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.

  • A computer generated image of a drone delivery station attached to a restaurant
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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. 

  • Popeyes unveils new brand identity, pilots store redesign
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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.

  • A portrait photograph of Tabassum Zalotrawala, McDonald's incoming US chief development officer.
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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.

  • A photo of a guest viewing an augmented reality experience on Denny's menu.
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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. 

  • An image of a building with Hawaiian Bros branding
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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
  • A bike courier with a red delivery bag.
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    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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    The image by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    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.

  • An image of a a white building with Chipotle signage at night.
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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
  • A photograph of Roland Gonzalez, U.S. COO at Church’s.
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    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. 

  • Several vegan cinnamon rolls topped with fruit and frosting.
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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.

  • Kitchen United, Stellar Pizza, Sweetfin at Curbivore panel 2023
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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.

  • A photograph of a Potbelly sandwich shop sign.
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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.

  • The interior of Dave's Hot Chicken in the old Tivoli theater in Washington, D.C.
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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.

  • A U.S. Department of Labor sign is see outside the agency.
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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.

  • An image of a customer showing a smartphone to a Noodles & Company cashier
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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.

  • Food hall in grocery store
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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.

  • Gopuff
    Image attribution tooltip
    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.

  • Person using a point of sale software system at a restaurant
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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. 

  • A round sign with the words Burger King on it.
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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.

  • A photo of Jack Hinchliffe, global CMO for Habit Burger, holding a burger made by that brand.
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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.

  • Starbucks Workers United members on strike
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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.

  • An image of a delivery courier in New York City
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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.”

  • A photograph of an Applebee's sign.
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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.

  • An image of a building with glass and a yellow sign that says Fatburger next to an image on orange buffalo
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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.