Personnel Updates:
Bargreen Ellingson named David Ellingson as President, replacing Paul Ellingson who remains as Chainman.
Cinemark Holdings promoted Tim Warner to CEO; he succeeds Alan Stock who is retiring 5/1/12.
Del Taco hired David Pear as Senior VP of Operations and Chad Gretzema as Senior VP of Operations Support and Engagement. Pete Honer was promoted to Senior VP of Finance with oversight for real estate, market planning and asset management, and Noah Chillingworth was promoted to VP of Marketing.
Domino’s Pizzanamed Kevin Vasconi as CIO/Exec VP.
Dunkin’ Brands Group appointed Giorgio Minardi as President, Dunkin’ Brands International.
Firehouse Subspromoted Doug Reifschneider to VP of Marketing Services, Kristen Majdanics to Director of Brand Marketing, Brittany Johnson to Regional Marketing Manager, and Matt Olsen to Digital Marketing Manager.
Jamba Inc. announced that Julie S. Washington will become Chief Brand Officer/Senior VP and Susan Shields will become Chief Innovation Officer/Senior VP.
Kona Grillannounced that COO Larry Ryback resigned to become COO of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro division.
Panerareported that CFO Jeff Kip has resigned, effective 3/15/11.
Quiznosannounced it has named Harsha V. Agadi as Executive Chairman.
Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Inc. announced that President/COO of Mitchell’s Fish Market Sam Tancredi will transition to a consulting role with the company, and Peter Beaudrault will assume the position of President and COO of the brand effective immediately.
Sonic Corp. announced the appointment of James O’Reilly as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer; he most recently held a similar position at Einstein Noah Restaurant Group.
Strategic Equipment and Supply Corp. named Karen McCain as CFO.
The Majestic Star Casino appointed Peter M. Liguori as CEO and President.
Tossedannounced the hiring of A. Michael (A.T.) Toroyan as Chief Development Officer.
TriMark USApromoted Mark Fishman and Kim Gill to the new role of corporate vice president.
Tropicana Entertainment appointed Tony Rodio as President/COO.
Zoe’s Kitchennamed Archie Andrews as VP of Design and Construction, Allyn Taylor as VP of Development, and Rachel Phillips-Luther as VP of Marketing.
Financial Focus:
Ameristar Casinos reported net revenue of $1,214,506,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Ashford Hospitality Trust reported total revenue of $889,797,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $158,258,000.
BJ’s Restaurants reported revenues of $620,943,000 for the year ending 1/3/12.
Boyd Gamingreported net revenues of $2,336,238,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $388,148,000.
Bravo Brio Restaurant Group reported revenues of $369,245,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
Buffalo Wild Wings reported total revenue of $784,478,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
Caribou Coffee Company reported total net sales of $326,504,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
Carrols Restaurant Group reported total revenues of $822,486,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
CEC Entertainment reported total revenues of $821,178,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Chesapeake Lodging Trust reported total revenue $172,191,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $37,781,000.
Chick-fil-Areported systemwide sales of $4,050,992,837 for 2011.
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported revenue of $2,269,548,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Cinemark Holdings Inc. reported total revenues of $2,279,613,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; concessions sales were $696,754,000.
Cineplex Inc.reported revenues of $998,195,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; concession sales were $291,638,000.
Denny’s Corporation reported total operating revenue of $538,534,000 for the year ending 12/28/11.

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DiamondRock Hospitality Corporation reported total revenues of $638,230,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $165,114,000.
Dunkin’ Brandsreported total revenues of $628,198,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Famous Dave’s of America reported total revenue of $154,811,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
Felcor Lodging Trust Inc. reported total revenues of $945,992,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $151,799,000.
Gaylord Entertainment reported total revenue of $886,755,000 from its Hospitality operations for the year ending 12/31/11.
Great Wolf Resorts reported total revenues of $296,708,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $46,507,000.
Host Hotels & Resorts reported total revenues of $4,998,000,000 for the year ending 12/31/2011; F&B sales were $1,427,000,000.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation reported total revenues of $3,698,000,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Keg Restaurants Ltd. reported systemwide sales of $$480,700,000 for 2011.
Kona Grill reported restaurant sales of $93, 657,000 for the year ending 12/31/2011.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. reported net revenues of $9,410,745,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
LaSalle Hotel Properties reported total revenues of $719,007,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $198,332,000.
Loews Corporation reported revenues from its hotels of $337,000,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Marriott International reported revenue from Lodging operations of $8,401,000,000 (excluding North American limited service) for the year ending 12/31/2011.
MGM ResortsInternational reported net revenue of $7,849,312,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $1,425,428,000.
Monarch Casino & Resort Inc. reported net revenue of $140,632,205 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $42,933,675.
Morgans Hotel Group reported total revenues of $2017,332,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $66,253,000.
O’Charley’s reported revenues of $827,087,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Inc. reported total revenues of $1,238,755,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
Panera Bread reported total revenues of $1,822,032,000 for the year ending 12/27/11.
Papa John’s International reported total revenues of $1,217,882,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
Papa Murphy’s International reported U.S. systemwide sales of $702,000,000 for 2011.
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust reported total revenue of $287,987,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were 92,898,000.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. reported net revenue of $371,919,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
Red Lion Hotelsreported total hotels revenue of $132,304,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $32,741,000.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers reported total revenues of $914,850,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
Regal Entertainment Group reported total revenues of $2,681,700,000 for the year ending 12/29/11; concessions sales were $708,000,000.
Ruth’s Hospitality Group reported total revenue of $369,573,000 for the year ending 12/25/11.
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. reported total revenue of $1,013,174,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Strategic Hotels & Resorts reported total revenues of $763,838,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $267,194,000.
Sunstone Hotel Investors reported total revenues of $834,729,000 for the year ending 12/31/11; F&B sales were $196,524,000.
Texas Roadhousereported total revenue of $1,109,226,000 for the year ending 12/27/11.
The Cheesecake Factory reported revenues of $1,757,624,000 for the year ending 1/3/12.
The Wendy’s Company reported revenues of $2,431,400,000 for the year ending 1/1/12.
Wyndham Hotel Group reported Lodging revenue of $749,000,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Wynn Resortsreported net revenues of $5
,269,792,000 for the year ending 12/31/11.
Mergers & Acquisitions:
FranWorks Group of Companies acquired Elephant & Castle Group.
Gordon Food Service announced January 31 that it has acquired Perkins, a leading broadline foodservice distributor located in Taunton, Massachusetts.
Morton’s Restaurant Group, Inc. was acquired by an affiliate of Fertitta Entertainment; the company subsequently closed eight Morton’s units.
NPC International, Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of 36 Pizza Hut units in the Jacksonville, FL, market.
O’Charley’s Inc. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by Fidelity National Financial; no time frame was announced.
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. announced its agreement to acquire a majority equity ownership position in True Food Kitchen, a Fox Restaurant Concept specializing in healthy, locally sourced and globally inspired meals.
Real Mex Restaurants, Inc. was acquired by a group of noteholders that includes Tennenbaum Capital Partners, Z Capital Partners and J.P. Morgan Investment Management, under the entity RM Opco LLC.
Spicy Pickle Franchising Inc. was acquired by Cibus Holding LLC; the transaction privatized the company.
SYSCO Corp.announced plans to acquire European Imports.
Industry Insight:
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s signed a franchise agreement for five restaurants in Qatar over the next 10 years.
Caesars Entertainment became a publicly owned company.
Front Burner Brands announced a franchise agreement for Melting Pot Restaurants in Saudi Arabia.
KFC has become the first U.S. fast food chain to operate in the Palestinian territories; KFC also opened a restaurant in Iran.
Marco’s Pizzahas partnered with privately held movie rental chain Family Video to open Marco’s outlets within as many as 350 of its movie stores.
Moe’s Southwest Grill has entered an international development deal to open 50 locations in Russia.
Spicy Pickle closed six of its seven corporate stores.
Starbuckswill be partnering with Target to open coffee shops inside the majority of the retailer’s new Canadian stores.
Typhoon! Inc.closed the last of its four locations on 2/4.
Real Estate:
Bob Evansexpects to remodel 90 restaurants in fiscal 2012 and 150-160 in fiscal 2013.
Buca di Beppoand General Growth Properties announced the scheduled opening of 10 Buca restaurants at malls owned by GGP during the summer of 2012.
Buffalo Wild Wings has selected eSite to provide support as the chain works toward a goal of having more than 1,000 restaurants by 2013.
Chick-fil-Aplans to open 92 new locations in 2012 and remodel more than 300 existing locations.
CiCi’s Pizzaplans to add 500 new restaurants by 2020; the company is actively seeking qualified multi-unit and single-unit operators to help grow the brand in Southern CA, the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and South FL, as well as select cities in TX and other regions across the nation
Corner Bakery Cafe reported that the following are key markets for expansion: the New York Metro area, Northern CA, Central and Northern FL, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Louisville, Columbus, Charlotte and Nashville.
Del Taco plans to open 60 restaurants in the metro Atlanta market.
Dunkin’ Donutsplans to add 11 stores in the Denver area and eight n El Paso, with the first opening as early as this year.
Energy Kitchenplans to open 21 new stores this year.
Famous Dave’s of America plans to open 15 units in 2012, including its first international location in Canada.
Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill announced a partnership with Gemini Investors to grow the chain.
Hurricane Grill & Wings announced that it has signed up its first MN franchisee with plans to open its inaugural restaurant here in October.
Jack in the Boxwill makes its Ohio debut sometime this summer in the Cincinnati market; the chain plans to open 25 to 30 this year.
Panera Breadannounced the opening of its 1,500th bakery-cafe and its first in Manhattan; the company plans to open 115-120 new units systemwide in 2012.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers expects to open 13-15 company-owned restaurants in 2012.
Schlotzsky’sis partnering with the Sac-N-Pac convenience store chain to open locations inside the stores; Schlotzsky’s plans to open 50-60 stores this year.
Sizzlerannounced a deal to develop five new restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and upgrade and remodel existing locations in Sacramento, Auburn, Pinole, Hayword and Santa Clara. Sizzler looks to continue its development in California and across the nation in a strategic expansion plan also targeting Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Kansas City, and St. Louis.
The Briad Groupannounced a licensing agreement with Fox Restaurant Concepts to develop Zinburger locations in all 23 states east of the Mississippi.
Yard House expects to open five locations this year.
Green Initiatives:
Chick-fil-Areceived LEED Gold certification for its restaurant at Montgomery Plaza, Fort Worth, TX. It is the first LEED Gold-certified restaurant in Fort Worth.
US Foods has announced that nearly 85% of its New York City area division’s annual energy will come from solar power by July 2012. The installation of rooftop solar panels at the warehouse in Perth-Amboy, N.J., is currently underway. The solar installation is the fourth at a US Foods distribution facility.