Marketing


  • A couple looks at food delivery packaging on the left. On the right a mobile app displays generic branding and discounts for a restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Toast
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    Toast adds branded apps and text marketing

    The company said its new features can help restaurants drive traffic and frequency, and that apps are more effective than websites.

    By Oct. 8, 2024
  • Del Taco items against a white background.
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    Courtesy of Del Taco
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    Del Taco rolls out meal combos starting at $4.49

    The Mexican QSR chain’s new combo meals could help improve consumer value perceptions as 2024’s discount wars continue.

    By Oct. 4, 2024
  • DoorDash Ads Manager images
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    Courtesy of DoorDash
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    Chipotle, Sweetgreen leverage DoorDash’s new ad platform for restaurants

    The delivery aggregator also added offsite capabilities and sponsored brand placements for CPG brands as delivery providers race to improve ad offerings.

    By Chris Kelly • Oct. 4, 2024
  • An image of a chicken big mac sold by a McDonald's duplicate set up by the chain to promote the sandwich
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s takes Chicken Big Mac national

    The sandwich, which is available starting Oct. 10 while supplies last, could help the chain recover traffic and sales. It swaps the Big Mac’s beef patties for tempura-coated chicken.

    By Oct. 3, 2024
  • Shake Shack food with Worth It tagline
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    Retrieved from Shake Shack on October 01, 2024
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    Shake Shack touts premium ingredients in multichannel ‘Worth It’ ads

    Commercials that leverage slow-motion footage and a voice-over about how the chain lives up to the hype arrive as competitors focus on affordability. 

    By Jessica Deyo • Oct. 1, 2024
  • Several items from Sonic Drive-In arranged to showcase the brand's changes to its Fun99 value menu
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    Courtesy of Sonic
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    Sonic Drive-In switches up its $1.99 value menu

    The QSR chain, which added its permanent value menu in July, added Cream Slushes and Grilled Cheese Burgers as competition around affordability grows.

    By Sept. 30, 2024
  • Firehouse Subs hot sauce bar
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    Courtesy of Firehouse Subs
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    Firehouse Subs brings back fan-favorite Hot Sauce Bar with new campaign

    The RBI-owned sandwich chain debuted its first major effort since adopting a multi-agency roster model to handle its marketing earlier this year.

    By Aaron Baar • Sept. 26, 2024
  • An image of three women sitting on a gray couch. They are each holding up ice cream.
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    Permission granted by Handel's Ice Cream
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    Handel’s Ice Cream scoops up Wetzel’s Pretzels exec as CMO

    Hillary Frei joins the chain as it accelerates growth in new markets and expands within existing trade areas. 

    By Sept. 25, 2024
  • A red sticker on a restaurant window announcing the restaurant offers delivery with DoorDash.
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    DoorDash, Uber Eats win NYC customer data court battle

    New York City’s rule requiring delivery apps to give restaurants consumer information violates the First Amendment, a judge found Tuesday.

    By Sept. 25, 2024
  • Person in suit holds Qdoba queso
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    Courtesy of Qdoba
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    Qdoba looks to own National Queso Day on its way to national expansion

    New menu item Queso Apocalypto reflects the popularity of spicy foods and arrives as the chain ramps up marketing to Gen Z and adds locations.

    By Aaron Baar • Sept. 24, 2024
  • Joey Chestnut for Chili's
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    Courtesy of Chili's Grill & Bar
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    Chili’s challenges Joey Chestnut to an eating contest on X

    The restaurant chain is leaning into the embattled platform to debut the 3 For Lunch Combo meal and assert its value proposition over fast food competitors.

    By Aaron Baar • Sept. 19, 2024
  • A woman holds a smartphone with the White Castle loyalty program prominently displayed
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    Courtesy of White Castle
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    White Castle pivots to gamified, tiered rewards

    The slider chain is looking to encourage specific consumer behaviors, like late-night visits or trialing new menu items, with “quests” across three loyalty levels.

    By Sept. 19, 2024
  • A Chipotle quesadilla
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    Courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill
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    Chipotle plans digital scavenger hunt to dole out $1M in free quesadillas

    As part of the effort, three TikTok creators will each drop a text-to-claim code in their content for up to 10,000 consumers to receive a BOGO offer.

    By Jessica Deyo • Sept. 19, 2024
  • A pair of hands holding a burger over a table set with other burgers.
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    Courtesy of Smashburger
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    Smashburger remakes its menu and its brand

    The chain launched the menu changes, including eight new dishes, after successful regional market testing.

    By Sept. 17, 2024
  • Two food delivery cars and their drivers parked outside of a suburban home
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    Permission granted by PepsiCo Beverages North America
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    Pepsi chases pizza deliveries in a sports car to push pairing power

    A stunt campaign boosts the brand's partnership with DoorDash that will dole out free pizza from Little Caesars, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut and Marco’s Pizza.

    By Sara Karlovitch • Sept. 13, 2024
  • An image of a cheeseburger, chicken sandwhich, chicken nuggest, fries and a drink on a blank background. The image includes "$5 Meal Deal" wording.
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s extends $5 meal deal in value push

    The Golden Arches is also adding other value promotions as it looks to bounce back from weak comparable sales in Q2 and better compete with rival offerings.

    By Sept. 12, 2024
  • A smiling white man in a suit. He's wearing a jacket with peaked lapels and no tie, for what it's worth.
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    Starbucks CEO’s 4-part strategy hinges on coffeehouse roots

    In a letter to workers and consumers, Brian Niccol laid out a multipart strategy for revitalizing the chain’s core business in the U.S.

    By Sept. 10, 2024
  • Chili's Big Smasher cheeseburger accompanied by sides of chips, fries and cola on a wooden dining table
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    Permission granted by Chili's Grill & Bar
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    Q&A

    Chili’s CMO on brand’s winning value message and evolving data strategy

    Swipes at fast food competitors over rising prices, including through a retro video game, helped boost Chili’s same-stores sales by 14%. 

    By Peter Adams • Sept. 10, 2024
  • An image of a man standing in front of a gray background.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Deep Dive

    Brian Niccol was hired to transform Starbucks. Is that possible?

    Niccol must contend with the coffee chain’s growing brand identity and consumer perception problems, and balance its “third place” value proposition with efficient digital fulfillment.

    By Sept. 9, 2024
  • NFL player Saquon Barkley serves food at an Applebee's
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    Courtesy of Applebee's
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    Q&A

    Applebee’s CMO on how brand’s NFL sponsorship feeds its new campaign

    The casual dining chain will leverage its role as the official grill and bar of the NFL in ads and a content series starring league pros.

    By Chris Kelly • Sept. 6, 2024
  • Google's headquarters
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Yelp files antitrust lawsuit against Google

    Google’s massive search market share “starves” competitors of traffic and therefore revenue, the reviews platform alleged in a federal suit.

    By Aug. 30, 2024
  • An image of a hand holding a smart phone with a KFC Rewards logo on the screen
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC names US marketing, development chief to bolster turnaround efforts

    Catherine Tan-Gillespie, a company veteran, will hold dual roles related to marketing and development as KFC tries to break out of a slump.

    By Peter Adams • Aug. 29, 2024
  • Taco Bell UK Encore Hours
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    How Taco Bell is exporting its musical bona fides to grow internationally

    International CMO Amy Durini explained how the chain is building its brand and why efforts to engage with consumers around culture aren't “plug and play.”

    By Chris Kelly • Aug. 29, 2024
  • Jason Kelce in a Buffalo Wild Wings ad
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    Retrieved from Buffalo Wild Wings on August 27, 2024
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    Buffalo Wild Wings brings Jason Kelce back to football in new ads

    The former Eagles center pals around with the brand’s CGI buffalo mascot in an effort that leans into Kelce’s recent retirement and famous brother. 

    By Peter Adams • Aug. 28, 2024
  • An iced coffee, breakfast sandwich and hash browns beside purple text reading $6 meal deal
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    Courtesy of Dunkin'
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    Dunkin’ launches $6 fall value meal

    The brand’s entry into the 2024 value wars includes a breakfast sandwich with a medium coffee and hashbrowns.

    By Aug. 28, 2024