Yum details growth targets

Yum! Brands Inc. continues to see growth opportunities in its key markets, especially China, and plans aggressive expansion in other parts of the world, from Africa to Russia, executives at the company told investors Wednesday.

Yum officials discussed the company's financial outlook at the annual investor conference, including projections of a 14-percent increase in 2010 earnings and a 10-percent increase for earnings next year.

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Host Hotels unit to buy 7 hotels in New Zealand

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — A unit of Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. has agreed to acquire seven hotels in New Zealand for $143 million, the real estate investment trust said Tuesday.
Affiliates of Tourism Asset Holdings Ltd. sold six of the properties, while the remaining hotel was sold by an affiliate of Accor.
The hotels, which are located in Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and Wellington, have more than 1,200 rooms combined.

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Romeo's Pizza goes to St. Louis

A slice of Northeast Ohio is heading west.

It's many slices — pizza slices — actually.

Romeo's Pizza, headquartered in Medina, has signed an agreement that allows a franchisee to open 90 stores in the St. Louis area.

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Dunkin’ Donuts percolating in Milwaukee

Dunkin’ Donuts has signed a multi-unit store-development agreement with the Milwaukee Coffee Brewing Company. The deal entails a plan to open 36 new restaurants in the central and southern parts of Milwaukee.
The units will be under the operation of six existing Northeast Dunkin’ Donuts franchisees, who are partners of the MCBC. They currently run more than 370 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in metro and upstate New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.

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Wingstop launches franchise incentive program

As part of its aggressive expansion campaign, Wingstop has announced a franchise incentive program designed to help new and existing franchises open more restaurants nationwide.
The program is the first of its kind being offered by the chain to attract more multi-unit owners.
"With the launch of this program we are taking the most aggressive approach in our company's 16-year history," said David Vernon, vice president of franchise sales for Wingstop. "The Wingstop concept was built on a simple operating platform that appeals to multi-unit investors and entrepreneurs who want to own their own business. We are offering this program for a limited time to accelerate our growth into both existing and new markets."

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Irish Clarion group loses €4.6m

THE company that operates the Clarion Hotel and Quality Hotel chains in Ireland lost €4.6m before tax last year, according to accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office.
Despite an operating profit of more than €8m, the loss was recorded after property costs of €12.5m were deducted from its €39m turnover.

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South L.A. restricts new Fast food restaurants

While there are an abundance of fast food restaurant options for diners in South L.A. right now the future of the restaurant landscape might soon look very different: today, by a vote of 13-0, the L.A. City Council approved a set of permanent design guidelines that would severely restrict the development of new, stand-alone fast food establishment for the L.A. neighborhoods of South L.A., Southeast L.A. and West Adams

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Arizona Restaurant puts "Rudolph" on the menu

TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 8 (UPI) -- An Arizona restaurant is getting into the holiday spirit by temporarily offering a special all-reindeer menu.

The Caffe Boa in Tempe, which made headlines last Easter with an all-rabbit menu, said it will be serving North American caribou from Colorado and Idaho in a variety of dishes, including caribou tartare gilded with pickled quail egg and caribou tongue bruschetta with pickled watermelon radish and horseradish cream, The Arizona Republic reported Wednesday.

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Maid finds body parts scattered around L.A. hotel room, in backpack

A Pennsylvania couple is wanted in the slaying and dismemberment of a Hollywood man whose body was "cut up into five different parts -- basically his limbs were removed," said a Los Angeles detective.
The body was found in a hotel near downtown Los Angeles' skid row. Los Angeles Police Department detectives are seeking Edward Garcia Jr., 36, and his wife, Melissa Hope Garcia, 25 (also known as Melissa Turner). They are believed either to be in Hollywood or en route to Pennsylvania, said LAPD Det. Kelle Baitx.

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Interstate to run Blackstone hotels

Arlington-based Interstate Hotels & Resorts, taken private by investors including China's largest hotel group this year, will manage more hotels owned by New York-based investment firm The Blackstone Group.

Interstate Hotels, will add 13 Blackstone-owned properties to its portfolio, including the Westin Washington D.C. City Center and the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel.

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Hawaii hotel occupancy rates continue to rise

Hotel occupancy rates throughout Hawaii continued to rise compared with a year ago, while average room rates declined slightly, according to a report released Tuesday by Hospitality Advisors LLC.
The monthly analysis found that statewide hotel occupancy averaged almost 70.9 percent in October, an increase of 4.5 percentage points over the same month last year.

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McDonald's Sales Rise Less Than Expected in November

McDonald's Corp.'s same-store sales rose 4.8% in November from a year earlier, driven by its McRib sandwich in the U.S. and continued strong demand for McCafe beverages.

Shares were down 1.6% at $79.05 in premarket trading as the latest numbers missed analysts' estimates for growth of 5.6% globally, including a 5.1% rise in the U.S. The stock was up 29% this year through Tuesday's close.
McDonald's also said currency fluctuations are expected to hurt fourth-quarter earnings by one to two cents a share.

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