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

    Very few chains — not even Chipotle and Domino’s — were immune from same-store sales slides reported in Q1 2025 as consumers spend less.

    Updated May 21, 2025
  • Two chefs standing in front of their restaurant.
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    Permission granted by Square
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    Sponsored by Square

    Secrets to scaling quickly: Lessons from a legendary soul food restaurant

    Charles Pan-Fried Chicken grew by being consistent, using the right tech, and knowing when to leap.

  • A photo of ice cream from Stewart's Shops in two cups on a table with some fall leaves.
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    Permission granted by Stewart's Shops
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    What restaurants can learn from c-store’s sweet treat offerings

    Owning their own baked goods or ice cream program gives retailers a world of innovation to play with, but comes with significant challenges, experts say.

  • Jack in the Box restaurant location
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Why Jack in the Box’s poison pill was the right move

    The chain wants to protect itself from a hostile takeover, and the limited-duration act is unlikely to impact shareholders, lawyer Keith Gottfried said.

  • Two adults with two kids eats pizza at a restaurant.
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    monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
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    Little bites, big ideas: Rethinking kids’ menus for today’s tiny diners

    Winning menus go beyond chicken fingers and hot dogs, chefs say, to offer customizable, healthy and globally inspired fare. 

  • An exterior photo of a Taim restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Taim Mediterranean Kitchen
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    Taim launches franchising in challenge to Cava

    The 14-unit fast casual brand sees an opening for a franchised chain to grow aggressively in the Mediterranean segment.

  • An iamge of a building with black facade and white logo that says "Wagamama."
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    Catherine Ivill via Getty Images
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    Wagamama hires Bloomin’ vet to oversee US development

    Suk Singh will serve as chief development officer for the U.K.-based chain’s U.S. division, with plans to grow Wagamama beyond its seven-unit toehold.

  • An image ofa brick colored building with a logl of a red-headed girl with pigtails.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s CEO departs for Hershey

    Kirk Tanner, who has led the company for about a year and a half, will resign from the chain to become president and CEO at the candy giant.

    Updated July 8, 2025
  • A photograph of a Wienerschnitzel building
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    Courtesy of Wienerschnitzel
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    Wienerschnitzel targets East Coast with Virginia franchising deal

    Combined with a Walmart expansion agreement, the entry into these territories positions the 340-store hot dog chain for significant growth.

  • An arm reaches out of a gray car to collect a bag of food while an employee with blue gloves hands off the bag.
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    NewSaetiew via Getty Images
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    Packaging suppliers respond to QSR diners hungry for a better experience

    Manufacturers are working with their restaurant customers to improve takeout, as well as sustainability opportunities for food service ware.

  • The outside of a Starbucks store
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Starbucks incentivizes cost-cutting goal with exec bonuses

    The coffee giant will give top executives up to $6 million in stock grants if the brand meets cost-reduction goals by the end of fiscal 2027.

    Updated July 8, 2025
  • A building with white and brown siding with two black cars at a drive-thru. Signage says Bojangles
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Opinion

    Two lanes for AI-powered order taking in drive-thrus: Humanization vs. transparency

    While mimicking a human voice can lead to more emotionally engaging guest interactions, the stakes are higher for brands, with robotic-sounding voices offering greater transparency, says Hi Auto’s Eyal Shapira.

  • An image of various doughnuts from Krispy Kreme behind a bakery counter.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Krispy Kreme appoints CFO, chief brand officer

    The new executives replace outgoing leaders who announced their departures shortly after Krispy Kreme ended its McDonald’s partnership.

  • Olo founder Noah Glass on Olo's first day of trading
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    Permission granted by Olo
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    Olo sells itself for $2B

    The tech firm, which went public in 2021, will now become a private company following this transaction.

    M&A
  • Cheesecake Factory signage hangs on the side of a restaurant.
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    Kayla Bartkowski / Staff via Getty Images
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    Undocumented workers say Cheesecake Factory recruited them, furnished fake work papers

    The five employees alleged in a lawsuit that the business forced them to work unpaid hours, denied them breaks and more.

  • A photograph of a gray sign with a red box inside with white letters that says "Jack" under the box it says "in the box."
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box prescribes poison pill to sicken activist investor

    The action is meant to keep Biglari Capital, which owns a 9.9% stake in the chain, from acquiring additional shares and to give Jack more time to turn around its business.

  • A photograph of a burger, drink and fries from Fatburger.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fatburger signs 40-store Florida expansion deal

    This agreement will make the state a major market for the burger QSR, which has been growing through international deals and co-branding.

  • JD Vance walks out of a metal detector at the U.S. Capitol.
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    Al Drago via Getty Images
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    Restaurant groups split over No Tax on Tips until 2028

    The Senate passed a tax and spending deal that will exempt up to $25,000 in cash tips annually from federal income tax for some service workers.

  • A photograph of a person wearing a white shirt and black pants and black apron. The person is wiping down a kitchen surface.
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    Ugur Karakoc via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Why restaurants need a wake up call on food safety

    Food operators need to rise to the challenge of improving food safety and become leaders in public health, says Hal King, managing partner at Active Food Safety. 

  • An image of an tabletop air hockey game in the center of a room with various arcade games. Above the air hockey game a sign says "Chuck's Arcade"
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    Courtesy of Chuck E. Cheese
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    Chuck E. Cheese opens spinoff arcade concept

    Chuck’s Arcade, open in 10 mall settings, offers new and old games meant to appeal to adults and features nostalgic decor from the brand.

  • Two iced coffee drinks in glass jars with cream being poured into the one on the right and filtering through. The jars are on a silver tray with a white linen napkin, two straws, a spoon and a bowl.
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    viennetta via Getty Images
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    Beverage trends: The forces shaping the coffee sector in 2025

    Small coffee chains are looking to experiential coffee occasions to outcompete major chains, but they’re not abandoning menu innovation.

  • Love's
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    Permission granted by Love's
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    Love’s deploys ordering kiosks at 112 Arby’s restaurants

    This continues the retailer’s ongoing investment into remodeling and updating its stores to have a more modern look and feel.

  • An image of four cocktails in the foreground of different colors and a blurred bar in the background.
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    KatieSik via Getty Images
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    How restaurants can build cocktail menus that shine this summer

    Flavorful, fun and eye-catching alcoholic drinks can help boost sales, but they need to be served quickly and reflect a brand ethos, experts say.

  • Pita Pit restaurant
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    JHVEPhoto via Getty Images
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    Pita Pit faces EEOC charges after firing a pregnant worker following her WFH request

    Management allegedly called the charging party’s pregnancy “a distraction.”

  • An image of two chicken sliders with a handful of crinkle fries around them.
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    Courtesy of White Castle
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    White Castle updates core menu with Crispy Chicken Sliders

    The QSR added a new version of its Crispy Chicken Sliders to its menu — the first permanent addition since 2022 — that is cheaper than its predecessor.

  • A beige building with a yellow "M" and white "McDonald's" sign.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s adds Daily Double to menu

    The Golden Arches said the burger has performed well in several markets and will use it to anchor a pricier value meal option.