Final brunch: Portobello’s Grill offered its final brunch on Sunday after many years of serving the Baton Rouge community. On the restaurant’s Facebook page, owner Peter Sclafani expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who celebrated milestones, shared meals and made Portobello’s part of their lives. Gift cards will continue to be honored at sister restaurant SoLou, whose team many Portobello’s employees will now join.
Old soul, new boss: Cracker Barrel has named former Bloomin’ Brands Chief Executive David Deno as its new CEO effective Aug. 10, replacing Julie Masino after her attempted rebranding of the chain sparked widespread backlash over changes to its traditional image. Masino will remain in an advisory role until early October, while Deno is expected to focus on improving operations as the company faces continued revenue declines. Analysts say Deno’s long-term success will depend on strengthening the leadership team and building on Cracker Barrel’s traditional brand identity. Bloomberg has the full story.
Respect for US slips: For the first time, both Canadians and Mexicans now view China more favorably than they do the U.S., according to a Pew Research Center Survey. In both countries, more people express confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping than in President Donald Trump, with younger adults especially likely to hold positive views of China. These shifting attitudes are linked to declining confidence in U.S. leadership and policies, particularly in Mexico, where many now see China as a more reliable partner that contributes more to global stability and better respects Mexico’s interests than the U.S. Pew Research Center has the full story.
Nondisclosure agreements
