Things To Do In SW Florida

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation shut down two Central Florida restaurants for health code violations during the week from Jan 25-31.

Orange

Lily’s Creole Restaurant at 607 Pine Hills Road in Orlando shut down on Jan. 26. Inspectors found 16 violations, one of which was a high priority for more than 120 rodent droppings found behind the prep cooler, 50 on the perimeter of a wall room where a chest freezer is located and 20 behind the hot water heater. A second inspection occurred on Jan. 27. Inspectors found 11 violations, none of which were high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards.

Volusia

Iron Axe Bar & Grill, Inc. at 2842 S Ridgewood Ave. in South Daytona shut down on Jan. 30. Inspectors found 18 violations, five of which were high priorities. Those violations included more than 65 rodent droppings found around the restaurant, a stop-sale issued on food due to temperature abuse, an employee failing to wash their hands before putting on gloves to work with food and raw food stored next to ready-to-eat food. A second inspection occurred the same day. Inspectors found eight violations, none of which were a high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards. read more

Orlando-based Darden Restaurants announced Tuesday it would be closing all of its remaining Bahama Breeze locations nationwide, ending the brand after 30 years.

Half of the 28 Bahama Breeze locations across the country will be converted into Darden’s other restaurant brands over the next 12 to 18 months and are expected to continue operating until any temporary closures are needed to convert them, the company said. The other 14 will be permanently closed as of April 5.

Darden said it doesn’t expect the closures to have a material impact on its financial results.

“The company believes the conversion locations are great sites that will benefit several of the brands in its portfolio,” Darden said. “Going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio.”

The first Bahama Breeze location opened on International Drive in 1996 and was an instant hit. Its Caribbean-inflected menu includes such offerings as Yuca Cheese Sticks, Chicken Tostones and Coconut Shrimp, along with a selection of Mai Tais, Mojitos and Margaritas. read more

By CHAN HO-HIM

HONG KONG (AP) — China will ban hidden door handles on cars, commonly used on Tesla’s electric vehicles and many other EV models, starting next year.

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All car doors must include a mechanical release function for handles, except for the tailgate, according to details released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Monday.

Officials said the policy aims to address safety concerns after fatal EV accidents where electronic doors reportedly failed to operate and trapped passengers inside vehicles.

The new requirement will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. For car models that were already approved, carmakers will have until Jan. 1, 2029, to make design changes to match the regulations. read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

PURCHASE, NY (AP) — PepsiCo is cutting prices on Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips this year to win back customers exasperated by years of price hikes.

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“For some consumers, low- and middle-income consumers, the biggest friction they have today in our category… is affordability,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said Tuesday during a conference call with investors. “So we have been testing multiple ways to give them affordability.”

PepsiCo has leaned on price increases as the cost of packaging, ingredients and transportation rose. In the fourth quarter, PepsiCo hiked prices by 4.5% globally. Prices for PepsiCo beverages rose 7% in North America, while prices for the company’s snacks ticked up 1%. read more

By DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press

It’s a tale as old as time, or at least as old as TikTok: chicken nuggets lovingly topped with a dab of caviar.

McDonald’s is embracing the trend this Valentine’s Day with a limited-time McNugget Caviar kit. The free kit, which will be available on McNuggetCaviar.com on Feb. 10, pairs a one-ounce tin of Paramount’s Siberian sturgeon caviar with a $25 McDonald’s gift card to buy McNuggets. McDonald’s is even throwing in some crème fraiche and a caviar spoon.

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Valentine’s Day is big business for U.S. restaurants. It’s the second-most popular holiday for dining out after Mother’s Day, according to the National Restaurant Association. read more