The Latest

  • An image of a man leaving a Chipotle. He is holding a brown bag.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Tracking the same-store sales of 21 major restaurant chains

    Very few chains — not even Chipotle and Domino’s — were immune from same-store sales slides reported in Q1 2025 as consumers spend less.

    Updated May 21, 2025
  • A photograph of a black sign that says "Starbucks Coffee Company" in front of a brick building.
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    David Ryder via Getty Images
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    Starbucks shifts to 4-day RTO for corporate employees

    Starbucks won’t require individual workers to relocate, but new positions or lateral moves within the company will come with an in-person requirement.

  • Love's
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    Retrieved from Naf Naf.
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    Naf Naf Grill CEO to retire

    Grady Metoyer, the brand’s CFO, will step into the interim CEO role following Greg William's retirement.

  • A photograph of white EV charging stations in a parking lot in front of a Bojangles restaurant.
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Bojangles to install EV charging stations

    The QSR chain will begin installation during Q4 2025, and will have stations accessible at many of its locations next year.

  • A waiter serves a table at a nice restaurant
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    Rawpixel via Getty Images
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    Casual, not careless: The art of relaxed dining design

    If casual brands don’t invest in the contemporary, experiential offerings diners crave, they could eventually risk ceding traffic to fast casual competitors.

  • A cohort of sauces and a band of chicken dippers.
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    Popeyes unveils Signature Sauce, Chicken Dippers

    The sauce is served in rounded cups, rather than the chain’s standard rectangular containers, a move resembling Raising Cane’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken’s sauce strategy.

  • Exterior of a Potbelly restaurant
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    Permission granted by Potbelly
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    Potbelly updates website, app as part of digital transformation

    These digital channels will include a reorder function and “Quick Add” option for a faster checkout experience. 

  • An iamge of three smothies and a phone for GLP-1 support from Smoothie King
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    Courtesy of Smoothie King
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    Smoothie King secures private equity investment

    Fresh funds from Main Post Partners could give the chain a leg up in its battle against Tropical Smoothie Cafe for segment leadership. 

  • A photograph of five fruit drinks within plastic cups.
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    Courtesy of Taco Cabana
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    Taco Cabana joins the refreshers trend with new drink lineup

    Cabana Refreshers will launch on July 23 starting as a limited-time offer, but could become a permanent beverage if proven popular.

  • A photo of ice cream from Stewart's Shops in two cups on a table with some fall leaves.
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    Permission granted by Stewart's Shops
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    What restaurants can learn from c-store’s sweet treat offerings

    Owning their own baked goods or ice cream program gives retailers a world of innovation to play with, but comes with significant challenges, experts say.

  • Jack in the Box restaurant location
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Why Jack in the Box’s poison pill was the right move

    The chain wants to protect itself from a hostile takeover, and the limited-duration act is unlikely to impact shareholders, lawyer Keith Gottfried said.

  • Two adults with two kids eats pizza at a restaurant.
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    monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
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    Little bites, big ideas: Rethinking kids’ menus for today’s tiny diners

    Winning menus go beyond chicken fingers and hot dogs, chefs say, to offer customizable, healthy and globally inspired fare. 

  • An exterior photo of a Taim restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Taim Mediterranean Kitchen
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    Taim launches franchising in challenge to Cava

    The 14-unit fast casual brand sees an opening for a franchised chain to grow aggressively in the Mediterranean segment.

  • An iamge of a building with black facade and white logo that says "Wagamama."
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    Catherine Ivill via Getty Images
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    Wagamama hires Bloomin’ vet to oversee US development

    Suk Singh will serve as chief development officer for the U.K.-based chain’s U.S. division, with plans to grow Wagamama beyond its seven-unit toehold.

  • An image ofa brick colored building with a logl of a red-headed girl with pigtails.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s CEO departs for Hershey

    Kirk Tanner, who has led the company for about a year and a half, will resign from the chain to become president and CEO at the candy giant.

    Updated July 8, 2025
  • A photograph of a Wienerschnitzel building
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    Courtesy of Wienerschnitzel
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    Wienerschnitzel targets East Coast with Virginia franchising deal

    Combined with a Walmart expansion agreement, the entry into these territories positions the 340-store hot dog chain for significant growth.

  • An arm reaches out of a gray car to collect a bag of food while an employee with blue gloves hands off the bag.
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    NewSaetiew via Getty Images
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    Packaging suppliers respond to QSR diners hungry for a better experience

    Manufacturers are working with their restaurant customers to improve takeout, as well as sustainability opportunities for food service ware.

  • The outside of a Starbucks store
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Starbucks incentivizes cost-cutting goal with exec bonuses

    The coffee giant will give top executives up to $6 million in stock grants if the brand meets cost-reduction goals by the end of fiscal 2027.

    Updated July 8, 2025
  • A building with white and brown siding with two black cars at a drive-thru. Signage says Bojangles
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Opinion

    Two lanes for AI-powered order taking in drive-thrus: Humanization vs. transparency

    While mimicking a human voice can lead to more emotionally engaging guest interactions, the stakes are higher for brands, with robotic-sounding voices offering greater transparency, says Hi Auto’s Eyal Shapira.

  • An image of various doughnuts from Krispy Kreme behind a bakery counter.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Krispy Kreme appoints CFO, chief brand officer

    The new executives replace outgoing leaders who announced their departures shortly after Krispy Kreme ended its McDonald’s partnership.

  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo sells itself for $2B

    The tech firm, which went public in 2021, will now become a private company following this transaction.

    M&A
  • Cheesecake Factory signage hangs on the side of a restaurant.
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    Kayla Bartkowski / Staff via Getty Images
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    Undocumented workers say Cheesecake Factory recruited them, furnished fake work papers

    The five employees alleged in a lawsuit that the business forced them to work unpaid hours, denied them breaks and more.

  • A photograph of a gray sign with a red box inside with white letters that says "Jack" under the box it says "in the box."
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box prescribes poison pill to sicken activist investor

    The action is meant to keep Biglari Capital, which owns a 9.9% stake in the chain, from acquiring additional shares and to give Jack more time to turn around its business.

  • A photograph of a burger, drink and fries from Fatburger.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fatburger signs 40-store Florida expansion deal

    This agreement will make the state a major market for the burger QSR, which has been growing through international deals and co-branding.

  • JD Vance walks out of a metal detector at the U.S. Capitol.
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    Al Drago via Getty Images
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    Restaurant groups split over No Tax on Tips until 2028

    The Senate passed a tax and spending deal that will exempt up to $25,000 in cash tips annually from federal income tax for some service workers.