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

    Sales at pizza and casual dining brands have struggled, while QSR giants like McDonald’s and Starbucks saw anemic changes and fast casuals Cava and Chipotle made big gains. 

    Updated March 20, 2025
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    Shutterstock

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    Sponsored by Checkr

    4 ways hospitality HR teams are taking the lead

    Hospitality is at a turning point. Here’s how to make HR a key driver of strategic transformation.

  • Four people eat and talk in a restaurant brown, wood-paneled restaurant booth.
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    kali9 via Getty Images
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    Circana: Restaurant traffic stalled in 2024, but diner spending rose 2%

    Starbucks, McDonald’s and Burger King all had flat spending, but Circana’s David Portalatin said “flat is the new up” given current macroeconomic trends.

  • A person holding an order of Taco Bell chicken nuggets, nacho fries and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell Nuggets return, teasing more Crispy Chicken menu items

    After a strong initial performance, the chain is using the Nuggets LTO as a test run for adding Crispy Chicken to its regular menu next year.

  • A photograph of a brick building with signage that says "Krystal"
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    Permission granted by Krystal
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    Krystal to open first Texas travel center location

    The QSR is focusing on non-traditional locations like travel centers, c-stores and airports as part of a strategy to add high-traffic restaurants to its portfolio.

    Updated April 17, 2025
  • A picture of Burger King signs.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    57-unit Burger King operator goes bankrupt

    Despite high performance metrics, Consolidated Burger Holdings has faced traffic declines and revenue losses since the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • 7-Eleven
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven to open 1,300 new stores through 2030

    The retailer also expects to roughly double the number of stores that include a QSR, from 1,080 to 2,100, as it gears up for a 2026 IPO.

  • A banner image for Scooter's Coffee's loyalty program.
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    Courtesy of Scooter's Coffee
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    Scooter’s Coffee switches to points-based loyalty

    The new program is designed to expand the range of products available for redemption and boost ordering through Scooter’s digital channels.

  • A person holds out a  hand to take a brown bag from a person holding it out.
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    Antonio_Diaz via Getty Images
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    NRA: Consumers want more takeout, but lack the cash

    Millennials and Gen Z consumers largely view takeout as a vital part of their lifestyles, per a National Restaurant Association report.

  • Chili's Fast Food Financing pop-up
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    Courtesy of Chili's Grill & Bar
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    Chili’s pop-up finances fast food meals in latest dig at rising prices

    A store emulating payday loan retailers doles out gift cards to “approved” visitors and serves a new burger positioned against the Quarter Pounder.

  • Customer spending rising due to inflation
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Here’s what 7 major restaurants pay their CEOs — and their store-level workers

    The top brass at fast food chains like Starbucks, Chipotle and Yum Brands make tens of millions a year, while their hourly workers’ earnings hover near the poverty line.

  • A man holds smiles with an open mouth at the camera as he holds up a sign reading "reciprocal tariffs" and listing multiple countries and percentage amounts.
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    Will restaurants be hit hard by tariffs? 6 experts weigh in

    America’s baseline tariffs and the potential for renewed, country-specific taxes could pose significant problems for the restaurant industry. But analysts and trade groups are split on just how much risk looms.

  • A hand holds a smart phone with a screen that shows a pizza and says 5 for $35 Pizza Night Made Easy
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    Permission granted by Blaze Pizza
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    Blaze Pizza remakes loyalty program

    The chain, which has seen its store count shrink in recent years, said this move is part of a shift away from maintaining its own customized tech stack.

  • A plastic cup for tips stands on the ledge of a food cart.
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    kaarsten via Getty Images
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    One Fair Wage: DC’s tip credit elimination is a ‘success story’

    As federal job cuts loom, employment data shows D.C.’s restaurant workforce is largely steady after the passage of Initiative 82.

  • Noble Markets
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    Permission granted by Noble Markets
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    Noble Gas bringing Capriotti’s sandwiches to East Coast c-stores

    The retailer will open the sub shop inside its newest gas station in Enfield, Connecticut, later this month, with several more sites to come.

  • A nighttime image of a beige building with a logo that says Donatos
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    Courtesy of Donatos Pizza
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    Donatos Pizza drops DoorDash’s AI ordering system for Revmo AI

    The chain is using automation to take rote tasks off employees’ plates so they can better focus on the guest experience.

  • A person holds a smartphone that displays Burger King's AI Whopper experience.
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    Courtesy of Burger King
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    Burger King poaches Applebee’s CMO to build on modernization plan

    Joel Yashinsky is tasked with driving an expansive Reclaim the Flame strategy that has produced viral marketing like the Whopper jingle. 

  • The prize center inside a Dave & Buster's restaurant
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    Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic via Getty Images
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    Dave & Buster’s overhauls its remodel strategy as sales continue to fall

    The restaurant chain still wants to offer unique experiences — but leaders are aiming for higher returns on investment.

  • People stand in front of kiosks by a McDonald's
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    hapabapa via Getty Images
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    Tillster: 61% of users want more restaurant kiosks

    Diners are becoming more comfortable with kiosks since they can review their orders for accuracy, per a report.

  • Three hands hold up various breakfast sandwiches from Portillo's
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    Permission granted by Portillo's
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    Portillo’s to break into breakfast with pilot

    The fast casual chain will begin testing breakfast on April 15 at five select Chicagoland locations as part of its menu innovation strategy.

    Updated April 11, 2025
  • Potbelly's new prime rib steak sandwich.
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    Courtesy of Potbelly
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    Potbelly adds prime rib sandwich to menu

    As fast casual chains look to capture new occasions, premium proteins are a prominent part of menu makeovers.

  • A worker loads a delivery robot with a DoorDash bag
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    Courtesy of DoorDash
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    DoorDash, Coco to bring delivery bots to Chicago and Los Angeles

    The companies will offer robotic delivery from nearly 600 businesses, as sidewalk bots become a point of competition with Uber Eats and Grubhub.

  • A photograph of a restaurant with the words Huddle House on the side.
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    Permission granted by Huddle House
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    Ascent Hospitality promotes Blain Shortreed to COO

    Shortreed, who joined the company in 2023 as Huddle House president, will focus on strategic growth, operations and franchise relations in his new role.  

  • Collage of Panera campaign assets
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    Courtesy of Panera
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    Panera reintroduces brand with focus on dine-in cafe experience

    “It Just Meals Good,” the chain’s first work from 72andSunny, captures a variety of occasions for eating at Panera, whether catching up with a kid or an ex. 

  • A Jack in the Box sign looms ominously from behind a hedge.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    9 of the biggest restaurant CEO hires of Q1

    The first three months of the year brought new leaders to Jack in the Box, CKE Restaurants, Church’s Texas Chicken, Panera Brands and more. 

  • President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025.
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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    Trump pauses most reciprocal tariffs, hikes China’s further

    The U.S. will now charge a 125% duty on imports from China, while most other countries will be subject to a 10% rate for 90 days.