Potbelly adds prime rib sandwich to menu

As fast casual chains look to capture new occasions, premium proteins are a prominent part of menu makeovers.

DoorDash, Coco to bring delivery bots to Chicago and Los Angeles

The companies will offer robotic delivery from nearly 600 businesses, as sidewalk bots become a point of competition with Uber Eats and Grubhub.

Ascent Hospitality promotes Blain Shortreed to COO

Shortreed, who joined the company in 2023 as Huddle House president, will focus on strategic growth, operations and franchise relations in his new role.  

Panera reintroduces brand with focus on dine-in cafe experience

“It Just Meals Good,” the chain’s first work from 72andSunny, captures a variety of occasions for eating at Panera, whether catching up with a kid or an ex. 

9 of the biggest restaurant CEO hires of Q1

The first three months of the year brought new leaders to Jack in the Box, CKE Restaurants, Church’s Texas Chicken, Panera Brands and more. 

Trump pauses most reciprocal tariffs, hikes China’s further

The U.S. will now charge a 125% duty on imports from China, while most other countries will be subject to a 10% rate for 90 days.

Checkers & Rally’s new prototype cuts square footage almost in half

The burger brand redesigned its kitchen layouts and is streamlining workflows to operate in just 570 square feet.

Wingstop launches NYC pop-up to spotlight tenders

Chicken tenders are having a menu moment and could help the fast casual chain continue its wild sales momentum.

Smalls Sliders names former Tropical Smoothie Cafe chief as CEO

The chain is betting Charles Watson can bring some of the development magic from Tropical Smoothie Cafe, but the macroeconomy may have other ideas.

Subway hires CMO from PepsiCo beverages to lead global marketing

Greg Lyons, who left the beverage giant late last month, will join the sandwich chain on the tail of a recent creative agency switch-up. 

El Pollo Loco faces acquisition bid by Sardar Biglari

The activist investor has already bought up almost 15% of the chicken chain and is now making a play for the whole company.

GoTo Foods debuts Cinnabon Swirl dual-branded concept

Rather than simple co-branding, Cinnabon Swirl will have its own rewards program, indicating the possibility of an independent brand identity.

How Applebee’s designed its customer insights program

The restaurant chain incorporated feedback from a range of stakeholders to ensure its customer insights are actionable and readily available.

Why First Watch takes 18 months to develop seasonal menus

The breakfast chain goes on “flavor tours” to inspire its LTOs, which it rotates every 10 weeks in order to keep up with evolving diner demands.

Starbucks and Dunkin’s competitors reap rewards as visits grow

As small coffee brands see their share of longer visits increase, legacy chains are looking to recapture their own on-premise magic.

Why urban areas are a challenge for casual chains

High rents, difficult buildouts and space limitations are among many reasons why casual full-service chains often avoid spaces in cities. But opportunities are out there, experts say.

Papa Johns will use Google AI for analytics, marketing

The pizza chain has tapped Google Cloud’s AI tools to optimize delivery routes, create a customer-facing chatbot and deliver personalized rewards in real time.

Just Salad ex-CFO missed out on $1.2M, lawsuit claims

The former finance chief is seeking funds he claims he’s owed relating to a separation agreement, as well as $5 million in damages.

The restaurant labor market in 6 key statistics

Although turnover stabilized last year, early data from 2025 shows increased unemployment and a decrease in hours worked.

Updated April 7, 2025

Solo dining is on the rise, report finds

Younger diners like to eat alone, with 49% of millennials and 46% of Gen Z consumers preferring to do so, according to a TouchBistro report.

Sweetgreen abandons tiered loyalty for points-based program

Executives previously predicted the loyalty program would be a traffic driver, as the salad chain faces a competitive fast casual environment.

Trump installs 10% baseline tariff, country-specific duties

The president said he will levy import taxes on a wide range of countries, based on White House calculations. The National Restaurant Association said tariffs will only exacerbate pricing problems for the industry.

Church’s Texas Chicken to open 900 more international units

Through its international brand Texas Chicken, the chain will enter Germany, Hungary and Georgia for the first time, expanding its presence in Europe.

P.F. Chang’s promotes COO Brad Hill to CEO

Hill, who has been at the company for nearly eight years, steps into the role following Eduardo Luz’s departure.

Updated April 2, 2025

Domino’s teams with DoorDash, ditches Uber Eats exclusivity

The pizza chain, which has partnered with Uber Eats since 2023, believes third-party aggregator partnerships are a $1 billion sales opportunity.