Foodservice | Chef’s Corner
FRY COOKS UP Innovation at Dandy’s
James Fry, foodservice director for Dandy Mini Marts, talks must-have equipment, pizza program success and his path to convenience store food. Erin Del Conte • Executive Editor
James Fry
Convenience stores continue to elevate their foodservice programs, bringing in chefs to tempt customers with menu offerings that rival those from fast-food restaurants. CStore Decisions caught up with Chef James Fry, foodservice director for Dandy Mini Marts, which operates 66 stores in Pennsylvania and New York. Sixtythree of those locations offer a foodservice program. Fry, who grew up in the restaurant business and ran his own fine-dining establishment, is now translating his expertise to the complex world of c-store foodservice. 48
CSTORE DECISIONS •
August 2022
CStore Decisions (CSD): How long have you been the food service director at Dandy Mini Marts and what attracted you to the position? James Fry (JF): I’ve been a food service director at Dandy for four years. Funny story: I was attending a regional food show, and I ran into Duane Phillips, Dandy’s general manager. I had known Duane for many
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