The Latest

  • An image of a person holding a brown bag leaving a Chipotle store front.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Tracking the same-store sales of 23 major restaurant chains

    Q2 2026 saw more evidence of a casual dining resurgence, as fast casual sales stabilized and QSRs posted mixed results.

    Updated Aug. 27, 2026
  • Man smilling with a coffee in his hand
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    Permission granted by Rokt
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    Sponsored by Rokt

    Restaurant CFOs need a new margin lever. Start with the assets already in place.

    Restaurant CFOs can protect margins by unlocking high-margin revenue from existing guest touchpoints.

  • A sign that indicates food allergy warnings.
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    chameleonseye via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Restaurants are about to inherit the food industry’s hardest labeling problem

    Multistate operators need to create a single plan to satisfy allergen notification rules across state lines, writes Steritech’s Chris Boyles.

  • A zoomed in image of a white store with a red Bojangles logo.
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Bojangles will bring voice AI to 100 more drive-thrus

    Hi Auto’s voice ordering tech processes 1 million orders a week across 500 Bojangles restaurants with 98% accuracy, the chain said.

  • A view of a Wendy's restaurant on May 12, 2021 in Pinole, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Meritage to sell 42 Wendy’s restaurants for $18.6M

    The operator plans to divest units across Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri to Divine Infinity Operations as part of its bankruptcy proceedings.

  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo wants to kill delivery commissions

    The restaurant software company’s CEO says its new app can bring delivery to consumers for less, while avoiding exorbitant commission rates for restaurants.

  • A close-up photograph of four drinks from Sweetgreen.
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen expands craft drink lineup

    Restaurants offering the four new housemade drinks saw the share of beverage transactions jump nearly 25%.

  • An exterior view of a whataburger restaurant including its drive-thru
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    hapabapa via Getty Images
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    How Whataburger’s supply chain chief curbed inflation — and fought fires along the way

    The burger chain’s CSCO has worked to diversify its partner network, as well as tackle the rising cost of beef and diesel fuel.

  • Wendy's new $7.99 Dave's Single Combo LTO
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s bets $7.99 meal deal will boost traffic

    The chain’s combo meal LTO could help restore its value proposition following six quarters of sliding sales.

  • Domino's Minecraft collaboration
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    Courtesy of Domino's Pizza
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    Domino’s links with Minecraft to push personal pizza via gaming

    The collaboration with the popular video game includes creator content, in-game items, packaging and giveaways in support of the new Domino offering.

  • A orange and yellow storefront with Pollo Campero signage
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    Courtesy of Pollo Campero
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    Pollo Campero hires CKE vet as US CEO

    Julio Sánchez, who has over 25 years of restaurant experience, will focus on the chain’s next phase of growth as it targets 250 units in the U.S.

  • A view from the sidewalk of an outdoor seating area on a city corner with an "Il Fornaio" sign above it.
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    The image by Spieke is licensed under CC BY 3.0
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    Restaurant chain to pay $3M to settle EEOC allegations of rampant sexual harassment

    The agency learned of at least 100 women negatively affected by the work environment at California-based Il Fornaio’s multiple locations, an EEOC attorney said.

  • A close-up photograph of an orange sign that says Tropical Smoothie Cafe that is next to a palm tree logo shaped as a T.
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    Courtesy of Tropical Smoothie Cafe
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    Tropical Smoothie Cafe will open 40 stores in the Northeast

    The chain is historically underrepresented in New York and Connecticut, but a new deal with Aurify Kingstar could remedy that.

  • An evening photograph of a corner of an Applebee's restaurant
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    M. Suhail via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    Applebee’s CMO on differentiating marketing in a value-obsessed industry

    Michelle Chin digs into how the casual dining chain’s marketing is evolving, including through a new partnership with agency BBDO Chicago.

  • A car at a window picking up an order from a restaurant
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    Permission granted by Salad and Go
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    Salad and Go is coming back from the dead

    Roughly 100 former Salad and Go locations were approved for sale during bankruptcy, but the buyer of its intellectual property plans to reopen some units.

  • A person wearing a chef outfit holds up a container of tomatoes and looks at clipboard. The person appears to be in a kitchen storage area.
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    Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Why small restaurants struggle with inventory counts

    Creating a routine, using consistent counting metrics and clarifying how to measure partial containers can reduce inventory errors, writes Jim Lange, founder of Genius Food Purchasing.

  • A bucket of fried chicken from KFC surrounded by Coca-Cola glasses
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    Permission granted by KFC U.S.
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    KFC ditches Pepsi for Coke in latest turnaround move

    The fried chicken chain — once owned by Pepsi — will shift beverage providers as part of a broader overhaul of its menu and operations.

  • An image of a Golden Corral restaurant exterior in the evening
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    Permission granted by Golden Corral
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    Golden Corral faces uptick in closures

    While the chain said its current attrition rate is higher than normal, many of the closed locations are likely to reopen under new ownership.

  • Arby's drive-thru
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    Permission granted by Arby's
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    Arby’s hires ex-Papa Johns CMO to balance brand-building, sales growth

    Jenna Bromberg’s appointment is effective Nov. 2 and comes as parent company Inspire Brands considers an IPO.

  • Noodles & Company's new Ramen bowls
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company adds ramen to core menu

    The chain’s Chili Garlic Ramen LTO was one of its most successful launches ever, prompting it to build out a new menu platform.

  • Four horchata based beverages Taco Bell will serve at its Live Mas Cafes.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell tests 4 horchata beverages

    Live Más Cafés will pilot the drinks ahead of a December nationwide launch as the chain pushes toward $5 billion in annual drink sales.

  • It's a restaurant.
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    wdstock via Getty Images
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    Gen Restaurant Group sells 47 restaurants for $100M to Chubby Cattle Group

    The deal will strengthen Gen’s balance sheet while speeding up the growth of Chubby’s restaurant operations. 

  • A diamond sign with red and blue and a white words that say "Domino's"
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Domino’s new CEO plans on ‘getting closer to the customer’

    The company will sharpen promotions through its loyalty app and improve consistency in an effort to drive greater frequency, CEO Joe Jordan said.

  • A car drives to a drive-thru window at a Kentucky Fried Chicken storefront.
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    Courtesy of Yum! Brands
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    Why Yum Brands is deepening supplier relationships

    The restaurant company has built a network of suppliers that are “ready to flex with us” if disruption strikes, Chief Supply Chain Officer Eric Craft said.

  • Krispy Kreme's Times Square location in NYC
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    Courtesy of Krispy Kreme
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    Krispy Kreme signs deal to open 33 units in New York metro

    Franchisee Original Entrepreneurs has worked with the brand since 2017, and has experience running donut shops in a highly competitive environment.

  • A Swig Dirty Soda location with a drive-thru.
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    Courtesy of Swig
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    Savory Fund raises over $200M to back emerging restaurant chains

    The private equity firm aided the early growth of Swig and Mo’ Bettahs, and its latest fund will support expanding concepts with strong brand identity.