BBQ Holdings lands 1st acquisition with Granite City Food

This deal is unlikely to be the last for Famous Dave's parent company as it pushes to become a multi-branded concept, mirroring recent moves by Inspire Brands, FAT Brands and Cracker Barrel. 

By Julie Littman • Feb. 14, 2020

Burgerim drama mounts as WA, MD revoke franchise registration

Franchisees of the beleaguered burger chain, once considered one of the hottest and fastest growing brands, face additional challenges as states revoke the franchisor's right to sell licenses.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 13, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Menu development

Restaurants big and small are experimenting with their menus to align with the preferences of on-the-go diners and mitigate the impact of rising food costs, supply chain disruption and shrinking consumer discretionary funds. 

By Restaurant Dive staff

Secret Sauce: Pinstripes uses a different kind of equity partnership to grow

Joining forces with real estate developers has helped this eatertainment concept, which opened during the Great Recession, reach toward its long-term goal of over 100 units in the U.S.

By Julie Littman • Feb. 12, 2020

KFC, Crocs strut fried chicken-themed clogs at New York Fashion Week

Collaborative footwear featuring scented drumstick charms will be available to consumers this spring.

By Peter Adams • Feb. 12, 2020

Denny's pilots Yelp Store Visits to measure physical store foot traffic

The platform also introduced Showcase Ads, a video-centric format for national marketers to highlight seasonal promotions.

By Robert Williams • Feb. 12, 2020

Proposed RI bill would fine delivery providers for listing non-partnered restaurants

Companies would be penalized $1,000 each day a violation occurs, and any merchant could bring action in superior court to recover actual damages or up to $5,000. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Feb. 12, 2020

Starbucks' airport strategy takes flight with 2 deals

The coffee chain hopes to explore innovative store concepts with Paradies Lagardère and OTG Management, including offerings like gate-to-gate delivery, and will open new locations this year. 

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 11, 2020

Sonic to buy 73 units from bankrupt franchisee

The franchisor plans to acquire the units from SD Holdings, which operates in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama, after the operator accumulated $22.3 million in secured debt.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 11, 2020

Taco Bell names former KFC exec Nikki Lawson as brand chief

The taco chain sees an opportunity to continue to push the brand past its positioning as a QSR, Yum Brands CEO Mark King said in a statement. 

By Dianna Christie • Feb. 10, 2020

Popeyes' chicken sandwich helped boost comp sales to 34% in Q4

The menu item — easily the brand's most successful product launch — also lifted systemwide sales by 42% to $1.3 billion during the quarter.  

By Julie Littman • Feb. 10, 2020

Fin to gill: How restaurant chefs can make the most of whole fish for delicious sustainable dining

Take a second look at what you once saw as trash, and change how your restaurant operates. 

Feb. 10, 2020

Beyond sandwich boosts Q4 same-store sales for Dunkin'

While overall traffic declined during the quarter, it was offset by higher checks when consumers ordered the plant-based product.

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 7, 2020

Shift Change: Pizza Hut taps interim president, Dunkin' hires new VP of marketing strategy

This week, Roti also announced a new CEO and Bojangles' hired a VP of menu and culinary innovation.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 7, 2020

Pizza Hut names new marketing leadership, looking to inject some KFC brand magic

KFC marketers George Felix and David Graves will become CMO and chief brand officer, respectively, as their sister brand seeks a turnaround.

By Peter Adams • Feb. 7, 2020

Subway lays off 300 employees at headquarters

The beleaguered sandwich chain is hoping the cuts will reduce overhead and make its business more efficient, but its future is still uncertain. 

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 6, 2020

Saladworks pilots virtual kitchens in 3 markets

Saladworks joins the likes of Chick-fil-A, Wetzel's Pretzels, Halal Guys and others testing the Kitchen United model.

By Lauren Manning • Feb. 5, 2020

Chipotle's digital sales spike 90% for fiscal 2019

To amplify this growth, more than half of the 150 to 165 new stores to launch in 2020 will be equipped with "Chipotlane" mobile pickup drive-thrus.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 5, 2020

Bloomin' Brands closer to divesting Outback Brazil

The company has selected three bidders for its Outback operation in Brazil.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 4, 2020

Dunkin' names new VP of marketing strategy amid pivot to integrated approach

CEO Dave Hoffmann said the move will streamline the company's strategic, go-to-market functions into one team. 

By Peter Adams • Feb. 4, 2020

Chipotle's Justin Bieber challenge reaches 95M on TikTok during Super Bowl

The "TikTok Timeout" challenge urged people to create their own "February Free Delivery Sundays" ads set to Bieber's new song "Yummy."

By Robert Williams • Feb. 4, 2020

Shift Change: Dunkin' Brands builds out international team

This week's Shift Change also highlights executive news from Paris Baguette and MOD Pizza. 

By Julie Littman • Jan. 31, 2020

Krispy Kreme takes a bite out of the Big Apple

The chain will open six New York City stores in 2020, including a Times Square flagship, but Dunkin's strong market presence poses stiff competition.

By Lauren Manning • Jan. 30, 2020

Yum Brands adds KFC's Beyond Fried Chicken to 2 new markets

This marks the second time this week the holding company announced a test of plant-based protein, with Habit Burger putting the Impossible Burger on menus.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 29, 2020

Starbucks Happy Hour drives 11% increase in traffic

The 6 p.m. hour block of the promotion specifically saw a nearly 16% boost in visits compared to the pre-Happy Hour average, according to inMarket data. 

By Lauren Manning • Jan. 29, 2020

Plant-based burger craze will plateau, but no expiration date in sight

Tim Hortons rolled back select Beyond Meat products and Burger King's Impossible Whopper sales are sliding, but analysts predict that meat analogues have long-term staying power. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 27, 2020