The Latest

  • Grubbrr's kiosks on display at the National Restaurant Association Show in 2024.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    8 restaurant industry trade shows to attend in 2025

    This year is brimming with restaurant conferences and trade shows covering key issues for the sector, from franchising strategy to economic forecasts.

    Updated Jan. 31, 2025
  • Taco Bell exterior
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Yum Brands launches integrated tech platform

    Thousands of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants already use Byte by Yum, which includes kitchen management and point-of-sale tools.

  • A photograph of an Applebee's sign.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Applebee’s president Tony Moralejo steps down

    Moralejo’s departure follows last week’s announcement that parent company Dine Brands would cut 9% of its workforce.

  • A Starbucks barista hands a customer a coffee
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks says ‘Hello Again’ by advertising around the Super Bowl

    A new spot and a free coffee promotion on the Monday after the big game are part of the chain’s marketing-powered turnaround plan.

  • A promotional image for Chipotle's smoked brisket menu item. Text on the image reads, "Limited time only Smoked Brisket Chipotle"The image shows a burrito bowl with rice, beans, meat and peppers on the left. On the right is sliced beef with a cup of dipping sauce and sliced peppers.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s LTOs drove 7% same-store sales bump in 2024

    Chicken Al Pastor and Smoked Brisket boosted traffic at the chain, which plans to roll out Chipotle Honey Chicken — its best-performing test LTO — this year.

  • A DoorDash delivery worker walks his bike along the road in the Mission neighborhood of San Francisco, California.
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    hapabapa via Getty Images
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    Boston wants delivery firms to give drivers liability insurance

    Under the proposed ordinance, aggregators like DoorDash and Uber Eats would need to meet data-sharing requirements to obtain an operating permit.

  • A mocktail, made with cranberry juice, red grapefruit juice and sweetened with some simple syrup with a salted glass
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    Clarkandcompany via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    How nonalcoholic beverages are driving the next wave of profits

    Expanded zero-proof menus are attractive to Gen Z, who drink 20% less than millennials, and yield better margins than traditional cocktail offerings, writes Sidework CEO Rishabh Kewalramani.

  • A dawn image of a McDonald's drive-thru. At the foreground is an exit sign and there is a car in the background waiting in line.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s sales are still sluggish 3 months after E. coli outbreak

    While value offerings are helping improve sales, some franchisees have yet to fully recover their visits and sales comps as of January, a BTIG report finds.

  • A photograph of a sign with black letters that says "Waffle House." Each letter is in a box with a yellow background.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Waffle House adds 50-cent surcharge due to egg shortage

    Egg prices are expected to rise 20% this year due to the impact of bird flu, and operators and chains are finding ways to make up the cost.

  • Just Salad location in NYC
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    Courtesy of Just Salad
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    Just Salad hires marketing, CX and development chiefs

    The appointments come shortly after the chain opened its first drive-thru restaurant as part of a growth push.

  • U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participate in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on February 13, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    US and Canada agree to 30-day pause on tariffs

    The two countries will push back a Feb. 4 enforcement date as they coordinate anti-drug trafficking efforts at their shared border.

  • An image of a brick building with Applebee's signage
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Dine Brands cuts 9% of corporate workforce

    The layoffs impacted different brand teams, offices and departments, and follow comparable sales declines for the Applebee's and IHOP owner in Q3.

  • An evening image of Marco's Pizza
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    Permission granted by Marco's Pizza
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    How 3 rising pizza chains are plotting 2025 expansion

    Marco’s Pizza, Mr Gatti’s and Donato’s are poised for growth this year as segment leaders face sluggish performance.

  • President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum speaks in Mexico City on Oct. 3, 2024.
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    Manuel Velasquez via Getty Images
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    US delays tariffs on Mexico to March

    The two countries agreed to negotiate over the next month while collaborating on addressing drug and weapons trafficking.

  • A nighttime photo of Chili's building with green and red neon signage
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    Courtesy of Brinker International
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    How Chili’s boosted comparable sales by 31%

    Value-oriented ads and marketing for its Triple Dipper menu boosted the chain’s traffic by nearly 20%, driving a record-breaking quarterly performance.

  • The side view of a Pizza Hut restaurant can be seen, with promotional posters and banners on the windows and walls.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Pizza Hut buys 18 stores from bankrupt EYM

    The chain paid $720,000 for the units, with five other bidders securing the remaining 77 stores in an auction.

  • donald trump signs an executive order at his desk
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Trump issues tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China

    The president ordered an additional 10% duty on goods from China and 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. The immediate impact on restaurant operators is unclear. 

    Updated Feb. 1, 2025
  • Coffee drips into a white ceramic mug emblazoned with the Starbucks logo
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Brian Niccol wants to double Starbucks’ US footprint

    A host of changes to stores and operations could help Starbucks escape its sales trouble, and executives are already planning the company’s next move.

  • An aerial view of a building with white "Chili'"s sign alongside a red pepper.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Chili’s prioritizes 200 stores for redesign

    Following a record-breaking quarter, the brand will soon focus on updating its system, as many stores haven’t been redesigned in decades.

  • An image of several people eating hamburgers and french fries from a generic fast food restaurant.
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    Diamond Dogs via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    8 restaurant trends to watch in 2025

    Analysts forecast a slightly rosier year, predicting that consumer demand will rise, bankruptcies will slow and increased valuations will spark M&A.

  • Shake Shack's "Worth It" campaign imagery.
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    Courtesy of Shake Shack
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    Shake Shack appoints 2 marketing execs

    The fast casual chain created the roles of chief growth officer and chief communications officer as it prepares for the departure of CMO Jay Livingston.

  • Sabrina Carpenter appears in a Dunkin ad
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    Courtesy of Dunkin'
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    Q&A

    Dunkin’ CMO on building a ‘cinematic universe’ to capture attention

    Jill McVicar Nelson explains what the brand has learned from its Super Bowl ads and how it’s facing uneasiness around TikTok’s future.

  • An image of a Twin Peaks restaurant in the daytime.
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    Permission granted by Twin Peaks
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    What’s driving Twin Peaks’ growth and $5M AUVs

    The sports bar chain, which is now publicly traded, leans on its menu diversity, service model and alcohol mix to target $1 billion in sales. 

  • A thumb hovers over a smart phone with a photo of a cheeseburger and the words food delivery on top.
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    Tero Vesalainen via Getty Images
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    Most customers prefer ordering delivery directly from restaurants

    Convenience, ease of customization and the ability to earn rewards were top reasons customers preferred first-party channels, per an NCR Voyix report.

  • Starbucks Canada
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    Starbucks eyes return to premium identity as traffic slide continues

    A shift away from discounting and a 30% reduction in SKUs could refocus the brand’s identity and premium market positioning in the next several quarters.