Q2 2026’s restaurant winners and losers

Coffee is in, pizza is out, and some legacy QSR chains are struggling with much-needed turnarounds. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 1, 2026

It’s official: Yum has sold Pizza Hut for $1.5B

Taco Bell’s parent will focus on its other brands, while Pizza Hut can begin a turnaround sheltered from the immediate pressures of public markets.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 1, 2026

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

Starbucks’ pumpkin spice launch breaks records, again

The Pumpkin Spice Latte, combined with new drinks and an emphasis on food attachment, powered the coffee giant’s strongest-ever fall menu debut.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 1, 2026

Starbucks faces another union boycott, activist investor pressure

Pro-labor investors want the chain to split its board chair and CEO roles as Starbucks Workers United asks consumers to join its contract fight.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 31, 2026

Buffalo Wild Wings hires coffee exec as COO

Ahmed Awadallah, who brings significant cafe and QSR experience to the sports bar chain, will focus on operational excellence.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 26, 2026

Burger King scraps ‘rubbery’ chicken nuggets for new recipe

The RBI chain updated its breading, marinade, sauces and packaging in a comprehensive overhaul to make its nuggets juicier and crispier.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 25, 2026

Dunkin’ to return to Puerto Rico in 2027

The doughnut and coffee chain is banking on residual brand affinity to make its return to the island territory a success.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 25, 2026

El Pollo looks to speed up growth, menu innovation after turnaround

CEO Elizabeth Williams said the chain is doubling its pace of development relative to last year and considering adding more fried chicken. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 24, 2026

California Pizza Kitchen to deploy 1K automated kiosks by 2029

A partnership with retail tech company T-ROC Global could help CPK reverse the steady erosion of its storebase by bringing the brand to more consumers.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 21, 2026

Why Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s CFO champions CX

Experience improvements encourage “guests to come back more often, spend more often and recommend us to others,” CFO Chris Sasser said.

By Kristen Doerer • Aug. 21, 2026

Jack in the Box names president in CEO succession step

Former Yum Brands executive Taylor Montgomery could bring some of Taco Bell’s marketing magic to the beleaguered burger brand. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 20, 2026

A&W develops larger store prototype

The diner-inspired format is designed to foster meaningful guest connections through hospitality and differentiate from transactional QSR dining rooms.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 20, 2026

Wendy’s revives COO position

The burger chain is seeking an operations chief for its turnaround under CEO Robert Wright, after hundreds of closures and six quarters of tumbling traffic.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 19, 2026

Whataburger adds $4 value menu

Low-priced options could attract diners in new markets and sustain sales in core trade areas.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 18, 2026

Shell taps McDonald’s loyalty base to drive fuel trips, rewards sign-ups

A new promotion gives the QSR chain’s loyalty members discounts at Shell-branded gas stations through mid-September.

By Brett Dworski • Aug. 18, 2026

FTC to disburse $23.8M from Grubhub settlement

Grubhub originally settled with the Federal Trade Commission in 2024 for allegedly unfairly blocking consumers and deceiving drivers in pay messaging.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 13, 2026

Cava’s investment in value and wages pays off

The fast casual brand’s longstanding effort to underprice inflation has helped it drive sales growth in lower-income trade areas.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 12, 2026

Gen Restaurant Group mulls $100M offer for its BBQ chain

Selling its restaurant business would allow Gen to pivot to CPG, where it can grow with lower development expenditure. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 10, 2026

Jalapeños served at Qdoba, Chipotle tied to Salmonella outbreak

Both chains stopped serving potentially contaminated peppers after hundreds of consumers across 27 states fell ill.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Aug. 10, 2026

Portillo’s cuts 18% of corporate workforce

The July 31 reduction was meant to simplify its corporate structure to allow for better focus, nimbler operations and improved restaurant-level support.

By Julie Littman • Aug. 7, 2026

Sweetgreen says turnaround is working, despite soft sales

Improvements in value perception, transactions and throughput were derailed by worries about Cyclospora, though the brand doesn’t serve iceberg lettuce.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 7, 2026

Wendy’s CEO moving with ‘urgency’ to revamp brand

Robert Wright, who rejoined the chain in May, is already drafting a strategy that will focus on menu, marketing, digital, operations and restaurants to improve the chain’s sales and traffic.

By Julie Littman • Aug. 7, 2026

Taco Bell, Taylor Farms Cyclospora case count hits 6K

The vast majority of the individuals sickened in the outbreak fell ill before Taco Bell and Taylor Farms removed potentially contaminated lettuce.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 6, 2026

Burger King sales surge, but Popeyes faces uphill battle

While Burger King’s revival has gained momentum in recent months, Popeyes has continued to struggle despite its turnaround efforts — but RBI has hope for the chicken chain’s sluggish sales.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 6, 2026

Bain Capital buys Gong cha bubble tea chain

The private equity firm will assume control of a 2,200-unit global chain, with at least 240 stores in the U.S.  

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Aug. 5, 2026