What it takes to make franchising profitable

From picking the right partners to maintaining good lines of communication, multiple strategies are needed to ensure successful franchised expansion.

By Julie Littman , Jasmine Ye Han • Nov. 12, 2026

Cava’s hospitality contest will inform its CX strategy

About two-thirds of locations saw a bump in guest experience metrics during the contest, and the practices are now scaling across the system, CEO Brett Schulman said.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 12, 2026

GoTo Foods hires TGI Fridays vet as Deli Brands president

Brandon Coleman will oversee the next phase of growth at McAlister’s Deli and Schlotzsky’s Deli.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 11, 2026

Inside Dog Haus’ plan to reach 1,500 units

The chain is bulking up its development team and building out a regional director model as it eyes aggressive growth.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 9, 2026

How Chili’s supply chain improvements are helping menu consistency

CSCO James Butler has reordered Chili’s supply chain priorities to focus on diner experience, resulting in sales growth for the chain and its suppliers.

By Shefali Kapadia • Nov. 9, 2026

Portillo’s to close some restaurants

After several difficult quarters, the hot dog brand is changing everything from its geographic strategy to the size of its restaurants.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 9, 2026

McDonald’s is changing how it collects customer feedback

Customers will be able to leave reviews inside the McDonald’s app, marking “significant enhancements” to feedback collection efforts, CEO Chris Kempczinski said.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 9, 2026

How to choose restaurant AI tools: What operators prioritize in 2026

Five things to look for in a restaurant AI tool, plus prompts operators can use mid-shift.

By Tessa Zuluaga • Nov. 9, 2026

How Wendy’s CEO plans to revive beleaguered burger chain

Robert Wright said the brand will make breakfast optional for franchisees and focus on improved ingredients, portfolio optimization and enhanced marketing. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 6, 2026

Papa Johns mobilizes for a quality war

CEO Todd Penegor says the chain has a new business strategy that addresses the weakness of the overall QSR pizza segment. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 5, 2026

Which restaurant brands are winning in franchising?

Franchise disclosure documents provide insight into development dynamics and unit economics for companies like Chick-fil-A and Subway. We analyzed 30 of the biggest private brands to find who is growing — and shrinking.

By Julie Littman , Aneurin Canham-Clyne , Jasmine Ye Han • Nov. 4, 2026

McDonald’s pilots mix-and-match bundles

Following mishaps with its $3 and Under menu, the fast food chain laid out a plan to restore frequency and increase sales through entry-level value options.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 4, 2026

Wingstop leans on marketing, AI to end sale slide

The chain’s marketing strategy will focus on its value proposition and flavor, while the chain will create more personalization to create return guests. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 29, 2026

Restaurants are about to inherit the food industry’s hardest labeling problem

Multistate operators need to create a single plan to satisfy allergen notification rules across state lines, writes Steritech’s Chris Boyles.

By Chris Boyles • Oct. 23, 2026

Why Q3 marked the end of fast food value wars

A two-year QSR value war produced only losers, analysts say, and brands are now looking to quality, rather than price, as a frequency driver.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 22, 2026

How Whataburger’s supply chain chief curbed inflation — and fought fires along the way

The burger chain’s CSCO has worked to diversify its partner network, as well as tackle the rising cost of beef and diesel fuel.

By Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 20, 2026

Why small restaurants struggle with inventory counts

Creating a routine, using consistent counting metrics and clarifying how to measure partial containers can reduce inventory errors, writes Jim Lange, founder of Genius Food Purchasing.

By Jim Lange • Oct. 19, 2026

Golden Corral faces uptick in closures

While the chain said its current attrition rate is higher than normal, many of the closed locations are likely to reopen under new ownership.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 16, 2026

Domino’s new CEO plans on ‘getting closer to the customer’

The company will sharpen promotions through its loyalty app and improve consistency in an effort to drive greater frequency, CEO Joe Jordan said.

By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 14, 2026

Krispy Kreme signs deal to open 33 units in New York metro

Franchisee Original Entrepreneurs has worked with the brand since 2017, and has experience running donut shops in a highly competitive environment.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 14, 2026

Why Yum Brands is deepening supplier relationships

The restaurant company has built a network of suppliers that are “ready to flex with us” if disruption strikes, Chief Supply Chain Officer Eric Craft said.

By Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 14, 2026

Domino’s focus shifts toward driving ticket growth

CEO Joe Jordan said the chain will improve franchisee profitability by driving order counts and ticket totals through promotions and menu innovation.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 13, 2026

How 4 restaurant brands hit big development milestones this fall

Cava and Dave’s Hot Chicken surpassed 500 units, while Chipotle reached 1,500 Chipotlanes.

By Julie Littman , Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 13, 2026

Was a Starbucks buyout of Chipotle even possible?

The coffee giant denied it was buying the burrito chain, but analysts offered an interesting view of what a mega-merger would have meant to the restaurant industry.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2026

Papa Murphy’s to open co-branded Pinkberry restaurants

The take-and-bake pizza chain will open three such restaurants, which are expected to provide franchisees with additional revenue streams and dayparts.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 9, 2026