavours is just one part of this. In addition, we have made a number of commitments to the Food Standards Agency regarding nutrition and we will continue to look at ways of reducing the saturated fat and salt content of our pizzas. Part of the new Take a Fresh Look website includes details of how to enjoy a balanced diet – and Domino’s Pizza is a delicious treat that can be included in any healthy lifestyle.”

-ENDS-

TWICE THE FUN - DOMINO’S LAUNCHES TWO FOR TUESDAY

- New deal to double up on delicious Domino’s pizzas -

Identical twins Bryony and Kathryn Frost, 25, from London, enjoyed grabbing a slice of the action at Domino’s Pizza to celebrate the launch of Two for Tuesday. This unmissable weekly deal is offering pizza lovers the opportunity to buy one medium or large pizza and get another one exactly the same for free, every Tuesday.

Make Tuesday your new favourite day of the week – order via Domino’s national hotline 087 12121212, online at www.dominos.co.uk or pop in to your local store.

- ENDS -

A Pizza Hut franchisee in Northern Ireland which runs 14 outlets - Restaurant Management Services Ltd - has gone into administration with the loss of 130 jobs and the closure of six outlets (Dublin Road, Yorkgate and Connswater in Belfast, one in Coleraine and one in Dungannon, and most recently an outlet in Carryduff on the outskirts of Belfast).

In a statement, the administrator (David McClean of Moore Stephens Chartered Accounts in Belfast) said that there had been no option but to close restaurants. "The franchises run by Restaurant Management Services have been operating in an increasingly competitive market for some time and the company's financial situation has been exacerbated by the current economic downturn, resulting in the decision to enter administration;'he explained.

"I have assessed the current trading position of outlets run by Restaurant Management Services Ltd and it is with regret that I have concluded that there is no option other than to close five of the 14 immediately. However, I am pleased that arrangements have been made that can enable four other outlets to remain open.'

"We are disappointed that six franchised restaurants in Northern Ireland have closed, but pleased that the franchisee has been able to continue operating the remaining eight restaurants successfully, safeguarding the majority of jobs.This is an isolated case, representing less than 1 % of our portfolio across the UK and overall our business performance remains robust and we are continuing to record increased sales for 2009 versus the same period last year," added a spokesperson for Pizza Hut.

A ram raid on a Domino's pizza outlet in Lincoln in May resulted in a safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash being stolen. The theft occured in the early hours with a vehicle being used to drive into a glass window.

A husband and wife team who own and operate a number of O'Briens franchise outlets are planning to open nine new locations. Lee and Gill Fish, who currently operate nine outlets of the healthy food café franchise and employ 80 staff, are set to open nine new locations across the North East of England over the next 12 months.

Today [June 22, 2009] sees the opening of a 100% halal Domino’s Pizza store in Blackburn. Accredited by the Halal Food Authority (HFA), the store in the Roe Lee Retail Centre will offer quality, hand-made Domino’s pizzas to customers who prefer to eat halal.

The new halal menu still includes many of the country’s favourite pizzas, but with a halal twist on the toppings. Items on the menu include halal spicy beef, roast and tandoori chicken, halal pepperoni and halal cured turkey – all produced and stored within the HFA’s strict guidelines – and menus at the store will feature the HFA logo.

Slawomir Szulc, proud franchisee of the Blackburn store, comments: “I am delighted to be opening a 100% halal Domino’s Pizza store to better serve the needs of local residents. The store originally opened in October 2005, and has never performed particularly well. We realised that we needed to widen our appeal and target the local Muslim community.

“We tried adding in some additional pork-free toppings, but this still did not stimulate the business, potentially forcing us to close permanently. But after further consideration, we chose to go all the way and reopen as a 100% halal store.”

Domino’s has worked closely with the HFA, the UK’s leading accreditation authority for halal food, which has examined every stage of the pizza-making process, from where ingredients are sourced to how they are stored and prepared, ensuring Domino’s meets its strict criteria. 

Masood Khawaja, President of the HFA, comments: “We have been delighted to work with Domino’s to create this 100% halal store. Our team has been extremely impressed by the Company’s commitment to halal.”

- Ends -

Note to editors:

Domino’s Pizza is the leading player in the fast-growing pizza delivery market with over 563 stores across the UK and Ireland. The first UK store opened in Luton in 1985. Worldwide there are over 8,700 Domino’s Pizza stores in more than 60 countries. Domino’s Pizza has a singular focus – the home delivery of pizza, freshly made to order with high quality ingredients.

 Customers can order from Domino’s via the national hotline 087 12121212* and online at www.dominos.co.uk. (Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT line. Calls from mobiles may vary). Orders can also be placed via SMS and to register for this service, customers should visit www.dominos.co.uk.

About the Halal Food Authority

The Halal Food Authority (HFA) is the UK’s leading accreditation authority for halal food. The HFA is committed to monitoring halal meat in the UK, working with restaurants and shops so you can be assured that the food you buy is 100% halal. The process to gain accreditation is extremely thorough and it doesn’t stop – all restaurants approved by the HFA undergo three unannounced audits every year to ensure standards are being maintained.

For more information, please contact:

The Domino’s Pizza Press Office

Domino’s Pizza Group Ltd

Tel: 01908 580654

E: pr@dominos.co.uk

IRISH FAST-FOOD operators say they have no plans to follow the lead of their counterparts in the UK by introducing calorie information on their menus.

Last month, 18 major British catering companies bowed to pressure from campaigners on obesity by agreeing to display calorie information for the first time.

However, the recently formed Quick Food Service Alliance, which represents 170 businesses in the sector, said its members had differing views on the issue and that it had no plans to follow the British example.

Driving licence photcards were introduced in 1998!

So what you might ask!

But I bet not many of you know that the photos on the photocard are only valid for 10 years and your photocard driving licence must be renewed before the expiry date, otherwise your licence is no longer valid.

If you were to be stopped by the police and your photo was out of date you could be charged with driving without a licence and we all know what that means - penalty points, a fine and insurance problems!

This has not been publicised at all!

I can see you all checking your photocards now.  The expiry date of your photo is next to 4b on the front of the card.

Subway continues to push $5 sandwiches, but with a lot more company. Domino's launched a $5 toasted sub this winter, Quiznos has a $4 sandwich, and Kraft has introduced frozen sandwiches under $4 from its DiGiorno and California Pizza Kitchen brands. Pizza Hut launched a $5 calzone over Memorial Day weekend. Even McDonald's billboards in New York show a Big Mac, fries and a drink pointing to a full meal at the critical $5 mark.

According to a survey performed in 12 countries around the world on 10,300 respondents and their relationship with fast food, market research firm Synovate has learned that the US is far from being the fast-food nation, since it’s Bulgaria that is right now enjoying its “honeymoon” with it, recording the biggest percentage of people who say they love it so much they simply could not envision life without it. Ironically enough, fewer Americans feel this way, and a higher percentage of them even feel guilty afterwards and work out the extra calories they ingested, the research has also established.

On June 30, the world's top coffee chain will begin selling baked goods without high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors and dyes, and will introduce salads and other items.

"Food has been the Achilles' heel of the company ... That statement will be long buried after we launch this program," Michelle Gass, Starbucks' executive vice president of marketing, told Reuters on Tuesday.

The new campaign -- which will be promoted with the tag "Real Food. Simply Delicious" -- follows last year's health and wellness push that added food like oatmeal, smoothies and a protein plate to Starbucks' repertoire.

(MYFOX NATIONAL)  -- 

Swiss outdoor goods maker Katadyn has created an easy-eating solution -- the cheeseburger in a can.

The canned meal contains an all-beef patty, lettuce, tomato and cheese on a sesame seed bun. It retails for about $6 and can stay fresh for up to a year, according to Gizmodo.com.

It takes about 10 minutes to cook (boiled), or it can be cooked out of the can or eaten cold.

If you're wondering what a cheeseburger in can might taste like, this YouTube video captures the experience.

Now fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is trialling halal meat - meaning it has been killed in accordance with Islamic dietary laws - in eight of its UK restaurants. But the trial has sparked a debate over what is and what isn't halal, with some Muslims boycotting the restaurants because they say the meat has not been killed correctly.

The issue is whether meat can be halal if it has been slaughtered using mechanical methods.

Traditionally, halal meat is killed by hand and must be blessed by the person doing the job. But some Muslims say a mechanised form is also now acceptable.

LONDON - US fast food giant McDonald's is hoping to offer PhDs, after receiving approval to award its own nationally recognised qualifications in Britain, the company's "chief people officer" said Monday.

Fast food worker claims boss knew of previous injury when assigning task.

A Jefferson County man has filed suit against a fast food chain and one of its employees, alleging his existing back problems were aggravated when his supervisor forced him to get on his hands and knees to clean a deep fryer.

Papa John's win Pizza Delivery Chain of the year 2008

Shares of fast food companies advanced on Friday, after McDonald's Corp reported an increase of 6.9 percent in April same-store sales.

In the United States, comparable sales were up 6.1 percent, helped by new

coffee drinks and chicken snack wraps.

For details, see

Shares of McDonald's, a Dow component, rose 4 percent to $55.43, while

Burger King Holdings Inc was up 2 percent to $18.05, Wendys/Arbys Group

Inc soared 3.5 percent to $4.68, and Jack in the Box Inc

gained 1.3 percent to $24.03. Yum! Brands Inc, which operates the Taco

Bell chain, added 0.4 percent to $34.07.

USA - In what would appear to be an Atkins diet nightmare, Domino's has begun offering five flavors of pasta — served inside an edible bowl of bread. For as little as $4.99, you can choose between Three Cheese Mac-N-Cheese, Italian Sausage Marinara, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Carbonara, or Pasta Primavera flavors. If that's not quite enough, there's the option to build your own pasta bread bowl, choosing from a variety of toppings that include but aren't limited to Philly steak, salami, bacon, and tabasco sauce.

It's hard to fathom why Domino's rolled out this concept of carbs inside more carbs, but the fact that competitor Pizza Hut has already racked up more than $500 million in sales of its Tuscani Pastas and lasagna, puts things more into perspective.

When you want a burger, you have to have a burger. In this state of mind, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden took a short _ but wholly noticeable _ motorcade ride from the White House to Virginia and pulled into a small, independent burger joint called Ray's Hell Burger.

The two leaders went right up to the counter where the meat was being grilled and ordered.

USA: Net income was up 68% versus the prior year, due primarily to a gain on the extinguishment of debt during the first quarter of 2009. Domestic same store sales were up 1.0% and International same store sales grew 6.6%.

The International division continued its strong performance, posting its 61st consecutive quarter of same store sales growth.

In the UK: The Company has continued to see good momentum in the business. Like-for-like sales for the period in the 501 mature stores were up 9.3% (2008: 12.4% in 450 mature stores). System sales for the period were up 17.6% to £101.1m (2008: £86.0m). E-commerce continued to grow strongly with online sales for the period up 31.7% to £16.6m (2008: £12.6m) and accounting for 23.6% of UK delivered sales (2008: 21.3%).

Comparable sales rose one per cent for the third quarter despite one less trading day and were driven by a combination of indulgent and value offerings, according to the company. The Angry Whopper sandwich and launch of BK Burger Shots and BK Breakfast Shots in February were key to a strong US result. The company noted a marked deceleration of sales in March, however, with Germany and Mexico markets most affected.

Comparable sales rose one per cent for the third quarter despite one less trading day and were driven by a combination of indulgent and value offerings, according to the company. The Angry Whopper sandwich and launch of BK Burger Shots and BK Breakfast Shots in February were key to a strong US result. The company noted a marked deceleration of sales in March, however, with Germany and Mexico markets most affected.

According to a survey done by British nonprofit the Infant and Toddler Forum, almost a third of children under three years of age eat take-out food once a week, and 20 percent of babies between 9 and 12 months old eat the same.

Anthony Habgood, Chairman of Whitbread PLC said:

"2008/09 was a year of good progress and, against a backdrop of increasingly difficult economic conditions, we delivered an industry leading performance. Revenues at our hotels and restaurants business were up 9.0% and at Costa were up 22.0%. We are focused on managing Whitbread prudently and tightly in the face of the challenges ahead."

Costa is investing over £150,000 on a third unrivalled Training Academy due to the rapid growth of its global business in the last two of years.  The new facility, which opens in Newbury on Wednesday 8^th April 2009, will support Costa's existing Training Academies in London and Leeds where its highly skilled baristas are currently coached in the art of coffee making.

After the closing bell last night, fast-food restaurant operator YUM! Brands (NYSE: YUM) stepped into the earnings spotlight, reporting a first-quarter profit that dropped 14% compared to a year ago. Nevertheless, the company's earnings of 46 cents per share topped the consensus estimate of 40 cents per share. The company's sales dropped by 8% to $2.2 billion, which was worse than Wall Street's expected $2.35 billion.

This week Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) - the world's largest hotel chain - has signed a deal with Costa to supply coffee to 60 of its hotels across the United Kingdom.

The two year deal will see Costa coffee available in Hilton Hotels from March 2009 with the roll out beginning in the London region and then extending to the regional areas.

A range of speciality coffees will be available in participant hotels whilst the full range of sweet and savoury Costa products will be available at franchise locations including Hilton London Gatwick and Hilton London Olympia.

This page gives details of civil penalties issued to employers for employing illegal migrant workers. These details are listed by region and are updated monthly.

The lists include details of employers from whom no appeal or objection is received within the 28 days after service of the notice of liability (NOL), payment is not received within 28 days after service of the NOL, the appeal process against service of the NOL has been exhausted, or payment has been received.

McDonald’s and Burger King remain America’s #1 and #2 most preferred fast-food chains, while Subway unseated Wendy’s in 2008 to nab the #3 spot.

Other major chains in the top-10 rankings, which show preference trends from 2004-2008, are Taco Bell - which reclaimed its #4 spot after dropping to #5 in 2007, Wendy’s, which dropped from #3 to #5, KFC, Pizza Hut, Arby’s and Dairy Queen, according to research from Experian Simmons (

Do you count the calories? Would you like to know how many there are in your pizza, burger or sandwich?

Some 18 restaurant chains and catering companies around the UK have begun showing the number of calories in all their food and drink items on menu boards, paper menus and shelves.

The chains include Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC and Pret a Manger.

Pizza Fusion, pioneer of the environmental and organic restaurant movements, announced today that a master franchise development agreement has been completed for Saudi Arabia between Pizza Fusion Holdings, Inc. and Samir Food Co., Ltd., a Samir Group company. The development agreement provides for new locations throughout Saudi Arabia, with the first restaurant scheduled to open in Jeddah in late June and additional locations planned for Jeddah, Riyadh City, and Kingdom wide.

Launched last week, Quiznos’ new sandwiches are one inch longer, $1 less and noticeably narrower than their Subway counterpart and available in five varieties. Called “Toasty Torpedoes,” the item is the latest move by Quiznos to add lower-priced sandwiches to its menu. The chain also launched an ad campaign earlier this year to promote its 20 subs for less than $5.

It is all over the news: AIG, Merrill Lynch - why repeat the litany of culprits. Sadly, far too many companies fall into the category of inflated, arrogant Executives, chasing the quick buck and delivering disastrous results and institutional calamity. Where did all this bonus and contractual mayhem come from?

Dunkin’ Donuts, Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s are giving away more than $40,000 in prizes over the next several weeks via online contests.

Whitbread, the UK's largest hotel and restaurant group, has today launched a bespoke training and development programme at the House of Commons. Named the ‘Whitbread Model' the six-month apprenticeship programme is the first and largest employer-led programme of its kind in the hospitality industry.

Whitbread also announces that it will create 1,000 new jobs in 2009 to staff its planned opening of around 12 new hotels, 4 restaurants and over 100 Costa Coffee shops.

Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ: SBUX) and Unilever (NYSE: UN, UL) today unveiled a new super-premium ice cream line inspired by some of consumers' favorite Starbucks(R) beverages. Created by culinary experts and food developers from both companies, Starbucks(R) ice cream is made with high-quality, all-natural ingredients, including milk and cream supplied by farmers who pledge not to treat their cows with rBGH.

Acting on intelligence, specialist teams swooped on Pizza Huts in Bedford, Corby and Northampton, sealing exits before questioning workers and checking their identity documents.

The 22-year-old male was an illegal entrant to the UK. He was the delivery driver for the business but officers found out that he did not have a driving licence.

At the Pizza Hut in Bedford two Indian males, aged 25 and 27, were arrested after officers discovered that they were illegal entrants to the UK.
 

Fast food giant McDonald's has opened a state of the art training facility to boost the skills of its workforce during the economic downturn.

Management said they have invested in the future of 3,500 employees by giving them the confidence to deliver a better service to customers.

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan, who officially opened the centre on O'Connell Street, Dublin, said the development was a great example of private enterprise providing the facilities, training and expertise that will enable their employees to thrive.

U.S. same-store sales rose 2.8% in February, with McDonald's citing its breakfast offerings and chicken lineup as prime attractions, a shift from past results in which international gains outstripped domestic ones.

In contrast, Europe recorded a 0.2% decline, as it seems more diners preferred eating at home compared with the U.S. diners. Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa saw 0.7% growth, driven by Australia and Japan, while sales in China were muted somewhat by the celebration of Chinese New Year falling in January this year instead of February in 2008.

The investigating officer said police were probing whether the gunmen had deliberately targeted the pizza men as well as the soldiers.

He said Dominos Pizza in Antrim had received two separate delivery orders from Massereene Barracks at around 9.20pm on Saturday. The orders were sent out separately and the two delivery men arrived one after the other. It was at this point when gunmen opened fire from a car.

Could your favorite fast food items be sabotaging your health goals, or perhaps even shortening your life? How many calories are in a Chipotle chicken burrito? How much fat in a Starbucks latte? The answers may shock you. Check out this video from the popular Nutrition By Natalie series if you dare.

Group sales increase by 11.5% and well positioned for a challenging year

Bernard Matthews Farms, a U.K. poultry producer, said avian influenza was detected on two of its farms after an “unusual drop” in egg production.

The virus isn’t one of the “highly pathogenic” types and poses “very low risk” to humans, according to government advisers, the company said in an e-mailed statement. Health advisers don’t recommend workers be treated with the Tamiflu anti-flu drug, it said.

BEIJING – China warned Monday of a rising bird flu risk after a second person died of the virus in less than a month, and said it could be especially dangerous as the nation headed into the Lunar New Year holiday.

A 27-year-old woman surnamed Zhang died in the east Chinese province of Shandong Saturday, nearly two weeks after falling ill, the provincial health bureau said.

It was the second confirmed fatality this month from the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, bringing the total number of reported deaths in China since 2003 to 22.

In Britain's slumping economy, the fast-food business is booming.

McDonalds there just had its best year ever. KFC's profits rose 14 percent. And Dominoes earnings are up even more.

Following an American trend, fast-food giants have promised healthier options. But what's most popular is still a burger and fries or a bucket of chicken.

The British call it "cheep and cheerful."

"There is a sort of way it tends to relieve stress because you are going out and not spending much money but you'll be in company and you're enjoying the occasion," said Dr. David Haslam.

With one in four adults in England dangerously overweight - and nearly one in five children overweight - the country is catching up to America.

Net income in the fourth quarter was $11.0 million, with domestic same store sales down 3.0% and international same store sales up 4.5%. This marked the 60th consecutive quarter (the 15th year) of International same store sales growth. The International division has grown to comprise over 40% of our global retail sales, and over 30% of the Company's consolidated income from operations in 2008.

Domestic system-wide comparable sales decrease of 2.0% for the quarter and an increase of 0.9% for the year.

63 net Papa John's worldwide unit openings during the quarter and 172 during the year 

The AIRC's national award states incorporated fast food firms must pay time and three-quarters on Sundays, and double time for overtime.

Workers rostered on a Saturday would get time and a quarter, which is equal to the existing NSW fast food award.

Employees doing overtime from Saturday to Monday would get time and a half for the first two hours, and double time after that.

KFC yesterday announced plans for a £150 million expansion, which would create up to 9,000 jobs in the next five years, sandwich chain Subway intends to open 600 new stores in the UK and Ireland adding 7,000 new staff, McDonald's plans another 20 restaurants and bakery chain Greggs is also looking to grow.

Created 1,600 new jobs in 2008,

'If we deliver our target of an additional 50 new store openings in 2009, we will create at least another 1,500 new jobs in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Our business model is proving to be extremely resilient during the downturn as people dine' says Stephen Hemsley Executive Chairman

A TAKEAWAY owner is celebrating finally opening his new shop after a year-long battle.

Peter Moreton had the backing of all his ward councillors and hundreds of residents in his attempt to open a fast food shop in Pentwyn.

But his bid to transform a boarded-up ex-bookmaker’s in Brynheulog was repeatedly turned down by Cardiff Council’s planning committee because rules generally prohibit applications for cooking food in residential areas.

In the U.S., fast-food chains often thrive in tough times. But not so in China, where Western quick-service food isn't the cheapest stuff in town and, in target markets like Shanghai, there's too much competition. Plus, a growing number of consumers see it as unhealthful.

"Western fast food is still not cheap enough," said Yee Mei Chan, a group-account director at Millward Brown's office in Beijing.

In a recent survey, the marketing research firm found that 78% of Chinese consumers were feeling some effect from the global financial crisis. About half said they were likely to cut down on eating at Western fast-food restaurants.

Mr Michael Chan Yue Kwong who owns the fast food restaurant group Cafe de Coral has a stable of 540 restaurant outlets worldwide, mainly in HK, China and the US, have turned in a strong performance in recent months as people search out for bargain meals amid the downturn, reported Reuters.

Not bad for somebody who didn't know the restaurant business when he joined the group in 1984.

Recently, Mr Chan told South China Morning Post that in some aspects, his group has already surpassed Yum! Brands. It is the world's largest restaurant company, which has over 34,000 restaurants and owns KFC, Long John Silver's, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

Fast-food operators go to the High Court to fight Sunday pay legislation.

Fast-food businesses have started a High Court bid to overturn legislation that forces them to pay staff extra money for working n Sundays.

The Quickservice Food Alliance represents several major fast-food operators, including Supermacs, Subway, Abrakebabra, Eddie Rockets and Burge r King. John Grace, chairman of the alliance, said that efforts to force employers in the catering sector to pay staff extra for working on Sundays were unfair and unsustainable. Grace said that the fast-food group would press ahead with its High Court challenge, despite a preliminary agreement reached last week on Sunday pay in the restaurant sector. If finalised, the agreement will mean that all restaurants and fast-food outlets across the country will pay staff time and one-third for working on Sundays.

JUNE 08 ..........

Walked in there today and its now £2.19. Its 20p, I didnt think much of it, but asked the guy as a bit of general conversation why the price increase. Was expecting the 'price of fuel' point, but he goes on to say there is a tax on hot sandwiches and eating in, so the price has increased.

I think the big question is what is the VAT doing about all the previous unpaid VAT on hot prepared food.

Potentially, this could cripple a franchise............

Anyone know the latest situation?

The Domino’s Touch units will be placed at the front of the store and customers will be able to order all their items from here so it is a fully automated one stop shop. The machine is designed to be user-friendly you just touch the screen and follow the instructions. All the latest meal deals will be shown, as will all the pizza choices, including the create your own option, as well as side items, drinks and desserts.

Once the customer has entered their requirements, they simply pay by their credit or debit card and the order will be sent directly to the kitchen. When a customer has placed an order in store, they are able to watch their pizza being made and monitor the progress of the order on the overhead screen. It tells them where they are in the queue so they always know exactly where their pizza is.

Burger King Holdings, Inc. delivered its 20th consecutive quarter of worldwide positive comparable sales in the second quarter of its 2009 fiscal year, achieving its best positive comparable sales trend in three decades. Comparable sales were up 2.9 percent, marking five straight years of worldwide same-store-sales growth. In the U.S. and Canada, comparable sales were up 1.9%, the 19th consecutive quarter of same-store-sales growth. Comparable sales were driven by strong performances in key international markets including the U.K

In many fast-food restaurants present in the Philippines today, there is still one brand of fast-food chain that Filipinos all over the world flock to, and that isJollibee. Aside from other fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Burger King, Jollibee is one of the many fast-food chains that can be considered as a true Filipino-made restaurant.

Calorie data posted on the menus of New York chain restaurants are changing the way New Yorkers eat, according to a study released today by Chicago-based food-industry consultant Technomic. But so far the postings are not hurting restaurant chains, which have instead sold more lower-calorie alternatives.

The big burger chains are going small so their tabs can grow larger. Let me explain, Grasshopper.

THE global recession has prompted people to "eat down", sparking a rush by fast food giants to open new franchises and cash in on the trend.

Sydney's top restaurants are resorting to cut-price lunch specials, scaled back opening times and other tactics to prop up business.

The sandwich war is hotting up in the USA with Domino's Chairman and CEO David A. Brandon burning the cease and desist letter from Subway lawyers in one of the pizza chain’s 450 degree ovens. SEE THE ADVERT.

Are Domino's sandwiches better than Subways?

When will Domino's be launching sandwiches in the UK?

Fast-food giant McDonald's is reviewing its food-handling procedures after a hepatitis A scare and claims by staff that workers aren't washing their hands as often as they should.

Health authorities were on high alert yesterday for a possible outbreak of infectious hepatitis A after a sick McDonald's worker handled food at one of Auckland's busiest restaurants.

One worker was seen wiping her nose and then handling burger buns and lettuce. On other occasions, workers handling money also handled french fries.

Domino's Pizza responded to a cease and desist from Subway's lawyer in a television ad in which CEO David A. Brandon playfully burns the letter in a 450 degree oven.

Domino’s Pizza is having some fun with the response from Subway to advertising campaign that states that Domino’s new Oven Baked Sandwiches beat Subway’s equivalent sandwiches by a two to one margin in a national taste test.

Domino’s ran an advertisement boasting of the taste test results. Subway responded by sending a cease and desist letter to stop Domino’s from featuring the claim based upon independent research.

Ilkley-based entrepreneur Mark Hall is bidding to become the UK’s takeaway king with the nation increasingly turning to fast food in this period of recession!

Mark, 30, established the website www.118menu.com last year as a way of helping people looking to source a local take away delivery service and he’s recently signed an exclusive partnership agreement with soft drink brand Pepsi through Britvic PLC that offers users and fast food outlets a range of give aways and promotions.

The website already has almost 15,000 registered users and hundreds of restaurants and take aways on board in a sector of the food industry that is booming according to recent reports.

“As times get tough people turn more and more to inexpensive comfort food and we are seeing a big rise in people ordering pizza, Indian and Chinese etc,” explained Mark, a former sales manager and chef, who came up with the idea for his site after an unsuccessful late night hunt around his home for a take away menu.

“We get so many of these menu leaflets through the door and rarely keep them so an online resource seemed the perfect answer and we are seeing a big demand from both users and take aways in getting involved,” added Mark who provides outlets with a range a free branded goodies including T-shirts, pizza boxes, carrier bags, key rings and even condoms!

“We are also contributing 5% of all our profits to charity with site users given the option of paying a small supplement to double that offering. This initiative could raise thousands of pounds in year one.

“The link with Britvic PLC is great news and really puts us on the map with their Pepsi brand. The majority of our focus so far has been London and West Yorkshire but we are widening our reach with a workforce that I predict will rise from five today to fifteen by the end of 2009,” he added.

Mark has established an office in Headingley and is keen to address the issue of healthy eating despite the focus of his business: “We are seeing more and more take aways adopting a healthy outlook and we will actively encourage that but there’s nothing wrong with the odd pizza, curry or burger delivered direct to your door!”

For more information visit www.118menu.com.

ENDS

For more information contact Rob Wilkinson (PRomotion) on 01535 656104 / 079099 16770 / rob@promotion.uk.net

DOMINO’S LAUNCHES FIRST EVER 100% HALAL STORE

Domino’s Pizza, the UK and Ireland’s leading pizza delivery company, is today [January 19, 2009] opening the UK’s first 100% halal Domino’s Pizza store in Hall Green in Birmingham. 

The new store is accredited by the Halal Food Authority (HFA). Domino’s has worked closely with the HFA to ensure all ingredients are 100% halal right the way along the supply chain, from producer to commissary, where all halal produce is stored and packaged separately. Furthermore, all Domino’s staff who will be involved in the process have been fully trained to know how to prepare, handle and store halal produce. To ensure the store continues to meet all of the HFA’s regulations, it will receive three unannounced visits from the HFA each year on top of Domino’s own internal auditing process. 

The new halal menu in Hall Green will be just as tasty as Domino’s customers have come to expect, using only the finest quality ingredients available.  Changes to the menu will include beef pepperoni to replace pepperoni, halal cured turkey in place of ham and a new halal spicy beef sausage, as well as the addition of the HFA logo to Hall Green’s store menu.

Georgina Wald, Domino’s Pizza corporate communications manager, said: “We might be a national brand, but we pride ourselves on working with the local communities we serve. Hall Green is no exception and this meant looking at providing delicious hand-made pizzas for a neighbourhood that has a very high proportion of Muslim customers. The result is our first 100% halal store and, having tasted many of the items on the menu, I can guarantee that they are absolutely delicious.”

Masood Khawaja, President of the HFA, comments: “We have been delighted to work with Domino’s to create its first 100% halal store. Our team has been extremely impressed by the Company’s commitment to halal and we hope to work with them to open other halal Domino’s stores in the future.”

- Ends -

The pizza industry, and fast food sector in general, has also been steadily changing to offer consumers more healthy options, with six of Australia’s fastest growing franchises food retailers that have taken a healthier approach............When will this come to the UK?

Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) has earned another industry honor, this time being named the number 10 global franchise for 2009 by Entrepreneur magazine in its annual Franchise 500 rankings.

Papa John's strength and stability enable the company to offer industry-leading franchise incentives such as its domestic Enterprise Zone Program. The program allows franchisees who qualify to pay no up-front franchise fee (normally $25,000) for development of restaurants in certain markets

In a category-leading move, Pizza Hut is launching the first stage in a menu-wide transition to pizzas made entirely from natural ingredients, available nationally beginning January 11, 2009. The new pizzas will provide customers the opportunity to enjoy Pizza Hut pizza free from artificial preservatives, colors and flavors.

A Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) survey found 25% of English streets littered with fast food rubbish, up from 16% in 2002.Biggest fast food chain MacDonald's accounted for most of the litter, with unbranded wrappings from local fish and chip or kebab shops in second place.

People using Facebook can install the "Whopper Sacrifice" to their profile. The app offers a coupon for a free Whopper if you delete 10 people from your friends list. When you get rid of a friend it shows up in your activity feed. So it'll say, you sacrificed that person for a free Whopper.

USA only

The fast-food chain McDonald's says it will become the UK's largest apprenticeship provider within two years as it promises to offer 10,000 places a year from 2010.

Interesting comment from USA on reducing menu prices in these difficult times.

Domino's Pizza UK & IRL plc ('Domino's' or 'the Company') today announces system sales for the 52 weeks ended 28 December 2008 increased by 18.4% (2007: 23.4%) to £350.8m (2007: £296.3m), with like for like sales for the same 52 week period up by 10.0% (2007: 14.7%). Like for like sales grew by 8.6% for the 13 weeks to 28 December 2008 (2007: 14.8%).

A London council is to become the first in the country to ban new fast-food outlets from opening within 400 metres of schools, parks and other places where young people gather

The minimum wage in Oregon increased by 45 cents an hour as of today, from $7.95 an hour to $8.40 an hour.

Supermarkets seeking to promote their ethical buying policies proclaim that their produce is Fairtrade, and customers buy such goods in the belief that they are doing their bit for workers in the developing world.

However, an investigation by The Times suggests that workers on plantations that supply Fairtrade tea are not seeing their lives improve as they should.

Is it best to heavily discount menu items in these difficult times or offer premium quality products?

See what is increasing ticket price in Japan..........

In these difficult times, robberies are bound to be on the increase.

Now is the time to review your security.

How many stores have a back door open? Is that cash dropped in a time lock safe on a regular basis? Is your CCTV fully operational - did a new tape get put in this morning?!

Dont let this happen to your staff............

Domino’s Pizza is looking to the struggling pub industry to fulfill its appetite for new sites.

The rapidly expanding pizza delivery chain, which in the 13-weeks to 28 September saw its sales increase 17.8% to £83.3m, is growing at approximately 50 outlets a year.

Burger King Holdings Inc., the world's No.2 hamburger chain, released a men's body spray called "Flame" as a novelty gift for the holidays, which it described as having the "scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

The limited edition eau de Whopper was being sold exclusively at Ricky's cosmetics stores in New York for $3.99 a 5ml bottle but was out of stock within days and was being sold on the online auction site eBay for up to $70 a bottle.

The company has done its best to bottle the Whopper, claiming the fragrance "captures the essence of that (burger) love and gives it to you.

"Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

A spokeswoman for the company's UK operations said the scent was not a gag - there was even a website, firemeetsdesire.com.

As disclosed in August 2008, Brazil Fast Food, through its wholly owned holding company BFFC do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, signed an agreement to purchase 60% of Internacional Restaurantes do Brasil Ltda (IRB) the Yum! Brands franchisee in Sao Paulo operating 14 Pizza Hut stores. This transaction included several legal procedures involving the partners that will hold the other 40% of IRB. All these procedures are being concluded at the present moment. The acquisition of IRB will transfer to the Brazil Fast Food's 2008 consolidated financial statements a gain of around R$ 3.5 million originated in the tax allocations of IRB's tax loss carry forwards. Brazil Fast Food paid $5.5 million for the acquisition of IRB which was transferred to the sellers at the exchange rate of R$ 1.57 per dollar.

THIS COMBINED KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN AND TACO BELL IS THE NEWEST FAST FOOD PLACE ON THE KING STREET STRIP. "It was really awesome just eating the taco. ...

Staff should be clean ................................................

Once again, we feel compelled to remind fast food workers that IT'S NOT OK to bathe in the kitchen sink.

So, "what happens if you take remote Chiang Mai villagers who've never seen a burger, who don't even have a word for 'burger' and ask them to compare Whopper versus Big Mac in the world's purest taste test?" the new campaign from Burger King asks.

41 minutes ago

An east London council is to ban fast food outlets from opening within 400m of schools and parks as part of a drive to improve children's health.

Waltham Forest will become the first local authority in the country to impose such rules.

Council leader Clyde Loakes confirmed the plan will go ahead after a public consultation found 93% backed it.

The fast food industry has always been considered to be "recession proof" because of its famously low prices and convenience. This year, though, the industry is not just surviving - it's thriving.

Rather than maintain usual prices and enjoy a moderate increase in sales, they have also lured in more consumers by adding "premium" menu items to their value menus.

Alan Parker, Chief Executive Officer of Whitbread PLC comments:

Total sales achieved in Costa during the period are up 22.6%. Like for like sales are up 2.6%. We have expanded Costa substantially and the total number of outlets now stands at 1,239, across 26 markets.

A woman caught speeding twice in less than three-and-a-half minutes, by the same police camera, plans to contest the tickets, claiming she had a McDonald's takeaway meal in between.

“Subway strongly supports the farmworkers’ rights and has entered in an agreement with the (Coalition of Immokalee Workers) to pay the additional 1 cent per pond for tomatoes grown in the Immokalee region of Florida,” Subway spokesman Les Winograd said.

Dec. 2, 2008 -- Fast food lives up to its name in a new study of people who frequently eat at fast-food restaurants.

Nearly 600 adults and teens in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were interviewed for the study in 2005-2006. Most reported eating fast food at least three times per week.

After tucking into a meal at a fast-food restaurant, participants rated how strongly they agreed or disagreed with 11 statements about why they like fast food.

Here are their top reasons for eating fast-food meals, according to the percentages of people who agreed with each statement:

1. They're quick: 92.3%
2. They're easy to get to: 80.1%
3. I like the taste of fast food: 69.2%
4. They're inexpensive: 63.6%
5. I'm too busy to cook: 53.2%
6. It's a "treat" for myself: 50.1%
7. I don't like to prepare foods myself: 44.3%
8. My friends/family like them: 41.8%
9. It is a way of socializing with friends and family: 33.1%
10. They have many nutritious foods to offer: 20.6%
11. They're fun and entertaining: 11.7%

Costa Wins Award for Best Quality Cake 2008

02/12/2008

Costa Coffee, the UK's largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain has won the ‘cake' category award for its Raspberry & Almond Bake. The prestigious Quality Food Awards took place on Thursday 27 November, the same day that Costa topped an ethical survey for doing the most to tackle social and environmental issues as featured in The Times! Judges described the product as an "excellent, moist cake with a great raspberry hit." Costa was short listed against ASDA Extra Special Chocolate Cake and an ASDA Extra Special Victoria Sponge.

Police are hunting a masked gunman who threatened a member of staff during a robbery at a fast food outlet.

The employee at Subway in Poole Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, handed over a small amount of money on Sunday night.

Police are trying to trace two men in dark clothing who were seen in the area shortly before the robbery.

In the States, there’s shock and awe at the cost of their favourite cheeseburger going up over a dollar thanks to the credit crunch.

That simple little fast- food treat has long been seen as a key indicator of economic strength or weakness. And now that it’s zoomed up to $1.19, ordinary Yanks are accepting that their currency’s weak.

However. Pause for a second and look at the cost of the same snack here. It costs 99p.

Or, at yesterday’s exchange rate, $1.50.

So, any of the experts able to give Joe Hungry an explanation why something that costs exactly the same to MAKE here costs 25 per cent more to BUY?

Costa, the UK’s largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain, has topped a survey which asked over 1000 ‘concerned consumers’ which brand they thought did the most to tackle social and environmental issues.  Costa was featured number one above Subway, Wild Bean Café, Starbucks, Pret a Manger, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC.

A US couple is suing McDonald's for $3m (£2m) after nude photos of the woman, which were on her husband's mobile phone, ended up on the internet.

Phillip Sherman says he accidentally left his phone, with the photos, at a McDonald's in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

He says staff promised to secure the phone until he could retrieve it.