Heather Lalley

Fun fact: There's an actual Miracle Mile strip mall in my hometown of St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Maybe he was confused?

That was a fabulous show!

The real James Beard Award stars? Immigrants Recipients and presenters at Monday’s black-tie ceremony honoring the restaurant industry’s best acknowledged a political climate of

I've covered a lot of James Beard Awards nights, but this one was especially moving, getting to hear so many immigrant stories. Anyone who says food isn't connected to politics and policies is dumb. www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/r...

Subway closed more restaurants last year The sandwich giant closed more than 600 U.S. locations in 2024, according to the company’s franchise disclosure documents. It has fewer

Let's talk Subway ..

Subway closed another 600+ locations last year. It now operates 19,500 restaurants in the U.S.

It has closed 7,600 restaurants since 2015, which is the same number that Taco Bell operates in the U.S.

restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/su...

I've had the name Flour Girl on social media for 15-ish years now. I really need more carb-focused accessories. Enter Panera, with its new croissant clutch. I probably wouldn't store a sandwich in there, though. But I might.

We ordered it. It's quite tasty! Though it's hard to go too wrong with cheese-stuffed carbs.

Checked out breakfast at Portillo's yesterday, in test at a few Chicago-area locations. Overall, quite tasty. Though not ideal if you're wanting to eat while driving.

Restaurants go easy on the fooling this April 1 Marketing Bites: With one fast-food chain admitting “trust issues are real,” this year’s April Fools’ Day pranks are on the mild

I have to acknowledge that decades of enduring ridiculous April Fools press releases have made me dread this day largely because I have no idea what's true or what is not.

Which makes this piece by @flourgrrrl.bsky.social rather refreshing ...

COVID made delivery a way of life for restaurants The pandemic introduced many Americans to the ease and convenience of food delivery. It has now become too big for restaurants to ignore.

Five years since Covid, restaurant delivery is now a necessity. Here’s the 2nd in our series on how the industry has changed, by Joe Guszkowski

www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/c...

This story is our second in a series on the restaurant industry five years after COVID. @flourgrrrl.bsky.social interviewed some restaurant operators she spoke with in 2020. One of them is, apparently, a pig farmer now.

www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/5...

My first journalism internship in college was at the Post Bulletin. Was an afternoon paper then and we had to listen to a scratchy recording from the sherrif's office (I think) to get the day's weather report. One computer in the office had "the internet." I am old.

I covered independent restaurants in 2020, so I revisited some of the folks I interviewed back then to see how they're doing now. The good news? They're all still in business. The less-good news? They're fearful of what lies ahead.

Add it to the list:

* Starbucks to Lay Off More Than 1,000 Workers -- WSJ

At the airport bright and early to head to Nashville for my first Convenience Retailing University with @cspdailynews.bsky.social. Will I see you there? #CRU25

Hooters in Talks to Prepare a Bankruptcy Filing in Coming Months Hooters of America is working with creditors on a plan to restructure the business through bankruptcy court in the coming months, according to people with knowledge of the arrangements.

Buying Hooters to turn it into the world's first pay-what-you-can food pantry with virulently sexual undertones.

Aww. Absolutely delightful. Honored you thought of me!

Subway deconstructs its menu into an immersive, upscale 5-course dinner The fast-food chain’s culinary team showcased ingredients featured on its sandwich menu in each of the chef-curated courses.

Love this piece from Pat Cobe, the menu editor at @restaurantbusiness.bsky.social, about a fancy dinner put on by Subway using only the chain's ingredients to create white tablecloth dishes.

Yum Brands U.S. 4Q same-store sales:

KFC -5%
Taco Bell 5%
Pizza Hut -2%
Habit: flat

$YUM

The downfall of Eduardo Diaz's Pizza Hut empire The Bottom Line: How did one of the pizza chain’s largest franchisees fall out of favor with the brand and lose nearly 90% of its value in

Fabulous reporting by @jonathandmaze.bsky.social about the collapse of a once-thriving Pizza Hut franchisee's business. A $97 million deal to sell his stores fell through, highlighting the downfall of "the relationship between Pizza Hut and one of its largest operators."

Full, baked focaccia bread

Sliced, fresh-baked focaccia loaf

This @kingarthurbaking.bsky.social focaccia is pretty fantastic. www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2025/01...

Depressed about fascism coming to America? This one pot cassoulet will make you feel like you’re living in Vichy France.

Writing tip: After you finish, go back & cut all the adverbs. Then all the adjectives. Then all the other words. Eat the paper. Now you're free.