Goode Partners / Sicilian Oven and 19 More Restaurant News Headliners of the Past Week

Goode Partners/ Sicilian Oven, Layne’s Chicken Fingers, Angry Chickz, White Castle, and Ono Hawaiian BBQ lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending December 7, 2025.

 

1) Goode Partners Announces Strategic Investment in Sicilian Oven to Accelerate Growth
Sicilian Oven, the beloved Florida-based polished casual Italian restaurant known for its scratch-made, wood-fired dishes, just secured a major strategic investment from Goode Partners to fuel its national expansion and bring that amazing pizza to more cities.

 

2) Hospitality Industry Leader Natalie Hurley Joins Layne’s Chicken Fingers to Support Nationwide Expansion
Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the “Soon to be Famous” chicken franchise, is gearing up for major nationwide expansion by hiring hospitality veteran Natalie Hurley as VP of Marketing to maintain its cult following and fun brand identity.

 

3) Angry Chickz Enters New Mexico and Texas with 25-Unit Deal
Angry Chickz, the California brand known for its seriously fiery Nashville Hot Chicken, is finally spreading its delicious heat into Texas and New Mexico with a massive 25-unit franchise deal across major markets like Dallas–Fort Worth and Albuquerque.

 

4) White Castle Touches Down at Boston Logan International Airport
White Castle has officially landed at Boston Logan International Airport with a new, fully automated kiosk serving up hot, ready-to-eat Original Sliders and other craveable favorites in Terminal A.

 

5) Ono Hawaiian BBQ Expands into San Diego County with Six New Locations
Ono Hawaiian BBQ, the fast-growing chain famous for its authentic Hawaiian plate lunches and signature Aloha spirit, is finally bringing six new locations, including drive-thrus, to the eagerly awaiting San Diego County fans.

 

6) Chronic Tacos Celebrates Grand Opening in Redondo Beach With Week-Long Specials and Community Events
Chronic Tacos, the popular taco shop with the ultimate Southern California vibe, is celebrating its Grand Opening in Redondo Beach with awesome week-long specials, including buy-one-get-one-half-off deals on burritos and tacos.

 

7) Konala Franchisee Secures First New Jersey Drive-Thru Location in Belleville
Konala, the fast-growing healthy fast-food concept with high-protein bowls, is officially bringing its quick drive-thru service to New Jersey, with the first location secured by franchisee Anthony Menicola in Belleville.

 

8) Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ Expands to New Mexico with New Franchise Signing
Get ready, Albuquerque! Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ, the fun fast-casual spot specializing in delicious BBQ, tasty hot dogs, and lively trivia nights, is officially expanding into New Mexico with a new franchise location.

 

9) Don’t Settle for Less: Papa Johns Delivers Better for Just $9.99
Papa Johns is celebrating Cyber Monday by launching an incredible limited-time deal that lets you create your own small, medium, or large pizza with up to seven toppings for just $9.99.

 

10) Himes Breakfast House Launches Franchise Program Designed for Lifestyle-Friendly Ownership
Himes Breakfast House, the popular Florida-born concept famous for its scratch-made breakfast and brunch favorites, just launched a lifestyle-friendly franchise program to give entrepreneurs better work-life balance and a shot at bringing Southern-inspired hospitality to their town.

 

11) Coffee Just Got a Whole Lot Cooler: SONIC Introduces New Cold Coffee Lineup
SONIC Drive-In is shaking up the beverage game with a brand new, limited-time Cold Coffee Lineup featuring four refreshing options like the Coffee Chiller, Cold Foam Iced Coffee, and flavorful lattes, available now in select test markets.

 

12) Uptown Minneapolis is About to Get “Toasted”
Cheba Hut “Toasted” Subs, the counter-culture sandwich shop known for its wild vibes and full bar, is finally opening its doors in Uptown Minneapolis on December 8th, bringing unique art and delicious, toasty subs to the City of Lakes.

 

13) Ruby Slipper Debuts Cozy Winter Menu Full of Holiday Cheer
Ruby Slipper is rolling out a cozy and indulgent Winter Menu through mid-January, featuring festive delights like White Chocolate Cranberry Beignets, savory Grillades & Grits, and holiday-ready Winter Sangria perfect for brunch.

 

14) Unwrap Extra: Chipotle Is Gifting Fans Free Food This December
Chipotle is feeling generous this December, announcing its “Unwrap Extra” campaign that includes three straight Saturday BOGO deals on popular entrées and surprise free food drops for every Chipotle Rewards member.

 

15) Arrowhead Grill in Glendale Celebrates the Season with Its Holiday Prime Rib Trolley Experience in December
Arrowhead Grill in Glendale, Arizona, is celebrating the holidays with its ultra-luxurious, limited-edition Prime Rib Trolley Experience, where HeartBrand Akaushi Red Wagyu prime rib is carved right at your table.

 

16) JINYA Ramen Bar Unleashes Winter Chef’s Specials with Limited-Edition Demon Slayer Collectibles
JINYA Ramen Bar is launching its delicious new Tokyo Yatai Classic ramen and Crispy Chicken Wings alongside an epic limited-edition collaboration with “Demon Slayer,” featuring collectible ramen spoons of fan-favorite characters.

 

17) Golden Chick Strengthens Executive Team with Return of Bobby Brannon and Promotion of Tony Eisermann
Golden Chick is getting ready for a massive expansion into four new states by strengthening its executive team with the return of industry veteran Bobby Brannon (VP of Operations) and the promotion of Tony Eisermann (VP of Development).

 

18) Nick the Greek Brings Authentic Greek Street Food To Northern San Diego County
Nick the Greek is expanding its authentic Greek street food empire into Northern San Diego County with a brand-new restaurant in 4S Ranch serving up delicious gyros, souvlaki, and baklava.

 

19) GoTo Foods Appoints Omer Gajial as Chief Executive Officer
GoTo Foods, the platform behind several beloved foodservice brands, is signaling a major growth push by appointing former Albertsons and PepsiCo executive Omer Gajial as its new Chief Executive Officer to lead product innovation and expansion.

 

20) Krystal Rolls Out ‘Krystalmas’ 2025 With Daily Holiday Deals, Coca-Cola Sweepstakes and Big-Ticket Prizes for Loyalty Members
Krystal is bringing back the holiday cheer with Krystalmas 2025, treating Club Krystal loyalty members to a month of rotating daily deals on sliders and a massive Coca-Cola sweepstakes with chances to win free food and big prizes.