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Tracking the same-store sales of 24 major restaurant chains
Q3 2025 saw more evidence of a casual dining resurgence, as fast casual sales continued to slow and QSRs posted divergent results.
Updated Dec. 1, 2025 -
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Sponsored by Affinity SolutionsWhat last year’s receipts say about the year ahead
Think consumers pulled back in 2025? Not exactly. Shoppers didn’t stop spending, they got pickier. Dive into trends shaping retail behavior and what they signal for 2026.
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Why Jack in the Box bets parking lot paint can cure sales
The chain hopes improvements to product quality and restaurant cosmetics will reverse sliding same-store sales and help prepare for a full remodel program.
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Courtesy of Wingstop
How Wingstop plans to weather traffic slides and winter storms
The company expects investments in speed of service and in loyalty systems will reverse a third quarter of comparable sales declines.
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Fat Brands sued by lender over cash use during bankruptcy
352 Capital contests Fat’s plan to use management fees and other cash under securitization receivables to fund operations during Chapter 11 proceedings.
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Jack in the Box’s board battle is getting serious
With proxy advisors saying investors have “persuasive cause” to oppose the re-election of board chair David Goebel, Sardar Biglari’s months-long effort to shake up the brand’s board may be gaining momentum.
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bankkgraphy via Getty Images
NRA: Over 25% of restaurant operators use AI
Marketing is the top area where automation is being used, followed by administrative tasks, according to a National Restaurant Association report.
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Courtesy of Carl's Jr.
Deep DiveHow QSRs are building on value marketing with pop culture, nostalgia
Fast food marketers including McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s will have to move beyond price-point value to drive sales and traffic.
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Courtesy of Habit Burger & Grill
Habit Burger launches core menu update
The menu additions and upgrades could help the fast casual chain grow same-store sales, which were down 1% in 2025.
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SolStock via Getty Images
NRA: Restaurant, foodservice to surpass $1.5 trillion in sales
While challenges related to the economy and food and labor costs will persist, the National Restaurant Association said operators are cautiously optimistic.
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McDonald’s positions loyalty app at the center of its tech ambitions
Active loyalty members are the “single most important digital metric” for McDonald’s, EVP and CFO Ian Borden said.
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Courtesy of Wendy's
Wendy’s pulls back on breakfast hours
The chain is allowing franchisees to focus more on lunch and late-night hours as same-store sales logs its steepest decline in roughly six years.
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Courtesy of McDonald's
McDonald’s is adding energy drinks, craft sodas to McCafe line
The beverages, inspired by the chain’s defunct CosMc’s spinoff, were “highly successful” in a 500-store test and will be deployed nationwide this year.
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Scott Olson via Getty Images
Sweetgreen names Wpromote paid media AOR as brand looks to reignite growth
Wpromote is tasked with balancing a cohesive national strategy with more market-specific opportunities as Sweetgreen combats a sales slump.
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Popeyes hopes restaurant-level reliability will turn sales around
The chain, which saw comp sales decline by 4.9% in Q4, has already improved field engagement and targeted support for underperforming restaurants.
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Ceri Breeze via Getty Images
How McDonald’s won back low-income diners
Over a year after it began rolling out various value options, the chain is seeing improved scores on affordability and notched 6.8% comparable sales growth in the fourth quarter.
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Courtesy of Portillo's
Portillo’s hires Outback Steakhouse vet as CEO
Brett Patterson, who most recently served as CEO of Miller’s Ale House, joins the chain as it slows down its unit growth.
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Restaurant lobby celebrates Illinois court win on swipe fees
A judge ruled the state can prohibit financial firms from charging interchange fees on tips and sales taxes.
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Brett Dworski/Restaurant Dive
C-store foodservice innovation is off to a hot start in 2026
Casey’s, 7-Eleven, Rutter’s and other players have bolted out of the gate this year with new sandwiches, pizzas and more, increasing competition against QSRs.
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Permission granted by Wonder
Wonder buys a brand, deploys two more
Grubhub’s owner is betting on elevated fried chicken and bowl-based concepts at a moment when fast casual’s core consumers are ailing.
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The restaurant labor market in 6 key statistics
Turnover has fluctuated over the last year, while total jobs and wage growth are relatively slow and unemployment has returned to pre-pandemic rates.
Updated Feb. 11, 2026 -
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3 restaurant brands tap tech chiefs to scale operations
Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company and Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers added IT chiefs to their ranks in recent weeks.
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Permission granted by Sweetgreen
Limited-service restaurants are losing traffic to grocers and casual chains
QSR and fast casual chains will need to improve holistic value and on-premise experiences to bring people back, Placer.ai’s R.J. Hottovy says.
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Wirestock via Getty Images
‘Personal attack’: Fat Brands cries foul over plan to oust CEO
The Fatburger owner admitted to making a mistake in selling shares of Twin Hospitality without court approval, but argued the call for Andrew Wiederhorn’s removal should be denied.
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Courtesy of Bambu
Walmart links up with Vietnamese beverage restaurant
The retailer continues to grow its roster of in-store quick-service restaurant offerings with the opening of a drink station inside an Illinois store.
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Toast, Instacart launch just-in-time supply tool
Restaurants will be able to place Instacart Business orders through Toast’s platforms, offering a stopgap option when unexpected supply chain issues hit.
