Technomic

Technomic estimates that revenue was flat, at roughly $270 million, when Mr. Cain left in 1995 to focus on his lead role at the National Restaurant Association, the industry lobbying group.

Cain's Legacy: Selling Big Ideas Julie Jargon 2011

Closely-held Godfather's doesn't disclose financial data, but Technomic said the chain provided it with a sales figure of $262.8 million in 1986, the year Mr. Cain became chief executive.

Cain's Legacy: Selling Big Ideas Julie Jargon 2011

"Labor costs are a real problem for restaurants this year," said Ron Paul , president of Technomic, a Chicago-based industry research and consulting firm.

McDonald's Aims to Change Image of 'McJob' Annie Gasparro 2011

According to Tom Miner, a consulting principal at Technomic, a Chicago-based food services industry consulting firm, the wholesale food cost of a dollar slice of pizza is roughly 40 to 45 cents.

Biting Into Pizza That Costs Just Eight Bits Sumathi Reddy 2011

"What we've seen in the past few years is a resistance to passing on the pricing increases that a lot of restaurants have had, obviously because of the recession and the economic climate," said Darren Tristano , executive vice president of Technomic, a Chicago restaurant research and consulting firm.

Unwanted New Item on Menu: Higher Prices Sumathi Reddy 2011

Wendy's U.S. same-store sales are forecast to rise 1.1%, while Burger King's U.S. and Canada same-store sales will drop 3.9%, according to market-research firm Technomic Inc.

Wendy's Stages a Palace Coup Julie Jargon 2011

That means sales at Wendy's U.S. restaurants—both franchised and company-owned—are on track to be $8.42 billion or $53 million higher than Burger King's this year, according to an analysis conducted for The Wall Street Journal by Technomic.

Wendy's Stages a Palace Coup Julie Jargon 2011

Wendy's : $1.4 million Burger King : $1.2 million McDonald's : $2.3 million Source: Technomic

Wendy's Stages a Palace Coup Julie Jargon 2011

Burger King reports its U.S. and Canadian sales together, but Technomic extrapolated the data to show that Burger King had 2010 U.S. systemwide sales of $8.7 billion, just $370 million higher than Wendy's, compared with a $542 million difference in 2009.

Wendy's Stages a Palace Coup Julie Jargon 2011

"Having a great deal of debt hampers your ability to grow because you're paying back interest, rather than investing in the brand," said Darren Tristano , executive vice president at restaurant consulting firm Technomic Inc.

LBO, Recession Singe Quiznos Julie Jargon 2011