Foodservice Equipment Reports

TGI Fridays has signed a deal that will lead to its first-ever expansion into the Balkans. The brand will partner with Devolli Group, which will develop 10 TGI Fridays restaurants across Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia. The brand says the deal represents a milestone in its 1-2-3 Strategic Vision to operate more than 1,000 restaurants worldwide by 2030.

Aiming to help operators prepare for public safety incidents, the National Restaurant Association has released its Always Ready: Public Safety guide. “Restaurants are built on hospitality and openness, serving as gathering places for families, friends and communities,” notes the association. “While that accessibility is essential to the industry, it can also create vulnerabilities.

Twosome Place, a South Korean cafe brand, will make its U.S. debut next month with a store opening in Alexandria, Va. Twosome Place opened its first store in Seoul in 2002 and has grown to more than 1,750 locations. “Our debut in the Washington region is an important milestone for Twosome Place as we look ahead to future growth in the U.S.,” says Jay (Young Joo) Moon, CEO of Twosome Place Korea, in the release.

The Walmart app is gaining new energy with a Dunkin’ add-on. Soon, shoppers of the 150 Walmart stores with existing in-store Dunkin’ units will be able to select Dunkin’ beverages and meals to be included with delivery orders. Eligible customers will see the option in the Restaurants tab on the Walmart app. Eventually, customers at the majority of Walmart’s 10,000 locations also will be able to order from traditional Dunkin’ locations outside of Walmart, says the announcement.

Chipotle is making good on its plans announced a year ago to open its first unit in Asia. On Sept. 2, the brand announced the opening of the new unit in Seoul, South Korea, in partnership with Sangmidang Holdings (formerly SPC Group). The partnership also currently entails two more locations in South Korea by the end of 2026, followed by Chipotle’s first restaurant in Singapore in 2027.

ITW FEG has named Elton Johnson as director of dealer service. Johnson will serve as a dedicated point of contact for ITW FEG’s dealer community, supporting installation quotations, service opportunities and escalation needs across all its brands, including Hobart, Vulcan and Traulsen. “Elton’s role is an important next step in our ongoing support of our dealer partners,” says Markus Glueck, group president, ITW FEG, in the release.

ACP Inc. has made several updates to its sales team. The company has promoted Chris Bugher to manager-Eastern region sales and corporate chef, and expanded Heidi Connors’ role to director-Central region sales and key accounts. Bugher joined ACP in May 2025, and since then has demonstrated strong culinary skills, presented ACP products with confidence and served as a collaborative team member.

Flight-type dishmachines are the hard-working behemoths behind some of the industry’s largest foodservice operations, from hospitals to convention centers to university dining halls. Dishrooms revolve around these hulking heroes, which operators count on to deliver clean, sanitized wares for service. If you’re in the market to replace an older flight-type, you’re in for some good news: Newer options use significantly less water, energy and detergent than what you’re used to.

As negative as micromanagement is, it gains appeal in the realm of cooking oil, where finer details can come at a cost. From oil delivery and dispensing to filtration and disposal, an oil management system’s key components enable customers to keep reaching for consistently appetizing finger foods like french fries, fried chicken and mozzarella sticks. But the value extends beyond the plate, too, with equipment options built to ensure compliance, ease labor and kick back value.

Tabletop items don’t cook food or wash dishes like equipment but when done well, they can make a big impact on an operation. “The right tabletop strategy can strengthen brand identity, increase perceived value, support menu innovation and improve operational performance,” says KJ McCann, director of merchandising at Edward Don & Company. Tabletop trends she sees happening now include the following: 1. CURATED ECLECTICISM. It’s the biggest trend she sees.