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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    9 restaurant industry trade shows to attend in 2025

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

  • A photo illustration of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump shoulder to shoulder facing away from each other. The background is a purple wave with a grid gradient.
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    Photo illustration: Industry Dive; Joe Readle/Getty Images; Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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    What could the 2024 election mean for restaurants?

    As the industry looks to bipartisan lobbying, organized labor hopes its electoral ground game will result in a labor-friendly Democratic administration.

  • A young man wears a black hat and black apron smiles at the camera. There are three people blurred out in the background. They are standing behind a makeline.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s latest automation tool to help with hiring, recruitment

    Paradox, a conversational AI system, will manage administrative tasks and is expected to reduce the time to hire by 75%.

  • A Chick-fil-A restaurant is seen on July 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Chick-fil-A is tops for reputation, new report shows

    However, customers were increasingly upset over the chain’s rising prices — a sentiment shared across fast food customers, according to Chatmeter data.

  • New York City waiter prepares dining room
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Amex Q3 restaurant spending growth edges down

    The card issuer has recently focused on courting cardholders hungry for restaurant services, but last week reported spending growth in that category had waned.

  • An image of a Jollibee double drive-thru in Orlando.
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    Courtesy of Jollibee
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    Jollibee launches first loyalty program

    Members will gain access to exclusive deals and product news as well as give feedback on new menu items.

  • A woman with brown hair is looking at her phone and carries an orange bag with white "Grubhub" logo.
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    Courtesy of Grubhub
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    Grubhub boosts delivery access with Amazon Key partnership

    The tie-up gives Grubhub delivery partners one-click access to restricted residential buildings and has already improved the driver and customer experience.

  • A Starbucks store stands in Manhattan on January 30, 2024 in New York City.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Starbucks appoints ex-Chipotle exec as first global chief brand officer

    Tressie Lieberman joins the coffee chain as part of new CEO Brian Niccol’s marketing overhaul, which also includes a recent agency appointment.

  • An image of two men smiling. The man on the left wears a black shirt with a "Fuzzy's Taco Shop" logo while the other wears a suit with a white undershirt.
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    Courtesy of Fuzzy's Taco Shop
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    Fuzzy’s Taco Shop names new president, COO

    The Dine Brand chain promoted Patrick Kirk to the dual role of president and CMO and hired Marshall Claycamp from sister brand IHOP as its COO.

  • Close up of African American voter with national flag in waiting line during US elections.
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    Drazen Zigic via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Serving the electorate: Restaurants and voters share common ground this election

    Inflation, the job market, economy, taxes and immigration reform are key issues impacting operators ahead of the election, writes the National Restaurant Association’s Michelle Korsmo.

  • An image of a Richtech Robotics adanced robotic beverage system. The white robot is preparing a drink at a counter top.
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    Courtesy of Richtech Robotics
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    Richtech Robotics to open 20 more automated restaurants inside Walmart stores

    The tech company, which uses robotic arms to create drinks, will become a Ghost Kitchens America franchisee as part of its expansion plans.

  • A Dickey's Barbecue Pit
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    Courtesy of Dickey's Barbecue Pit
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    Dickey’s franchisees sue company over inflated financial projections

    Franchisees from Idaho and Ohio say that buildout costs were higher and sales lower than what the barbecue chain initially stated.

  • An image of a blue sign that says Qargo Coffee.
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    Retrieved from Qargo Coffee on October 17, 2024
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    FTC issues $1.3M judgment over coffee chain’s violations of the Franchise Rule

    The Federal Trade Commission alleged Qargo Coffee failed to disclose a founder’s history with defunct Burgerim in addition to details involving a past bankruptcy.

    Updated Oct. 18, 2024
  • Two women are sitting at a table while a man holds out a basket.
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    Courtesy of Chick-fil-A
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    Chick-fil-A to open first Singapore restaurant, enter Asia in 2025

    The chicken chain will invest $75 million over 10 years to support its expansion within Singapore, which will provide a gateway into the rest of the continent.

  • Michael Montagano, Dog Haus' CEO, and Jake Paul in front of a Dog Haus restaurant at night. Montagano wears slacks and a sport coat, Paul wears cargo shorts and a t-shirt.
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    Courtesy of Dog Haus
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    Dog Haus signs 25-unit franchise deal with boxer Jake Paul

    The controversial YouTuber will join the company’s board and bring his star power to the brand as it looks to juice sales.

  • TV personality Simon Cowell, wearing a black T-shirt, sits behind a metal kitchen counter with Domino's branding
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    Permission granted by Domino's Pizza
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    Domino’s promotes brand chief to CMO to sharpen global strategy

    Kate Trumbull, who helped revamp the chain’s loyalty program, is tasked with scaling its Hungry for MORE initiative to international markets.

  • A Smoothie King with a drive-thru.
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    Courtesy of Smoothie King
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    Smoothie King boasts most quarterly openings in 6 years

    The company opened its first units in Delaware and New Hampshire last quarter and is significantly expanding its presence in Colorado.

  • A photographof three sandwiches at Dickey's
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    Courtesy of Dickey's
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    Dickey’s enhances menu with Southern-inspired fare

    The new menu accompanies recent strategic initiatives that include ceasing expansion of its non-barbecue brands and reinvesting in its traditional restaurants.

  • Starbucks-Labor Unions
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    (Photo by Scott Olson) via Getty Images
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    Starbucks hands US creative duties to WPP amid turnaround push

    The agency network is forming a bespoke unit for the chain that is trying to reclaim its status as a premium brand and community coffeehouse.

  • One of Serve Robotics next generation robots
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    Courtesy of Serve Robotics
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    Serve Robotics debuts faster, larger robots for Uber Eats deal

    The company is on track to deploy about 250 robots in Los Angeles in Q1 2025, and its next gen model can run for longer and carry more.

  • An image of a man wearing a suit in front of an orange logo sign that says "Togo's"
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    Permission granted by Togo's
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    Togo’s appoints CFO to CEO position

    Matt Dowling, who has been CFO for three years, will continue in that role while also taking on the top executive position.

  • Kraft Heinz's Heinz Tap device.
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    Courtesy of Kraft Heinz
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    Kraft Heinz ‘betting big’ on reaching consumers away from home

    The ketchup and Mac & Cheese maker said its foodservice unit is “an integral strategic building block” to growing its business and raising brand awareness.

  • An image of a bowl with meat and other vegetables. A cookie is next to the bowl as is a plastic fork and pink drink.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle makes minority investment in Mediterranean fast casual concept

    As part of its Cultivate Next venture fund, Chipotle invested in six-unit Brassica as well as artificial intelligence supply chain platform Lumachain.

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    Chicken Salad Chick
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    Chicken Salad Chick signs 5 franchise agreements across the Midwest

    The flurry of franchise deals will strengthen the chain’s presence in Chicago and bring it to new markets like Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri.

  • KFC's ad campaign for its new chicken tenders is a "battle cry" to fast-food competitors.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC is battle-ready in satirical campaign for chicken tenders debut

    The fried-chicken chain playfully nods to competitors like Popeyes in a campaign depicting a chicken tenders war.