The Latest
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Kendall Davis/Restaurant Dive
Ghost restaurant calculator
Thinking about developing a ghost kitchen business plan? Use this calculator to crunch the numbers and determine profitability.
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Courtesy of Zipline
Sweetgreen teams with Zipline for drone delivery
Zipline’s new home delivery platform would use 97% less energy than deliveries fulfilled by car, the company claims.
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Courtesy of Popeyes
Popeyes franchisee files for bankruptcy following founder’s death
Premier Cajun Kings marks the third franchisee within the Restaurant Brands International’s system to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this year.
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Courtesy of McDonald's
McDonald’s hires Tabassum Zalotrawala as chief development officer
Zalotrawala, who resigned from Chipotle earlier this week, will lead McDonald’s effort to accelerate U.S. store development and unit growth.
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Courtesy of Denny's
Denny’s serves up AR experience with new menu overhaul
Guests can take a virtual tour of Denny’s new menu and get exclusive deals, as part of a brand update that includes new kitchen equipment and food offerings.
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Permission granted by Hawaiian Bros
Hawaiian Bros signs first multi-unit franchise deal for 75 units
The roughly 30-unit fast casual chain will more than double its unit count in a deal with Stine Enterprises to open restaurants in Arizona and North Texas.
Updated March 15, 2023 -
Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
California court defends independent contractor status for gig workers
The California Court of Appeal upheld the independent contractor provision of Prop 22, but struck down portions that would’ve made it almost impossible to amend the law.
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Grubhub CEO Adam DeWitt resigns
DeWitt leaves Grubhub May 1 after 11 years at the company and nearly two years as CEO. Howard Migdal, current CEO at sister company SkipTheDishes, will succeed him.
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Permission granted by Chipotle
Chipotle’s chief development officer departs
Tabassum Zalotrawala, who has been at the fast casual chain for over four years and helped develop the Chipotlane, has resigned from her position.
Updated March 14, 2023 -
Courtesy of Church’s Texas Chicken
Church’s Texas Chicken hires Burger King vet as US COO
Roland Gonzalez, who has over a decade of restaurant experience, joins the QSR amid a C-suite hiring spree, including CFO, CMO and CEO hires within the past year.
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Courtesy of Cinnaholic
Cinnaholic debuts points-based loyalty program
The 82-unit cinnamon roll brand plans to open 25 units in 2023, and is offering customers a number of minor rewards to incentivize enrollment.
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Emma Beckett/Restaurant Dive
Sweetfin, Stellar Pizza detail cost-saving robotics strategies
Sweetfin uses Coco Delivery bots to deliver food within two miles in 15 minutes, while Stellar Pizza’s robotic truck can bake pizzas with just one human employee.
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Andrew Burton via Getty Images
Potbelly secures first refranchising agreement
The deal with United One Group, which includes eight refranchised units, will add another 13 new restaurants to New York City by 2031.
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Permission granted by Dave's Hot Chicken
How Dave’s Hot Chicken grew from 2 units to 118 in just 3 years
The chicken brand’s meteoric rise is driven by a national supply chain deal, an emphasis on recruiting highly experienced operators and strong word of mouth.
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Kate Tornone/Restaurant Dive
DOL: Florida restaurants withheld $190K from workers to cover operating costs
Investigators in the agency’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $27 million for 22,531 foodservice workers during fiscal year 2022.
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Courtesy of Noodles & Company
Noodles & Company to test dynamic pricing
Digital menu boards will offer not only flexibility in promotions and featured items at the fast casual chain, but could also allow for pricing tweaks.
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Courtesy of Kitchen United
Why Kitchen United is pumping the brakes on mall strategy
Grocery outposts through its Kroger partnership give Kitchen United better access to customers and deeper relationships with partner restaurants, executives said during a Curbivore conference.
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Retrieved from Gopuff press release.
Gopuff makes third round of layoffs since last spring
Latest staff cuts include about 2% of the company’s global workforce, according to a company spokesperson.
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Moyo Studio via Getty Images
Shift4 needles rival Toast
Toast and Shift4 are battling to win larger customers in the intensely competitive restaurant payments arena.
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Second major Burger King franchisee declares bankruptcy
Meridian Restaurants Unlimited, which operates over 115 Burger Kings in nine states, cited rising costs and decreased foot traffic as the main drivers of profitability and cash flow trouble.
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Courtesy of The Habit Burger Grill
Habit Burger names first global CMO
Jack Hinchliffe, who won awards for marketing at KFC U.K. and Ireland, has moved to the burger chain as Yum Brands looks to keep up rapid growth.
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Permission granted by Starbucks Workers United
Starbucks to appeal major NLRB judge ruling
Starbucks will fight a judge’s finding that the chain violated labor law as the brand uses the courts to run out the clock on the union drive.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
NYC cuts proposed delivery worker wage floor by almost $4
Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash persuaded the city to reduce its 2025 target base pay by $3.86 an hour, arguing workers would be compensated by “multi-apping.”
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Scott Olson via Getty Images
How Applebee’s new president plans to revive franchisee development
With high costs hurting potential ROI on new builds, Tony Moralejo wants to save with a new kitchen prototype and franchisee incentives.
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Permission granted by Fat Brants
Fat Brands CEO to resign, citing federal investigation
Andy Wiederhorn will remain with the restaurant firm until May 5, at which point he will act as an outside consultant and strategic advisor for the holding company he founded.
