Chicago and other cities support outdoor dining expansions even as pandemic wanes

Expanded outdoor dining has been "a critical lifeline" for restaurants. As some cities aim to extend the changes or make them permanent, Chicago is awarding $2.3 million in grants for those and other community outdoor spaces. 

By Jason Plautz • June 2, 2021

Report: Most diners still want restaurant workers to mask up

Sixty-five percent of consumers say safety gear worn by restaurant workers is "absolutely required" for them to feel comfortable eating out, Datassential finds.

By Alicia Kelso • June 1, 2021

Explore the 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

Yelp adds LGBTQ-owned business search filter

Searches for LGBTQ-owned businesses on the platform jumped by more than 150% in April versus one year ago.

By Alicia Kelso • May 24, 2021

Report: Diner demand is up at full-service restaurants, but guest sentiment is down

Sit-down operators may be busier than ever since the start of the pandemic, but guest sentiment declined during Q1 because of frustration with service and ambiance, according to Black Box Intelligence data.

By Julie Littman • May 24, 2021

Chuck E. Cheese debuts mobile app and rewards program

The eatertainment chain is angling to lure customers with an omnichannel approach that provides incentives for in-store, online and mobile orders. 

By Alicia Kelso • May 20, 2021

Study: 92% of diners plan to maintain digital ordering habits post-vaccine

PYMTNTS/Paytronix research also found that 57% of vaccinated diners use loyalty programs compared to 42% of unvaccinated diners, which could be because immunized diners spend more on food orders, per the report. 

By Alicia Kelso • May 7, 2021

Five Guys franchisee opens the chain's first US ghost kitchen

Encore Restaurants, the largest Five Guys franchisee, opened a delivery-only location in Garland, Texas, on May 1, joining a growing list of chains using this channel for expansion.

By Alicia Kelso • May 5, 2021

Study: 60% of consumers are comfortable dining out

The percentage of consumers who said they would feel safe dining out never exceeded 42% in all of 2020, but that number has now reached its highest level since the pandemic, according to Morning Consult data.

By Alicia Kelso • May 4, 2021

Innovation starts from the bun up

Innovative breads and buns can make your bottom line rise like a fine dough. 

May 3, 2021

Mozzarella rising: what consumers want

Read how you can leverage its popularity to make mouths water for your menu. 

May 3, 2021

7-Eleven makes an aggressive play for the QSR space

While announcing its latest Evolution Store, which will house two eateries, COO Chris Tanco said the convenience store chain wants to open nearly 150 restaurants this year.

By Alicia Kelso • April 30, 2021

Businesses can only expect limited boost from stimulus checks: Fed study

Households have channeled federal stimulus checks primarily towards savings or reducing debt, giving businesses just a limited lift from consumer spending, according to the New York Federal Reserve.

By Jim Tyson • April 28, 2021

Starbucks' digital success partially driven by AI engine, CEO Kevin Johnson says

Deep Brew personalizes diner offers to secure loyalty and drive more frequent engagement. Though transactions were down 10% for Q2, ticket prices rose 22%.

By Emma Liem Beckett • April 28, 2021

Consumer habits: Lessons learned during a year of uncertainty

Explore feedback from consumers across North America to understand how their priorities have changed.

April 26, 2021

Study: 39% of married parents would spend more at a restaurant with a loyalty program

Married parents would also purchase more at restaurants if they could order and pay digitally, while single parents are more likely to order more through curbside pickup, research from PYMNTS and Paytronix finds.

By Alicia Kelso • April 23, 2021

Deliverect lands another $65M in funding, 1 year after raising $18M

The tech company will use the cash infusion to support further R&D, solidify its position in the U.S. and continue its international expansion.

By Alicia Kelso • April 21, 2021

Toast adds enhanced tools to contactless order and pay platform

The new options aim to cut overhead costs while allowing guests to create group orders from individual devices and place it onto one check, as well as start a tab on their own.

By Alicia Kelso • April 15, 2021

Report: 37% of diners order delivery from the channel with the lowest fees

Research from BentoBox and The Infatuation also finds that nearly 50% of diners would order delivery directly from a restaurant if it's an easy process. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 12, 2021

OpenTable opens 1st restaurant as innovation lab

The reservation platform's brick-and-mortar eatery is located inside Kayak Miami Beach — the first hotel from sister company Kayak— and will be used to hone diner data and develop new technology. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 8, 2021

Restaurants could see up to 30% check boost from latest stimulus, Rabobank predicts

This forecast is double what the previous two rounds of stimulus checks provided restaurants. During the four weeks immediately after those payments were made, restaurant spending was up 10% to 15%.

By Alicia Kelso • April 7, 2021

Noodles & Company's new CFO talks how ghost kitchens, drive-thrus will shape the chain's future

Carl Lukach, who started at the chain in November, says 70% to 80% of the stores built this year will have a drive-thru pickup window.

By Julie Littman • March 29, 2021

Miami 1 year later: Sunshine, loose restrictions spark restaurant real estate frenzy

The city's balmy climate and open space — combined with the local government's relatively loose COVID-19 limits — insulated its dining scene from the level of revenue disruption suffered by markets like New York City.

By Emma Liem Beckett • March 26, 2021

Washington, DC, 1 year later: Restaurants hammered by protests, insurrection and inauguration restrictions

While other major restaurant cities struggled to survive pandemic restrictions, District operators also had to contend with government-mandated curfews amid widespread protests and the fallout of the Capitol riot. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • March 24, 2021

Chicago 1 year later: Winter froze restaurant sales amid strict restrictions

Brutally cold weather is a staple of life in Illinois' restaurant capital, but the coronavirus forced many operators into hibernation, risking the future of one of the most impactful industries in the region.

By Julie Littman • March 22, 2021

Los Angeles 1 year later: Restaurants feel abandoned amid 'random' restrictions

California's aggressive response to the COVID-19 outbreak — including two rounds of months-long outdoor dining bans — put pressure on LA restaurants' bottom lines despite state and county aid.

By Emma Liem Beckett • March 19, 2021