Financials

  • An evening image of a blue building with Dutch Bros signage.
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    Permission granted by Dutch Bros
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    By the numbers: Inside Dutch Bros’ growth strategy

    From a strong leadership pipeline to healthy quarterly openings, the drive-thru coffee chain is seeing positive momentum across several parts of its business. 

    By • Updated Aug. 20, 2026
  • Three flatbreads
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    Courtesy of Smoothie King
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    Smoothie King sales soar after flatbread launch

    Chicken Flatbreads helped increase July same-store sales by 9%, marking the brand’s best month this year to date.

    By • Aug. 14, 2026
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    Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Restaurant Financing

    With ongoing macroeconomic pressures facing restaurants, operators are entering into alternative financing, mergers and acquisitions and even bankruptcy to sustain their businesses. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • An interior of a restaurant with signs that say Applebee's and IHOP
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    Permission granted by Dine Brands
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    How Dine’s dual-brands can stave off closures

    Conversions to dual branding could generate sales lifts at struggling stores, helping IHOP and Applebee's avoid closures.

    By • Aug. 13, 2026
  • A photo of a Cava location in a brick endcap retail space.
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    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 • Aug. 12, 2026
  • An image of a red, turquoise and white restaurant with Moe's signage
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    Courtesy of Moe's Southwest Grill
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    Why a major Moe’s operator filed for bankruptcy

    Quality Fresca spent years stabilizing its business post-COVID, but inflation and consumer shifts in 2025 undid the 38-store franchisee’s work. 

    By • Aug. 11, 2026
  • It's a restaurant.
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    wdstock via Getty Images
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    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 • Aug. 10, 2026
  • An image of a white building with First Watch signage
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    Permission granted by First Watch
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    Inside First Watch’s ‘spend more to earn more’ strategy

    Despite increased marketing, food and development costs, the chain is seeing an uptick in sales, revenue and opportunities to reach new customers. 

    By • Aug. 10, 2026
  • An evening shot of a Portillo's restaurant
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    Courtesy of Portillo's
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    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 • Aug. 7, 2026
  • A close-up photograph of coure wraps on a yellow table in front of an orange titled background.
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    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 • Aug. 7, 2026
  • A red sign with white lettering that says Wendy's below a logo of a girl with red hair and blue hair ties sits in a parking lot under a tree.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    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 • Aug. 7, 2026
  • A car at a window picking up an order from a restaurant
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    Permission granted by Salad and Go
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    Dutch Bros buys 65 former Salad and Go units

    The coffee chain will convert units in Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas as part of its strategy to reach 2,029 units in 2029.

    By • Aug. 6, 2026
  • A car at a window picking up an order from a restaurant
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    Permission granted by Salad and Go
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    What led to Salad and Go’s downfall

    The fast casual chain faced significant expenses following an aggressive expansion. It also suffered from wilting demand and was unable to sell itself prior to filing for Chapter 11.

    By • Aug. 6, 2026
  • A car at a window picking up an order from a restaurant
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    Permission granted by Salad and Go
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    Salad and Go files for Ch. 11, closes 70 stores

    The salad chain said it faced ongoing pressure on consumer demand, including an indirect impact from the Cyclospora outbreak.

    By • Aug. 5, 2026
  • A person smiles at a camera in front of a gray background.
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    Courtesy of Portillo's
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    Portillo’s hires Olive Garden finance exec as CFO

    Kevin Kalicak, who has spent nearly 30 years at Darden, will join the fast casual chain on Sept. 7, succeeding Michelle Hook.

    By , • Aug. 5, 2026
  • A rendering of a KFC next-generation restaurant that includes pink neon lights and black facade.
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    Permission granted by KFC
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    Yum bids Pizza Hut farewell, overhauls KFC

    Yum Brands is ushering in a new era for KFC through a global brand transformation, while Pizza Hut is shifting to new ownership.

    By • July 31, 2026
  • A photograph of a brown sign with white lettering that says Starbucks Center.
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    David Ryder via Getty Images
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    Starbucks’ experience refinements are ‘turning engagement into rituals,’ CEO says

    According to CEO Brian Niccol, better customer service and a revamped loyalty program are building trust with customers and making the brand more visible.

    By Bryan Wassel • July 30, 2026
  • People walk past a Chipotle storefront.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Chipotle’s efforts to engage customers with rewards in-restaurant pay off

    “While food quality and generous portions bring guests through our doors, it's the experience we deliver that keeps them coming back,” CEO Scott Boatwright said.

    By Kristen Doerer • July 30, 2026
  • A photograph of a gray building with white signage that says "Since 1956 Jersey Mike's Sub's." There are three cars parked in front of the building.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jersey Mike’s debuts on NYSE with $1B IPO

    The sub sandwich chain will begin selling Class A common stock at $23 per share in the largest restaurant initial public offering since 2021.

    By • July 30, 2026
  • A sign on a Chipotle restaurant.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Chipotle posts best quarterly same-store sales growth since 2024

    The chain’s Recipe for Growth initiative, which launched in February, has already shifted momentum, with same-store sales up 2.2%.

    By • July 30, 2026
  • A photo of the outside of a Wingstop.
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    Courtesy of Wingstop
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    Wingstop same-store sales drop for 5th straight quarter

    CEO Michael Skipworth said the fast casual chain has many price-sensitive guests and will focus more on value and group occasions to boost sales.

    By • July 30, 2026
  • An orange and white fast food restaurant
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    Courtesy of Whataburger
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    Whataburger hires Taco Bell vet as CFO

    Ryan Moore also brings experience from Torchy’s Tacos to the burger chain, which is growing extensively beyond its home base of Texas.

    By • July 29, 2026
  • An image of a beige building wiht both Fatburger and Round Table Pizza signage
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Judge approves Fat Brands liquidation

    After a complicated bankruptcy process that included a CEO ouster effort, Fat’s liquidation can proceed with court approval.

    By • July 28, 2026
  • A quick service restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken
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    Church’s Texas Chicken CEO says new funding will boost remodels, expansion

    An equity investment from Golub Capital will help the chicken chain convert its brand turnaround into renewed U.S. store growth.

    By • July 28, 2026
  • A smiling white man in a dark suit with no tie in front of a bar.
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    Courtesy of Fogo de Chão
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    Fogo de Chão appoints successor to long-tenured CFO

    Daniel Duran succeeded Tony Laday, who retired after helping the chain through an IPO, a global pandemic and multiple acquisitions over 12 years.

    By • July 24, 2026
  • A zoomed in image of Dutch Bros building signage
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    Courtesy of Dutch Bros
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    Gas price moderation won’t end restaurant consumer woes

    Falling gas prices may not mean a return to consumer health, as wages fall and savings deplete, worsening the gap between restaurant winners and losers.

    By • July 22, 2026