BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Hey Putin, don't even think about ordering a Super Mighty in Buffalo.

Mighty Taco, a Buffalo-based chain of Mexican fast-foot restaurants, has banned Russian President Vladimir Putin from all of the company's 23 locations in western New York.

The company known for its quirky ads announced on social media this week that effective immediately, Putin is banned from Mighty Taco for seizing Crimea from Ukraine. Mighty Taco's posting says Putin may be ordering around Crimea, but he won't be ordering a Super Mighty, one of the chain's most popular menu items.

The posting, which features a red-tinted photo of a gesticulating Putin, says he'll be "welcomed back" at Mighty Taco when he stops acting like a bully and "picking on people." Continue

CTlawreview.com - Pop superstars such as Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga don't make many live appearances in Connecticut. But their music is frequently played in bars, restaurants and other businesses.

Legally, the playing of that music—on the radio, or via a compact disc or MP3 players—in a commercial establishment is considered a "public performance." Technically, the bar or restaurant must pay a licensing organization.

Many don't. And that can lead to copyright infringement claims that sometimes evolve into full-fledged lawsuits.

Greater Hartford's Plan B Burger Bar chain, Cheshire's Waverly Inn and Willimantic's Lucky Frog are current targets of music copyright infringement suits, federal court records show. Continue

WTSP.com - The man arrested last year forpunching the manager of the New Dynasty restaurant in Sarasota pleaded guilty and has been sentenced for the fatal blow.

Sarasota Sheriff's deputies say Juan De Dios Rodriguez was one of three men who left the restaurant without paying for their $35 meal last July. When confronted by Taian "Andrew" Tian, Rodriguez punched him, knocking him to the ground and causing serious head trauma that led to his death.

Rodriguez received 11 years in prison for the manslaughter charge. He received an additional 15-year sentence for violating probation that stemmed from a prior gun charge in Manatee County.

At the time of his arrest, police say Rodriguez was a known, documented gang member with a violent history that included several weapons charges.

Tampabay.com -  Small breweries may not be as mighty as Anheuser-Busch distributors, but they showed a little muscle on Monday by helping to reshape a House bill that could have put some out of business.

"Some folks recognized that there were problems that needed to be addressed," said Josh Aubuchon, a Holland & Knight lobbyist who represents the Florida Brewers Guild, a consortium that includes 90 local breweries in Florida, including 28 in the Tampa Bay region.

HB 1329, sponsored by Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Fort Myers, would have legalized half-gallon containers, known as growlers, to sell craft beer. That size is legal in 47 other states, but not Florida.

But while Rodrigues' bill would make half-gallon growlers legal, it also came with many restrictions small breweries didn't like, so that only those with certain licenses were eligible. Aubuchon said additional restrictions would have made it difficult for many of the 90 breweries he is representing to operate. Continue

Fansided - Chicago Bears defensive lineman Henry Melton was arrested in December for an incident in at a Dallas area bar. Aside from throwing punches, he also allegedly but the owner of the bar.

The bar was trying too remove Melton for unruliness and details of the incident have leaked out, including allegations of the verbal jabs Melton threw at the restaurant employees.

According to the lawsuit, at the bar the night of the incident, Melton was telling restaurant workers that he “was a millionaire and the bartenders were nothing but poor white trash.”

Not so surprisingly, Melton’s agent Jordan Woy has released a statement in response claiming the opposite.

“We have recently reviewed the lawsuit and do not believe the validity of the allegations made. We look forward to providing the true facts in court and will defend this matter vigorously. We will seek to hold The Chill and others accountable for any and all damages Henry has suffered at the hands of multiple men who attacked him.”

Latinospost.com -  South Carolina police are looking for a man who attacked a 20-year-old man for belching at a fast food restaurant and not apologizing.

Police authorities from South Carolina reported that the young man was in the company of a friend in a Taco Bell when a man approached them and asked him if he had belched without apologizing, physically attacking him with a chair to his left elbow, reported The Huffington Post.

Early this year an act of intolerance ended in a tragedy after a Texas man stabbed his girlfriend for bringing pizza and not a chicken sandwich for dinner. Continue

Miaminewtimes.com - Attorneys have filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade Civil Court that claims Versailles Restaurantfired two employees for reporting illegal goings-on at the iconic eatery, including hiring undocumented workers, sexual-orientation harassment, and wage and hour violations.

The lawsuit, which names Versailles and its owner, Felipe A. Valls Sr., as defendants, was filed this past Friday on behalf of former Versailles general manager Rigoberto Hernandez and Adriam Mena, a former waiter there. The suit lists numerous charges the two men claim they witnessed during their time at the restaurant, which attracts some of Miami's top politicians. Hernandez claims the restaurant's human resources officer and co-owner, Janet Valls, said that "she could make the undocumented workers 'disappear' if they were ever investigated by immigration authorities." Continue

Forbes.com - It may be boom times for some restaurant chains, like stars Chipotle and Panera Bread, but don’t count Sbarro among those benefiting from the fast casual trend.

The fast food pizza chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than three years after it tried and failed to boost sales by revamping its menu and shuttering its worst-performing restaurants. In February, Sbarro said it would close 155 out of the 400 restaurants it owns in North America, though it still has more than 800 locations abroad and about 600 owned by franchisees (the latter will not be affected by the bankruptcy).

In its 2011 bankruptcy, the company slashed 80% of its $400 million debt load. This time, it wants to cut another $140 million worth of debt. While Sbarro is inviting other parties to submit offers to buy the company, its main lenders voted to support a “pre-packaged” plan to exchange the debt for control of a reorganized Sbarro. Continue

WCTV.tv - Police in suburban Atlanta say a man who was assaulted during a robbery in the bathroom of a fast food restaurant has died.

Gwinnett County police say 74-year-old Frederic Cooper died Tuesday of his injuries and 58-year-old Donald Thomas is now charged with murder.

Authorities have said Thomas followed Cooper into the bathroom of a McDonald's on Feb. 28 and tried grabbing Cooper's wallet. Police say Cooper turned around and was pushed to the floor. Investigators say Cooper fractured his back in the fall.

Police say surveillance video showed Thomas leaving the bathroom and hiding the man's wallet in his clothes Continue

Motorsportstalk.com -  A restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas that’s inspired by the 2006 NASCAR-themed movie “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” is now being sued by the studio that made the film.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures – which distributed the Will Ferrell comedy through its subsidiary, Columbia Pictures – filed a trademark lawsuit last week in federal court against the restaurant’s parent company, Rick’s Cabaret International, which deals primarily in running gentleman’s clubs in the United States.

RCI’s eatery is known as the Ricky Bobby Sports Saloon and Restaurant, which features a full-size replica stock car by its front door and waitresses that are known as “Smokin’ Hotties.” Continue