Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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Why consumers, not restaurants, are dictating value
Guests with tighter budgets are seeking out more affordable options, and restaurants — desperate for their dollars — are responding with a battle for the best value offer.
Julie Littman • Updated Sept. 23, 2024 -
Brian Niccol was hired to transform Starbucks. Is that possible?
Niccol must contend with the coffee chain’s growing brand identity and consumer perception problems, and balance its “third place” value proposition with efficient digital fulfillment.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 9, 2024 -
Dessert concepts are seeing record growth. But are they just a fad?
To stay relevant, chains like The Original Rainbow Cone and Dirty Dough are expanding their menus beyond their core offerings.
Julie Littman • Aug. 12, 2024 -
How 4 chains are chasing Chipotle
From small regional brands to old challengers undergoing an overhaul, Mexican brands are relying on menu differentiation and franchising to catch the segment leader.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 31, 2024 -
Compass Coffee responds to union drive with mass hiring
The union plans to challenge the voter eligibility of scores of workers the Washington, D.C.-based chain added to its roster ahead of a scheduled mid-July election.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • June 28, 2024 -
How a bad real estate deal sunk Red Lobster
Trouble began in 2014 when the chain’s owner sold its real estate in a sale-leaseback, putting the seafood brand on the hook for millions in rent.
Julie Littman • June 10, 2024 -
Workers at DC’s Wydown cafes got organized. Then they lost everything.
The owners of the two-unit coffee chain shut down operations in the middle of a union drive, leaving workers fighting for severance.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • May 29, 2024 -
Chipotle leverages RFID technology, increases overall visibility
Executive Carlos Londono spoke about the company’s operations and its efforts to bring the technology to all of its 3,500 restaurants.
Alejandra Carranza • May 15, 2024 -
Juice chains are winning new consumers with food offerings
Brands are retooling their kitchens to accommodate new recipes, such as bowls and wraps, to attract broader demographics and expand occasions.
Julie Littman • March 28, 2024 -
How juice chains are shifting operations to create more profitability
Beyond Juicery and Main Squeeze did in-depth analyses on how franchisees could improve profitability from the cost of goods to construction.
Julie Littman • March 27, 2024 -
What’s driving juice chains’ aggressive growth
Brands like Nekter Juice Bar, Main Squeeze Juice and Juice it Up are pushing into new markets and opening stores as demand rises for healthy foods.
Julie Littman • March 26, 2024 -
Plant-based meat needs to beef up its messaging in 2024
Between slumping sales and shifting consumer mindsets, 2023 proved difficult for the sector. Here’s what analysts and experts say the category can do to recalibrate.
Elizabeth Flood • Feb. 14, 2024 -
Cost pressures may drive restaurant franchisee bankruptcies in 2024
Issues with margins or cash flow due to supply shocks, labor shortages and other disruptions can push operators into covenant default over their debts, experts said.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Jan. 30, 2024 -
Return-to-office traffic is fueling a catering boom in 2024
Chains like Cracker Barrel, BJs and Wings & Rings will continue to lean into the profitable channel this year after seeing double-digit growth in 2023.
Julie Littman • Jan. 29, 2024 -
7 restaurant industry trends to watch in 2024
Development costs will remain high and service fees could frustrate diners, but personalized offers and labor-saving tech may give brands an edge.
Emma Liem Beckett, Aneurin Canham-Clyne and Julie Littman • Jan. 10, 2024 -
Personalization will rule restaurant loyalty programs in 2024
Major chains are using real-time consumer data and artificial intelligence to provide more personalized perks, which may grow engagement even as diners’ emotional attachment to brands dips.
Danielle McLean • Jan. 4, 2024 -
Foodservice ‘renaissance’: How grocers are spicing up their deli and premade meals
As supermarkets increasingly replace restaurant meals, they’re looking to offer better prices alongside flavor innovation, deals and new shopping experiences.
Catherine Douglas Moran • Nov. 7, 2023 -
Coffee could become a union industry in Boston
UNITE HERE has organized four Boston cafe chains. Now, it wants to use a standard contract to spur more unionization and drive up wages in the city’s coffee sector.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 24, 2023 -
It’s not just Starbucks: Why cafes are hotbeds for unionizing
Workers at dozens of cafes in cities from Seattle to Boston are organizing, a trend experts attribute to low wages, college education and strong social bonds among employees.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 26, 2023 -
6 campaigns that broke through the creative rut of H1 2023
Though tightened advertiser budgets have spurred a sense of dullness, bets on buzzy tech, experiential displays and major refreshes from chains like Dunkin’ and Burger King seized the moment.
Peter Adams and Jessica Deyo • July 17, 2023 -
Why delivery robots face a regulatory ‘nightmare’
Laws for sidewalk-roaming bots have taken hold across states. But variances in each bill complicate the industry's expansion plans.
Max Garland • May 3, 2023 -
Rise and shine: Why breakfast chains are booming
Early bird foot traffic from remote and hybrid workers is boosting same-store sales growth at A.M. eateries, fueling sizable expansion pipelines.
Julie Littman • March 21, 2023 -
Ghost kitchens need to go omnichannel if they want to survive, experts say
After a year of dashed expansion plans, closures and high-profile regulatory infractions, segment players may need brand awareness and expanded access points to thrive.
Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Jan. 31, 2023 -
While chains seek multi-unit franchisees, small operators have room to grow in 2023
Franchisees will continue to push franchisors to boost store-level profitability as many brace for high development and operating costs.
Julie Littman • Jan. 30, 2023 -
5 trends that will shape the restaurant industry in 2023
Restaurants will experiment with dynamic menu pricing, cater to diners who are trading down and move away from ghost kitchens as inflation pressures the bottom line, experts predict.
Emma Liem Beckett, Aneurin Canham-Clyne and Julie Littman • Jan. 5, 2023