Jamba, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Fiscal Second Quarter of 2009

Highlights for the 12 weeks ended July 14, 2009, compared to the 12 weeks ended July 15, 2008:
- Consolidated EBITDA increased $0.3 million to $10.3 million from $10.0 million for 2Q08.*
- Store-level EBITDA decreased 6.9% to $18.5 million from $19.9 million for 2Q08.*
- Total revenue for 2Q09 decreased 15.1% to $83.2 million from $98.0 million for 2Q08.
- Net loss for 2Q09 of $(5.1) million showed significant improvement when compared to a net loss for 2Q08 of $(89.2) million. Included in the net loss for 2Q09 are a non-cash store impairment charge of $7.5 million, a write-off of $2.9 million for loan fees and discounts relating to the payoff of our senior term note, offset by a gain from derivative liabilities of $1.4 million associated with senior note holder's exercise of its' put option and the June expiration of the Company's warrants. Included in the net loss for 2Q08 are a non-cash charge of $49.7 million for trademark impairment, net of tax, and $3.3 million for store impairment charges, offset by $2.5 million in gain from derivative liabilities.
- Diluted loss per share for 2Q09 of $(0.10) compared to a diluted loss per share for 2Q08 of $(1.69).
- Company-owned comparable store sales for 2Q09 decreased 13.7%(1) ,which contributed to the decrease in store-level EBITDA.

Read more;
http://ir.jambajuice.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=404310

Tourist imprisoned in French town hall

A young British woman was locked in the town hall of a small French town overnight after mistaking the "hôtel de ville" for a "hotel".

Read more:
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Industry+Sectors/Tourism/Hotels

Yet another confirmation on why the internet is the only growth channel in 2009-10

The latest eTRAK Q1 2009 report on hotel bookings by channel confirms yet again that today the online channel is the only growth channel in hospitality. In these difficult times, when travel supply outweighed travel demand by far, Internet bookings for the top 30 hotel brands increased by a remarkable 6.3% in Q1 2009 vs. Q1 2008 (eTRAK).

Read more:
http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_nshw.php?mwi=6232

Buyers Redefining Dynamic Pricing

AUGUST 17, 2009 -- Travel buyers and hoteliers, fatigued with repeated renegotiations to keep up with constantly falling hotel rates, are exploring dynamic pricing in hotel program negotiations this year, but largely coming to the table with disparate views of what such pricing would entail.During the seller's market of the past few years, the push for dynamic pricing—negotiating a percentage off the best available rate rather than using a flat rate—came largely from hoteliers, while most buyers saw it as a budgeting nightmare (BTNonline, July 31, 2006).

Read more:
http://www.btnonline.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/frontpage_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004003459

Marriott Disowns One Hotel's Defense in Rape Case

Marriott International is seeking to distance itself from a legal defense employed by one of its franchise hotels, which suggested that a Connecticut woman "failed to exercise due care" before she was raped at gunpoint in front of her children in a hotel parking garage.

Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/18/AR2009081803491.html

Cambrian Hotels is liquidated

Cambrian Hotels, which owned the Castle of Brecon hotel in Wales, has been liquidated following its collapse into administration in January this year.
Cambrian Hotels, which owned the 37-bedroom hotel in Powys, appointed Robert Lewis and Derek Howell of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to handle the administrative process.

Read more:
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2009/08/24/329360/former-castle-of-brecon-owner-cambrian-hotels-is-liquidated.html

Demand for bottom-end pubs remains strong

Demand for bottom-end freehold pubs continues to be strong despite the pressures facing the sector, according to property agent Christie & Co.
Christie’s has just completed the sale of two such pubs in Edinburgh which had been closed for three years and one of which sold within a week of being placed on the market.

Read more:
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2009/08/24/329361/demand-for-bottom-end-pubs-remains-strong.html

Restuarnt Stock Performance - Update

Updated stock performance as of Friday August 21, 2009

http://workspace.office.live.com/?id=pACQ1ZDcxYzM1MS01ZTc1LTRjMmMtYTEwOC1kNmE1NDYyMWM5YmMAe-ErNRhlSFNIk3-1-lgw21x9ACdlcmljLmhlcnRoYUBob3NwaXRhbGl0eWJ1c2luZXNzbmV3cy5jb20AABQ6jNJEgtTOoo12_fkSnyhkfWMtOAAA&cid=40

Chipotle Mexican Grill: Healthy Balance Sheet, Smoking Stock

CMG has become highly successful by offering fast service and high-quality Mexican food in a casual atmosphere. All dishes are prepared using fresh ingredients. The company emphasizes the use of raw ingredients that are raised without the use of animal byproducts, antibiotics or hormones, as well as produce that is grown using sustainable farming methods.

Read more:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/157866-chipotle-mexican-grill-healthy-balance-sheet-smoking-stock?source=yahoo

Unity House bids $8.5M for former W hotel

A nonprofit organization that serves union workers was the high bidder at a foreclosure auction Tuesday for the Lotus at Diamond Head hotel.
Unity House Inc. bid $8.5 million for the former W Honolulu hotel, outbidding lenders First Hawaiian Bank and Central Pacific Bank at the public auction outside 1st Circuit Court in Honolulu.

Read more:
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/08/17/daily27.html

London restaurants ride out recession

The economic downturn has not dimmed Londoners’ appetite for eating out with fewer restaurants closing in the past year than at any time since 2000 according to the latest edition of Harden’s London Restaurants.
Only 64 London restaurants have closed over the past year which is slightly below the normal annual level while the average price of dining out rose 1.6 per cent to £40.73.

Read more:
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article6804384.ece

That order taker may be at home

Instead of getting the usual greeting from a restaurant worker shouting over the din of a noisy kitchen, customers who drive through the McDonald's in Sellersburg, Ind., might have their orders taken by a stay-at-home mom in North Dakota.

Read more:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009908150334

Host Hotels to sell up to $400 mln shares

NEW YORK, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Host Hotels & Resorts (HST.N) plans to sell up to $400 million of shares, which it expects to use for future acquisitions, repaying debt and general purposes, the hotel owner said in a filing on Thursday.
Based on its Wednesday closing price of $9.67, Host, which owns 113 luxury and upper-upscale properties, could sell slightly more than 41 million shares.

Read more;
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2051204720090820?rpc=401&

Militants behind Indonesia hotel bombs plotted to shoot Barack Obama

Militants behind the hotel bombings in Jakarta also planned to use snipers to attack Barack Obama’s convoy, according to an intelligence expert.
A link between the suicide bombings at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels on July 17, which killed nine people and wounded 53, and funding from a group linked to al-Qaeda is also being investigated, Dynno Chressbon, from the Centre for Intelligence and National Security, said.

Read more;
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6804565.ece

Rotherham seeks minimum price for pubs

Rotherham licensees are being asked to sign up to a “voluntary” code of conduct that includes a form of minimum pricing at £1 per drink.

The code, drawn up by the police and local council with the help of licensees, will also outlaw all-inclusive deals and ensure door prices aren’t connected to the sale of alcohol. It also commits venues to abide by Challenge 21, mirroring “contracts” signed by hosts in Bexley, Kent

Read more:
http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/article/84136