An inside look at Starbucks’ coffeehouse redesign

With 1,000 renovations and new builds set to incorporate warmer colors, more seating and experiential changes, Starbucks may be on its way to physically restoring its coffeehouse-vibe.

Freddy’s acquired by Rhône

The fast casual brand grew from 400 units to over 550 under Thompson Street Capital Partners and will continue its current momentum under new ownership.

Updated Sept. 4, 2025

Sweetgreen hires Chipotle vet as CFO

Mitch Reback will retire after serving in his post for a decade with Jamie McConnell, former Chipotle exec, taking his place.

McDonald’s leaves NRA over policy differences

The National Restaurant Association confirmed McDonald's terminated its membership after CEO Chris Kempczinski criticized the tip credit — a political keystone for the NRA — on CNBC.

Starbucks deploys AI for in-store inventory management

Computer vision is helping the chain keep track of its in-store inventory and may be used to automate some stock ordering.

Raising Cane’s heads to the UK

The chicken finger brand will develop company-operated units in London and plans to open urban stores and suburban drive-thrus.

Noodles & Company to consider sale

The chain, which is struggling with growing net losses, is also considering refinancing debt and refranchising as part of a strategic review.

How 3 quick-service restaurants are looking to CX to revive traffic

Wendy’s is focusing on operations, McDonald’s on loyalty and Taco Bell on digital ordering. How can each approach keep customers coming back?

Andrew Wiederhorn returns as Fat Brands CEO

The shift in leadership comes after the U.S. Department of Justice dropped fraud charges against Fat Brands and Wiederhorn in July.

McDonald’s latest value deals target combo meals

The Extra Value Meals will decrease the price of eight meals by 15% compared to ordering items a la carte.

Caribou Coffee names permanent CEO

Scott Kennedy, who has served as interim CEO since March, has become president and CEO of the coffee chain.

Sweetgreen hires former Taco Bell exec as chief commercial officer

Zipporah Allen, a major architect of Taco Bell’s digital transformation, has joined the embattled salad brand as it looks to rebuild traffic and sales.

Jersey Mike’s appoints Wingstop vet as president, COO

Stacy Peterson will lead U.S. operations, marketing and technology as the company continues to open roughly 300 domestic units a year.

Chipotle brings back Carne Asada to cure sliding sales

The return of the highly anticipated protein could help the fast casual giant kick a sales slump that has so far proved resistant to LTOs.

Cracker Barrel: Another case of the blanding of branding

Restaurants must engage core and growth audiences to understand what they value and which brand equities to protect, evolve or retire, writes Jon Shapiro, chief creative officer of brand experience at PV&COHO.

Twin Hospitality closes 15 Smokey Bones restaurants

The company will also convert 19 Smokey Bones units into higher-performing Twin Peaks restaurants, leaving the barbecue brand with 26 units.

Why consumer confidence is the leading restaurant traffic indicator

Dwindling confidence in macroeconomic growth means consumers are more price-sensitive than ever, in a potential win for value-oriented brands, Revenue Management Solutions said.

Grubhub settles false advertising lawsuit for $7M

A 2020 lawsuit alleged that the aggregator used business logos and names on its platforms without a restaurant’s permission, causing customer confusion.

Denny’s adds 5 Slams for $5

After sunsetting its $2-$4-$6-$8 value play, the casual dining brand is focused on time-limited promotions centering on meals.

Restaurant winners and losers from H1 2025

Casual dining chains, led by Chili’s, had a surprisingly strong quarter, while fast casuals, like Chipotle and Sweetgreen, struggled with consumer pullback and operations problems.

Uber Eats settles Seattle labor claims for $15M

The delivery aggregator denied allegations by city authorities that it misled workers about potential earnings and paid them less than required.

Updated Aug. 27, 2025

McDonald’s bulks up chicken menu with Special Edition Gold Sauce

The North Carolina barbecue-flavored sauce will accompany two new McCrispy sandwiches as the QSR aims to boost its chicken market share.

Smoothie King debuts food menu

The fast casual chain added toasts and protein bowls following a 100-store test in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Little Caesars dials up NFL marketing with deals, co-branded campaign

The pizza chain is also flexing partnerships with football stars like Saquon Barkley for its fourth year as the Official Pizza Sponsor of the league.

DoorDash updates features for corporate clients

Companies can track spending, usage and engagement by employees who participate in meal programs.