Business

Last year, Taco Bell and Starbucks both made waves by introducing mobile apps. This year, Wendy's will jump on the bandwagon by installing mobile-friendly point of sale terminals at over 2,600 locations. The new payment system will complement the existing Wendy's mobile rewards program and open up the possibility of mobile ordering in the future. Wendy's hopes that the new system will provide customers with more ways to order and pay for their food. Eventually, the line should be cut out altogether, and customers will be able to make an order, track it and pay for it from their phones. Right now, the new system is in operation at 957 locations, all the locations operated directly by the company. Mobile ordering is already available at seven locations in Columbus, OH, and service should b...

According to a recent report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, it looks like the home improvement industry is due for some much needed remodeling of its own. Following years of steadily declining revenue, experts say there is a rapidly growing number of homeowners who would rather improve than move. However, according to the report, the home improvement industry as a whole has fared far better the general housing market, so much so that industry experts predict record spending on home improvements in 2015. The industry is in the midst of reinventing itself after years of falling revenue, said Kermit Baker, director of the joint center's Remodeling Futures Program. The entire industry "is finding new ways to address emerging growth markets and rebuild its wo...

It's common knowledge that hybrid cars are better for the environment than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles; hybrids release between 25% and 35% less harmful emissions into the environment, on average. Since hybrids have been on the market for some time now, there is another issue that can affect the environment, however -- and not in a positive way. Hybrid batteries do fail and, in fact, this has been a major source of anxiety for hybrid owners, since replacement was so costly and in many cases unexpected. Battery warranties vary by state, but the average is eight years or 100,000 miles. Hybrid batteries, however, were failing as soon as six years after the initial purchase. These days, hybrid batteries are more efficient, better performing, and longer lasting -- but recy...

The city of Tempe, Arizona is providing relief for its residents through landscaping discounts. Azfamily.com reports that the city government has negotiated a referral program for its residents. Known as the "Tempe Landscape Referral" program, the initiative offers residents discounted rates for three local landscaping companies. The discounts can save residents up to 25% from what they would pay otherwise for basic landscaping services. "The City uses its, basically, bulk purchasing ability to get you the best rate possible," said city council member Kolby Granville. "You contract with them, they do the work. You pay on a monthly basis: $35 a month for the front yard and $70 a month during the summer months." The three landscaping companies -- Artistic Land Management , Inc., J.A. Dese...

With the Pope's highly anticipated visit to the City of Brotherly Love rapidly approaching, how are Philadelphians going to rock their papal pride? One young, newlywed couple hailing from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania may have the perfect answer: Pope T Shirts. Newly married couple Michael and Ally Tandarich are designing custom Pope Francis T-Shirts -- the Official Pope Francis Philadelphia Apparel, mind you -- with great emphasis on what the city of Philadelphia is known for: brotherly love, of course. Michael, who also runs a branding agency in the city, No-Comply Designs, felt that designing custom t-shirts would be an excellent way to show support and give back to the Catholic community while continuing to build excitement for the papal visit. Also, it gives papal fans something unique to...

Millions of people will likely need bankruptcy help at some point in their lives. However, seeing prominent companies begin the same process can often come as a surprise. For this reason, many people were shocked to learn that RadioShack Corp., a technology retailer that has been in business for almost a century, will close on a bankruptcy agreement on or after after Thursday, February 5. RadioShack traces its roots back to 1921, when the company began as a mail-order retailer for amateur radio operators and maritime communications officers. Over time, the company shifted its focus, becoming the go-to source of hard-to-find electronics and other technology. In recent years, however, RadioShack has faced increasing competition from Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and other tech retailers. To make m...

The Washington State House of Representatives is currently considering bills that would seek to make oil transportation safer for workers, the public and the environment, if passed. According to the Columbian, one of these bills, House Bill 1449, would increase regulations placed on railway and waterway oil transportation. The bill would require all railroads to develop a set of procedures and plans for oil spills, and to report information about the oil loads they transport to the state Department of Ecology. In addition, the bill seeks to increase the tax levied on oil transported by rail and pipeline. For oil transportation workers in Washington state, safety has long been a neglected priority, the bill's supporters say. "What I've seen ... is safety takes a backseat to product...

A recent study by nonprofits As You Sow and the Natural Resources Defense Council showed that the food industry has a long way to go toward reducing the environmental impact of their product packaging. The study analyzed 47 prominent companies and ranked them Poor, Needs Improvement, Better Practices, or Best Practices based on their commitment to recycled content, recyclability in materials used, switching to reusable packaging, and boosting material recycling. Of the 47 companies analyzed, zero achieved Best Practices status, and only two (Starbucks and McDonalds) reached Better Practices. McDonalds reached Better Practices status by reducing the weight of its packaging and using 33% post-consumer recycled content to make its sandwich boxes. McDonalds has also made a pledge to phase ou...

Currently, it’s up to Florida drivers to educate themselves on the risks of buying used car tires. But a bill introduced in the Florida Senate would make it illegal to sell unsafe used tires in the state. Staffers of Sen. Greg Evers, the bill’s sponsor, told the local CBS affiliate Feb. 6 that the bill is intended to address predatory used tire businesses that exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge, as well as safety issues associated with some used tires. In January, the Rubber Manufacturers Association said that it expected seven states, including Florida, to consider legislation regulating used tire sales in 2015 (Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas round out that list). The goal of such legislation, the group said, should be to improve “highway and motorist...

In a disconcerting update on Target's store-closing catastrophe in Canada, another problem has just emerged: many of the Target locations had brought franchised pharmacists into the stores, and now that every store is being closed, Target is forcing those pharmacists to sell their own businesses at absurdly low prices to rival chain store Walmart. And what's even worse -- thousands of patient health records, once belonging to these Target pharmacies, now seem to be hanging in limbo, waiting to be sold to the highest bidder. When U.S.-based Target decided to close all of its 133 Canadian stores at the beginning of 2015, it's safe to say that no one was surprised. The company, which has chain stores all across the U.S. and is very successful in the American market, had been struggling to f...