Corporate Operations

  • Bags of Blue Bottle coffee are on a store shelf
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Nestlé sells Blue Bottle Coffee to Centurium Capital

    The deal with the Chinese coffee giant includes the brand's cafes and the majority of its CPG business, a spokesperson confirmed.

    By Laurel Deppen • April 23, 2026
  • A selection of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's food with new branding
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Hardee’s operator files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy

    ARC Burger’s 77 stores have been closed since December, following a lawsuit by Hardee’s against the operator.

    By • April 23, 2026
  • A photo of several sandwiches on a wooden table with a green and white box behind them that says Speedy Cafe Sandwiches.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
    Image attribution tooltip

    7-Eleven adding catering to restaurant locations

    The company has partnered with ezCater on bulk ordering at Speedy Café and Laredo Taco locations, further supporting its foodservice ambitions.

    By Jessica Loder • April 23, 2026
  • A Domino's worker loads an order into a car.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why old school pizza delivery won’t disappear, despite third-party dominance

    Platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash can bring new visibility and customers to pizza chains. But first-party delivery still often remains supreme.

    By Danielle McLean • April 22, 2026
  • A close up photograph of a partial Starbucks siren logo as seen from the top of an office building.
    Image attribution tooltip
    David Ryder via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks Nashville HQ will cost $100M, employ 2K workers

    The chain will relocate some teams and hire new workers to staff a regional headquarters with proximity to key suppliers and expected growth markets.

    By • April 22, 2026
  • A White Castle burger kiosk at Boston's Logan Airport.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by White Castle
    Image attribution tooltip

    White Castle to deploy 1K slider kiosks

    The chain will work with Automated Retail Technologies to bring the robotic technology to areas off-limits to traditional QSRs.

    By • April 22, 2026
  • A sign on a Chipotle restaurant.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    A look at how Chipotle’s loyalty relaunch could affect customer behavior

    Value is key to the loyalty revamp, and the approach could drive in-restaurant traffic and help the company win over less frequent customers.

    By Bryan Wassel • April 20, 2026
  • A photo of a Cava location in a brick endcap retail space.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Cava
    Image attribution tooltip

    Cava opens first St. Louis location in Midwestern growth push

    Cava could reach 500 restaurants nationwide later this year, thanks in part to new market entries and infill in areas where it has a modest presence.

    By • April 17, 2026
  • A Starbucks store stands in Manhattan on January 30, 2024 in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks lets customers discover drinks, start orders in ChatGPT

    The app, in beta, takes the prompt-driven inspiration of ChatGPT and pushes customers into the Starbucks ecosystem to complete their orders.

    By Bryan Wassel • April 15, 2026
  • A fast casual restaurant with a celebratory crowd ready for its opening.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chicken Salad Chick
    Image attribution tooltip

    Chicken Salad Chick hires Popeyes exec to lead franchised growth

    Brian Lindley joins the chain as it continues franchised expansion, particularly with younger operators, while reducing the operating costs of its stores.

    By • April 14, 2026
  • A farmers' hand picking up a potato from the ground
    Image attribution tooltip

    Artist Representation LLC / Andrea D’Agosto

    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Lamb Weston

    Field to fry: What sustainability actually looks like in the potato supply chain

    90% of consumers say sustainability matters. One supplier is showing what that means in practice.

    April 13, 2026
  • Two people sit at a table in a dark cafe with warm lighting.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks hires Chipotle’s chief development officer

    Stephen Piacentini will help the coffee chain execute its ambitious renovation and development plans as part of the Back to Starbucks initiative.

    By • April 10, 2026
  • An image of a black building with windows and The Cheesecake Factory signage.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Maddie Meyer via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    The Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A leads AUVs among major restaurant chains

    Pizza brands, sandwich chains and beverage concepts tended to have weaker average unit volumes than casual dining brands and chicken QSRs in 2025, according to Circana’s data.

    By • April 6, 2026
  • A picture of Burger King signs.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Burger King to hire 60K workers as part of turnaround

    Investment in menu items, marketing and renovations have helped the chain bring in customers. Now it needs the workers to serve them.

    By • April 2, 2026
  • A Starbucks barista hands a customer a coffee
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Starbucks
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks adds performance bonuses for frontline workers

    Baristas and shift supervisors could see $300 quarterly bonuses starting in July, while Starbucks is expanding tipping across ordering channels.

    By • Updated April 3, 2026
  • An image of a gray building with a white logo that says "Shake Shack"
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Shake Shack will overhaul its tech with focus on AI, loyalty

    The fast casual burger brand hopes a new rewards system, modernized point-of-sale platform and AI-backed operational analytics will aid its growth.

    By • April 2, 2026
  • A Firehouse Subs location
    Image attribution tooltip
    TennesseePhotographer via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How Firehouse Subs is leveraging franchise incentives to speed up growth

    RBI’s smallest chain wants to speed up openings and fill in key U.S. markets, with bonuses targeting strong operators and multi-unit development.

    By • April 1, 2026
  • An image of a small restaurant with people gathered around. Thereis 7 Brew signage.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by 7 Brew
    Image attribution tooltip

    7 Brew will open its first college location in the fall

    The fast growing coffee chain’s non-traditional walk-thru locations at high-traffic retailers and universities could help it strengthen its on-premise experience.

    By • April 1, 2026
  • A close up of a white logo that says Wing Stop with a neon green glow.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Wingstop
    Image attribution tooltip

    Circana: Value and flavor propel Chili’s and Wingstop’s growth

    The two brands rose fastest in Circana’s 2026 Definitive U.S. Ranking as macroeconomic uncertainty pushed consumers towards holistic value.

    By • March 27, 2026
  • An image of a front counter with bundt cakes in the display case
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Nothing Bundt Cakes
    Image attribution tooltip

    Roark reportedly sells Nothing Bundt Cakes to KKR for $2B

    The brand’s fast growth and four-wall EBITDA likely made the 700-unit chain an appealing acquisition target. 

    By • March 26, 2026
  • An image of three large platters in the forefront with various food items. I nthe bagkround there are three cups, chips and tortillas.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chipotle
    Image attribution tooltip

    How 10 major restaurant chains are overhauling their strategies

    From Wendy’s to Outback, heavyweight brands are investing in new menu items and operational improvements  — often accompanied by closures and renovations — to get back on track.

    By • March 26, 2026
  • An image of a small Starbucks storefront with brown paneling and green siren logo inside an airport. Several people are sitting in chairs with luggage.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brycia James via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Starbucks tests new ordering channels for licensed stores

    Kiosks and scheduled orders could be coming to Starbucks cafes in airports, as the chain looks to speed up operations at high-traffic licensed stores.

    By • March 25, 2026
  • Popeyes opened its Times Square location in 2022.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Popeyes
    Image attribution tooltip

    Popeyes hires US COO from Burger King

    Chris Padoan's appointment signals a greater investment in Popeyes’ store-level execution, as the chain lags its chicken competitors in operations. 

    By • March 25, 2026
  • Sidewalk devilry robots in front of a Wonder location.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Grubhub
    Image attribution tooltip

    Wonder hires CFO ahead of potential 2027 IPO

    Marc Lore has built a vertically integrated food delivery network including food halls, a makeline manufacturer and Grubhub. Now, he wants to take it public.

    By • March 24, 2026
  • The exterior of a Chicken Salad Chick restaurant.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Chicken Salad Chick
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why Chicken Salad Chick is driving interest from millennial, Gen Z franchisees

    The brand said a surge of interest from younger entrepreneurs, who want both independence and stability, has helped it fill a 300-unit development pipeline.

    By • March 24, 2026