Consumer Trends

  • Chipotle
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle is cheaper than competitors, but consumers haven’t noticed: BTIG

    The Mexican fast casual brand has a significant pricing advantage over competitors like Sweetgreen, but it is still facing value-perception problems.

    By • Sept. 11, 2025
  • An image of a breakfast sandwich, coffee and hashbrowns on a table
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    Permission granted by Portillo's
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    Portillo’s cuts projected openings, breakfast pilot

    The fast casual chain will focus on core markets and simplify operations as pricing and promotional problems weigh on same-store sales.

    By • Sept. 10, 2025
  • An image of several people eating hamburgers and french fries from a generic fast food restaurant. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Diamond Dogs via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Loyalty & Rewards Strategy

    Capturing — and keeping — loyal customers is more crucial than ever as diner price sensitivity puts pressure on restaurants.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • An image of a building with Cracker Barrel branding
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    Courtesy of Cracker Barrel
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    Cracker Barrel halts remodels after logo backlash, lackluster test

    The chain only remodeled four stores before deciding to discontinue its reimage efforts, which drew the ire of loyal customers. 

    By • Sept. 10, 2025
  • A smiling white man in a suit. He's wearing a jacket with peaked lapels and no tie, for what it's worth.
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    By the numbers: Starbucks’ first year under CEO Brian Niccol

    What’s changed 12 months after the chain’s dramatic restaurant leadership shakeup? The numbers reveal a mix of store growth, declining comp sales and continued labor strife. 

    By • Sept. 9, 2025
  • A portrait of Sean Tresvant, Taco Bell's incoming CEO.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Yum prepares for CEO swap with more exec changes

    As Chris Turner prepares to take over Yum, Taco Bell’s parent company promoted three leaders, including a CFO, and will add a chief scale officer role.

    By • Sept. 9, 2025
  • Three pumpkin themed coffee drinks from Starbucks. Two are iced, one is hot and has whipped cream.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte broke records. Is that enough?

    CEO Brian Niccol said the chain had its strongest sales Tuesday ever, and Placer.ai data showed the launch outpaced rivals’ fall LTO debuts.

    By • Sept. 8, 2025
  • Checkers and Rally's meal
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    Courtesy of Checkers and Rally's
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    Why Checkers and Rally’s are keeping the pedal to the metal on value

    CMO Scott Johnson explains how the sister chains built on a new brand platform via a partnership with rapper GloRilla as the QSR value wars persist.

    By Chris Kelly • Sept. 8, 2025
  • Customers enter a McDonald's restaurant.
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    Mario Tama / Staff via Getty Images
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    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?

    By Bryan Wassel • Sept. 4, 2025
  • A bowl loaded with Chipotle's Carne Asada LTO.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    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.

    By • Sept. 2, 2025
  • A photograph of a yellow sign with Denny's in red.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    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.

    By • Aug. 27, 2025
  • Chili's Fast Food Financing pop-up
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    Courtesy of Chili's Grill & Bar
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    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.

    By • Aug. 27, 2025
  • An image of two chicken wraps from McDonald's
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    Courtesy of MCDonald's
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    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.

    By • Aug. 27, 2025
  • Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley for Little Caesars
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    Courtesy of Little Caesars
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    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.

    By Jessica Hammers • Aug. 26, 2025
  • Five flat pizzas.
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    Courtesy of Pizza Hut
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    Pizza Hut’s new menu category targets solo diners

    Crafted Flatzz, which include flatbread-style pies, marks Pizza Hut’s largest global launch of a menu item and will be available in over 20 countries.

    By • Aug. 20, 2025
  • A collage of Chipotle-themed Urban Outfitters products
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle targets Gen Z with college rewards program

    The fast casual chain is offering free points, occasional prize drops and faster rewards accrual to loyalty members who validate their college enrollment.

    By • Aug. 19, 2025
  • Peter the Pita Chip plushie on a Cava bag
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    Cava’s traffic growth slows as consumers show reticence

    Fast casual segment leaders fell behind some fast food competitors in sales growth this quarter, with Cava the latest to post flat traffic growth.

    By • Aug. 13, 2025
  • A promotional image of several Pepsi premium mixed drinks.
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    Courtesy of PepsiCo
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    Why Coke and Pepsi think dirty soda is a win for restaurants

    Consumer demand for premium, customizable beverages is pushing soda makers to add everything from fruit to flavored soft serve ice cream to sodas.

    By • Aug. 12, 2025
  • Wendy's
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    Thai Phi Le/Restaurant Dive
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    Wendy’s wants good experiences to drive frequency as consumers pull back spending

    Customer satisfaction for orders placed through employees and made digitally were each up significantly year over year, but it wasn’t enough to offset a negative quarter.

    By Bryan Wassel • Aug. 12, 2025
  • A box with potato wedges and chicken wings in it.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    How KFC’s Potato Wedge LTO ties into its comeback strategy

    The chain said consumer demand pushed it to revive the side after a five-year hiatus and bring back Hot & Spicy wings, as well.  

    By • Aug. 11, 2025
  • McDonald's McDonaldland
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s brings back McDonaldland to unlock consumers’ ‘core memories’

    The fast food chain’s latest nostalgic campaign features Ronald McDonald and friends for the first time in more than 20 years.

    By Chris Kelly • Updated Aug. 11, 2025
  • A view of a Wendy's restaurant on May 12, 2021 in Pinole, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Wendy’s adopts McDonald’s chicken tender playbook, boosts beverages

    After an unfocused promotional calendar failed to boost sales, CEO Ken Cook said cold brew with cold foam and sparkling energy drinks will play a key role for the brand.

    By • Aug. 8, 2025
  • An image of a Jack in the Box restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box posts worst sales quarter in years

    The burger brand shed traffic and closed stores. Del Taco did too. Now, executives are banking on real estate sales and reimages at 1,000 stores to strengthen the company.

    By • Aug. 7, 2025
  • A photograph of an Applebee's sign.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    How Applebee’s turned traffic positive

    New entrees and value plays helped the chain hit positive same-store sales for the first time in years, while dual-branding with IHOP promises longer-term positive results.

    By • Aug. 7, 2025
  • A sign is posted in front of a Taco Bell restaurant on May 01, 2024 in Richmond, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Yum Brands turns to AI to aggregate social media, third-party reviews

    The Byte system of AI technologies is helping power advanced Voice of the Customer tools while improving the drive-thru experience, executives said on a Q2 2025 earnings call.

    By Bryan Wassel • Aug. 6, 2025
  • McDonald's new McCrispy chicken strips.
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s chicken, loyalty and value end same-store sales slump

    A strong combination of value offerings, LTOs and new menu items drove sales growth in the U.S. for Q2, executives said.

    By • Aug. 6, 2025