Operations

  • An image of a gray building with a black sign that says "&pizza"
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    Permission granted by &pizza
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    Why emerging chain &pizza just bought a Tex-Mex brand

    The creation of Latitude Food Group will allow for &pizza and Tijuana Flats to share resources while they look to grow outside their regional bases.

    By • Nov. 7, 2025
  • People walking in front of a Sweetgreen on Aug.8, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Sweetgreen battered by 9.5% same-store sales drop

    The salad chain suffered one of the worst third quarters among publicly traded fast casuals, as young consumers in core markets pulled back and value plays ate into margins.

    By • Nov. 7, 2025
  • Homeroom Restaurant in Oakland, California Explore the Trendline➔
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    Permission granted by Homeroom
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    Trendline

    Independent restaurants

    Dining room refreshes, menu innovation and other unique offerings can help independents stand out from competitors, win new customers and keep existing ones coming back. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • An image of sweetgreen's automated kitchen in Naperville, Illinois
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen sells Spyce to Wonder for $186M

    Sweetgreen will use the proceeds from offloading Spyce, which developed the salad brand’s Infinite Kitchen technology, to reinvest in profitability after three quarters of sales declines.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • An image of a brown building with BJ's logo.
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    Permission granted by BJ's Restaurant
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    BJ’s Restaurants hires Red Robin exec as CFO

    Todd Wilson will join the company in December and will help improve the brand’s financial foundation and help it achieve its long-term strategic goals.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • A photogrpah of a multi-colored building with a sign in red that says "Red Robin."
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    CRobertson via Getty Images
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    Red Robin names COO, CFO departs

    Todd Wilson will leave the company on Dec. 12 after three years at the casual dining chain, which also promoted Jesse Griffith to chief operating officer.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • Outback Steakhouse exterior
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    Courtesy of Bloomin' Brands
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    Bloomin’ to invest $50M in Outback Steakhouse overhaul in 2026

    The turnaround will touch everything from steak quality to marketing, and the cost will be partly offset by productivity investments.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • An image of Tijuana Flats
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    Permission granted by Tijuana Flats
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    &pizza acquires Tijuana Flats, creates holding company

    Latitude Food Group will oversee both the pizza and Tex-Mex chains, and could acquire additional concepts in the future.

    By • Nov. 6, 2025
  • An image of a co-branded Applebee's, IHOP restaurant
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    Courtesy of Dine Brands
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    Dine Brands to open 80 dual-branded US restaurants by end of 2026

    CEO John Peyton said there is white space opportunity in the U.S. to open about 900 co-branded Applebee’s/IHOP locations, which reap up to twice the sales of standard units.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • An image of a beige building
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    Permission granted by Daybright Coffee and Refreshment
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    An inside look at Chick-fil-A’s beverage concept

    Daybright, which opened Oct. 30, offers a range of smoothies, specialty coffee, iced tea, lemonades and a kid’s menu.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • A photo of the outside of a Wingstop.
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    Courtesy of Wingstop
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    Wingstop’s comparable sales slump worsens

    Reduced spending by Hispanic and low-income consumers led to a decline in sales that exceeded expectations.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • Popeyes signage
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    RBI appoints new Popeyes US president, Burger King US COO

    Peter Perdue has been promoted to Popeyes U.S. and Canada president, and Nicolas Henrich is now Burger King U.S. chief operating officer.

    By • Nov. 5, 2025
  • People sit inside a store drinking coffee. The sign of the store says Starbucks Coffee.
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    DKart via Getty Images
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    Starbucks sells majority stake in China business for $4B

    Boyu Capital will form a joint venture with the coffee chain to grow the brand from 8,000 units in the country to 20,000 over time.

    By • Nov. 4, 2025
  • A photograph of a yellow sign with Denny's in red.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Denny’s sells itself for $620M

    TriArtisan Capital, Yadav Enterprises and Treville Capital Group will buy the chain in an all-cash transaction that will take the casual dining chain private.

    By • Nov. 4, 2025
  • An image of a light blue building with a sign that says "The original Hooters"
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    Courtesy of Hooters Inc.
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    New Hooters owners plan restaurant revitalization

    Hooters Inc. and Hoot Owl Restaurants will upgrade 100 newly acquired company-owned locations and streamline the menu with better ingredients.

    By • Nov. 4, 2025
  • Person looking at charts and graphs on a tablet
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    iStock | Igor Suka

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    Sponsored by Facteus

    Market research meets reality: How verified spend data is transforming restaurant decision-making

    Your dashboards look steady and surveys show loyalty—yet a competitor just took your share. See what’s really happening, and from whom.

    By Andrew Donsbach • Nov. 3, 2025
  • Marathon runners in Nashville
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    Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Why the NYC marathon provides a golden playbook for restaurants nationwide

    Restaurant operators are running a long-distance financial race every day, focused on increasing profitability, but need to be nimble enough to take advantage of major traffic drivers in their cities, writes Julie Powell, senior director of marketing insights and intelligence at Toast. 

    By Julie Powell • Oct. 31, 2025
  • An image of the Shake Shack logo on a window.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Shake Shack grows traffic with ad spend, operational improvements

    The brand’s traffic gains were most pronounced outside the Northeast, validating its national development strategy, CFO Katie Fogerty said.

    By • Oct. 31, 2025
  • Zaxbys first Arizona unit, a restaurant with white walls and blue awnings
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    Courtesy of Zaxbys
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    Zaxbys eyes non-traditional growth following first military base deal

    Non-traditional locations could help complement Zaxbys’ growing international footprint and add more high-volume units to the chain’s system.

    By • Oct. 29, 2025
  • A photo of food items on an automated production line.
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    Permission granted by Kwik Trip
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    Making food in house: The business case for c-store commissaries

    Retailers like EG America, Weigel’s and Kwik Trip have built their own facilities to control the quality and consistency of their foodservice programs — and the payoffs are compelling.

    By Amanda Baltazar • Oct. 29, 2025
  • An image of a happy hour sign at a restaurant.
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    Getty Images
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    Majority of US diners think menu prices are too high

    Buy-one-get-one offers as well as discounts are among the top incentives helping drive guests back to restaurants, according to a YouGov report.

    By • Oct. 28, 2025
  • A Qdoba store around dusk.
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    Permission granted by Qdoba
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    These 5 chains built significant franchised pipelines

    From Cilantro Taco Grill to PopUp Bagels, emerging chains plan to add hundreds of units and expand rapidly across the country with new operators.

    By , • Oct. 28, 2025
  • Kelly McCulloch smiles at the camera. She is Inspire Brands chief people officer.
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    Courtesy of Inspire
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    Inspire hires Yum vet to lead HR operations

    Kelly McCulloch brings over two decades of QSR HR experience to her new position, where she will oversee a global system that includes 650,000 workers.

    By • Oct. 28, 2025
  • Mobile screenshots of OpenTable's rewards program
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    Permission granted by OpenTable
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    OpenTable relaunches loyalty program

    Diners unlock Gold status after completing six reservations during a 12-month period, gaining access to six-months free of Uber One and priority status for last-minute reservations.

    By • Oct. 27, 2025
  • Rebel
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    Permission granted by GSP Retail
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    Rebel brings Hatch Chicken QSR to the Midwest

    The restaurant opened last month inside a 4,700-square-foot Rebel c-store in Romeoville, Illinois, about 35 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.

    By Brett Dworski • Oct. 27, 2025
  • An image of a digital menu board that says "Extra Value Meals are back" on the other panel there is a photo of an egg sandwich and a $5.
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    Toast: Burger, burrito, cold brew prices on the rise

    Football season staples like beer and wings saw slower price increases, which could play to the advantage of casual chains, according to a Toast analysis.

    By • Oct. 27, 2025