The Latest
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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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Jinya Ramen Bar to grow from 52 units to 200-plus in 10 years
The Asian food chain opened eight restaurants last year and aims to add 25 locations annually.
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Panera’s latest innovation uses Alexa ordering capabilities
MyPanera rewards members can order pickup or delivery with voice or touch on Echo Show devices.
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IHOP to serve biggest menu revision to date
The new items, which will be added on Monday, span across breakfast, lunch and dinner and are part of the company’s ongoing menu innovation strategy.
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QSRs expect 51% of tasks will be automated by 2025
Operators said they will invest more in technology to support digital order fulfillment, operational efficiency in the kitchen and faster checkout times, per an Incisiv report.
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Courtesy of Modern Restaurant Market, True Food Kitchen, The Habit Burger, Starbucks, CKE Restaurants, Restaurant Brands International
Who’s who: Meet the newest CEOs of the restaurant industry
Chains like Starbucks, Restaurant Brands International, CKE Restaurants and True Food Kitchen gained new leadership during Q1.
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Uber Eats adds virtual restaurant program to offer turnkey delivery-only concepts
The aggregator also revised its virtual restaurant policies to prevent duplicate menus, which reduce the variety and quality of options on its platform.
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Chipotle will pay $240K to settle with union over Maine store closure
The Mexican chain said it is settling with Chipotle United and the National Labor Relations Board to avoid a protracted and expensive regulatory battle.
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Retrieved from I Love Juice Bar on March 28, 2023
Main Squeeze Juice Co. acquires I Love Juice Bar
The deal will almost double Main Squeeze’s unit count of 28 stores and give it a strong presence in Texas and Tennessee.
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Church’s Texas Chicken creates VP of strategy and growth position
Neel Patel, formerly of McKinsey, will oversee the brand’s strategic planning. He previously worked on strategy and analytics for the restaurant.
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Uber Eats will deliver concessions to seats at Yankee Stadium
Orders will be prepared and delivered by in-venue concessionaires and stadium staff, a change from Uber Eats’ mobile pickup offering at half a dozen sports and entertainment venues.
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McDonald’s is the latest QSR to embrace geofencing
The feature is designed to improve speed of service for mobile orders and streamline the order preparation process for McDonald’s workers.
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Firebirds Wood Fired Grill acquired by private equity firm
Garnett Station Partners bought the polished-casual chain, which has 56 locations in 20 states, with plans to help it accelerate growth.
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Grubhub, Transact Campus beef up student ordering options
Students can use their campus ID cards to order from Grubhub’s on-campus and off-campus restaurant partners on the Transact Mobile Ordering app.
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OpenTable partners with ChatGPT
ChatGPT will provide restaurant recommendations as part of an OpenTable plugin, which will initially be available to select ChatGPT Plus subscribers.
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Luckin Coffee’s ‘revenue reckoning’ takeaways
The Beijing-based chain was initially viewed as a kind of David poised to take on the Goliath of the coffee world — Starbucks — in China.
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Fogo de Chão says plant-based fare, cocktail lounges attract young diners
By offering a richer menu than just fire-roasted meats, the Brazilian restaurant has gained strong awareness among younger consumers, which has helped it open new restaurants.
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How 7 fast casual, full-service chains are hiking prices
Applebee’s, Chipotle and Shake Shack have raised prices between 7.5% and 10%, and Noodles & Company will test dynamic pricing as chains contend with inflation.
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How breakfast brands are reinventing morning menus
Restaurants like First Watch, Snooze and Another Broken Egg Cafe have been adding twists to classic menu items as the segment emphasizes affordable brunch options.
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How 5 QSR giants are tackling menu pricing, strategy
McDonald’s, Starbucks and Wendy’s took price between 6% and 10% in 2022, and experts expect prices to rise further as chains face economic headwinds.
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KFC nuggets open new front in chicken wars
The nuggets will be available nationwide on March 27 following “wildly successful” market tests in North Carolina.
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True Food Kitchen appoints Lazy Dog exec as CEO
John Williams joins the 43-unit, wellness-focused chain as it looks to grow and open a new fast casual concept to reach new customers.
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Starbucks unionization efforts
Starbucks union welcomes CEO with 115-store strike
Laxman Narasimhan faces a nationwide demonstration of Starbucks Workers United members, who are urging for cooperation, one day before the chain’s annual shareholder meeting.
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Papa Johns CFO resigns
Ann Gugino, who has been at the pizza chain since 2020, is leaving effective May 31. Papa Johns has begun a search for a permanent CFO.
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Panera tests Amazon One palm scanners at 2 cafes
Panera will expand the tech to between 10 and 20 cafes depending on the reception of the initial test, which links Amazon’s palm scanning technology to its loyalty program.