Shift Change: Jack in the Box CEO to depart; McDonald's names international president

This week's Shift Change also highlights executive news from Black Bear Diner, Potbelly, Dunkin' Brands, Garden Fresh Restaurants, Nathan's Famous, Noodles & Company and Pizza Hut. 

By Julie Littman • Dec. 13, 2019

WeWork shutters restaurant coworking startup Spacious

Spacious, which turns high-end restaurants into coworking spaces during off-peak times, will close at the end of the year, making it the latest casualty in WeWork’s failed IPO.

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 13, 2019

McDonald's lands major labor win in 2-1 ruling

The National Labor Relations Board absolved McDonald's as a joint employer from responsibility for labor violations brought forward in 2012 by Fight for $15 and other labor groups. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 12, 2019

Potbelly CFO departs for Planet Fitness

Four-time CFO Tom Fitzgerald is leaving Potbelly Corp. on Dec. 27 after one year as finance chief; the Chicago-based sandwich chain is searching for a replacement. 

By Jane Thier • Dec. 12, 2019

Cava secures $40M in latest funding round

The company has now raised over $459 million in funding and is worth over $578 million.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 12, 2019

Jack in the Box CEO stepping down

Lenny Comma will exit the fast food chain at an unspecified date after 18 years with the restaurant and six years as chief executive. The chain has no successor in place. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 11, 2019

Chipotle gives away burritos on Instagram

The QSR chain is offering free burritos to the first people who respond by text message to its short-lived Instagram posts.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 11, 2019

IHOP flips into fast casual segment with new concept

The restaurant chain will open Flip'd by IHOP in Atlanta in April, with locations in New York City, Washington D.C., Denver and San Francisco under consideration for next year.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 11, 2019

McDonald's could sell 250M Beyond Meat burgers annually in US, report says

Though the fast food giant is only selling 20 to 30 plant-based burgers per day in its Canadian test, UBS predicts the product would eventually drive strong sales if sold in America.

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 11, 2019

Wendy's outsourcing IT, expects up to $15M restructuring costs

The chain expects severance and related employee costs to be between $8 million and $9 million. 

By Samantha Schwartz • Dec. 11, 2019

Famous Dave's parent grilling up new concepts

BBQ Holdings is opening a new concept in Oklahoma with pitmaster Travis Clark called Clark Crew BBQ as part of its strategy to become a multi-brand company.

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 10, 2019

Chicken Salad Chick bought by new private equity firm

The chain grew system sales seven-fold under previous majority owner Eagle Merchant Partners, and plans to roll out 250 new stores in the next five years.

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 9, 2019

Innovator of the Year: Kitchen United

The startup has an aggressive growth plan to open 400 kitchen centers in the next few years, helping launch more delivery-only restaurants and differentiating itself with integrated tech platforms.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 9, 2019

Restaurant of the Year: Chick-fil-A

The QSR's customer service and focus on technology have driven meteoric growth, making it the third-largest U.S. restaurant chain despite negative publicity and city bans. 

By Julie Littman • Dec. 9, 2019

Executive of the Year: Kevin Johnson, Starbucks

Johnson emerged from former CEO Howard Schultz's shadow, identifying the coffee chain's pain points and using his tech background to boost innovation and sales.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 9, 2019

The Restaurant Dive Awards for 2019

From McDonald's purchase of Dynamic Yield to Chick-fil-A's operational edge, these are the companies and executives that shaped the restaurant industry this year.

Dec. 9, 2019

Emerging Brand of the Year: MOD Pizza

The top-your-own pizza chain is leveraging savvy tech investments and off-premise optimization to win a hefty — and growing — slice of market share from legacy brands and nimble newcomers. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 9, 2019

Burger King to expand its Canadian footprint by 25% in 5 years

Burger King plans to open more than 100 restaurants in Ontario and Manitoba in the next five years. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 6, 2019

Ford will upcycle McDonald's coffee waste into car parts

The fast food chain's latest partnership is part of its long-standing sustainability initiatives, which includes reducing plastic packaging waste and its 2020 goal of sourcing coffee from 100% sustainable sources.  

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 6, 2019

Dave & Buster's cashes in on contactless commerce app

The restaurant chain's app uses NFC technology to let customers play games with a phone tap and manage rewards points.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 5, 2019

KFC brings back its fried chicken-scented Firelogs

The logs, made from recycled materials via a partnership with Enviro-Log, will be available exclusively on Walmart's website.

By Barry Levine • Dec. 5, 2019

Chipotle enforces sick policy, reports no food safety issues since 2017

Following a norovirus incident in 2017 that sickened several customers, the fast casual chain has enforced its sick policy and new food safety standards, resulting in no incidents within the last two years.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 5, 2019

Chipotle agrees to $95K payout in sexual harassment suit

A former employee claims he was locked in a walk-in freezer for reporting a sexual harassment incident, adding to a slew of sexual harassment lawsuits hitting the QSR space. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 4, 2019

On the Border settles race claim for $100K and a letter from its chief people officer

EEOC alleged the employer failed to act when employees at the restaurant repeatedly subjected a co-worker to racial slurs.

By Lisa Burden • Dec. 4, 2019

Deliveroo CFO departs before funding round investigation

Raif Jacobs is one of five executives to leave Deliveroo this year, including its COO, chief technology officer, chief people officer and chief legal officer. 

By Jane Thier • Dec. 3, 2019