Operations

  • An image of two men standing in front of surfboards.
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    Retrieved from PRNewswire on October 03, 2022

    California Pizza Kitchen lands another LAX location

    The casual dining chain, which opened domestic franchising in December, is seeking partnerships for nontraditional locations like entertainment venues. 

    By • Oct. 4, 2022
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images

    Report: 51% of CA restaurant owners concerned FAST Recovery Act will drive up food costs

    Forty percent of these operators are afraid of losing employees to a QSR that could pay workers more, according to Homebase’s Owners Pulse Survey. 

    By • Oct. 4, 2022
  • Homeroom Restaurant in Oakland, California Explore the Trendline➔
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Homeroom
    Trendline

    Independent restaurants

    In an industry built on in-person interactions and long-term relationships with customers, the pandemic has dealt a serious blow to independent operators, but many have pivoted and found new ways to reach diners.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A man and a woman dressed as a chef look at a tablet.
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    Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images

    Report: 31% of restaurants have reduced menu size due to inflation

    Another 38% of restaurants have adjusted the number of food suppliers they use, according to a Toast survey. 

    By • Oct. 3, 2022
  • A worker at a restaurant with a face mask on hands over a bagged order while an offscreen person taps their credit card on a Square card reader.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    Square’s Future of Restaurants report: 2022 Edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report explores what restaurants care about today and tomorrow, along with the top strategies they’re using.

    Oct. 3, 2022
  • A McDonald's store is shown in Houston, Texas.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Brandon Bell via Getty Images

    McDonald’s won’t postpone franchising changes, operator group claims

    The National Franchisee Leadership Alliance requested policy amendments be delayed from January to June 2023. 

    By • Sept. 29, 2022
  • CEC Entertainment logo
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of CEC Entertainment

    Chuck E. Cheese parent names 3 execs to support expansion

    Two regional Chuck E. Cheese VPs will support its growth in the Southwest and Northwest, and sister chain Peter Piper Pizza has named a new COO. 

    By • Sept. 28, 2022
  • An image of a a white building with Chipotle signage at night.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle

    Chipotle tests AI kitchen system, location-based technology

    PreciTaste will help the chain develop the kitchen management program and FlyBuy, a location-based technology, will aid app functionality.

    By • Sept. 27, 2022
  • Casey's new beer cheese breakfast pizza
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Casey's

    Casey’s working to automate pizza call-in orders

    The chain will use voice-based AI to field the roughly 10 million annual phone orders it receives, CEO Darren Rebelez said at Groceryshop.

    By Jeff Wells • Sept. 27, 2022
  • A group of people are enjoying their meal at around a table in a restaurant while one holds a smartphone to a QR tablet in the middle of the table.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    How QR code ordering is improving guest experience and your bottom line

    Overall, restaurants have seen overwhelmingly positive results by providing more ordering channels like QR codes, and their customers are happy with the technology, too.  

    Sept. 26, 2022
  • An image of a beige building with Pie Five logo on the outside.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Rave Restaurant Group

    Pie Five rolls out biggest menu transformation in its history

    After six months of testing, the company will add individual pizzas to its menu and eliminate large pizzas. 

    By • Sept. 23, 2022
  • Image attribution tooltip
    PRNewswire/Modern Restaurant Concepts

    Modern Market signs 41-unit deal with first franchisee

    The fast casual company has partnered with Thrive Restaurant Group, which operates 100 restaurants including Applebee’s, to expand into 11 new markets.

    By • Sept. 20, 2022
  • Three people at self-serving kiosk
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    Frantic00/Shutterstock.com

    Sponsored by Esper

    Building, deploying and managing self-ordering kiosks: the unknown-unknowns

    Deploying self-ordering kiosks is complex. Here are the things you didn’t even know you had to know.

    Sept. 19, 2022
  • A worker at a restaurant with a face mask on hands over a bagged order while an offscreen person taps their credit card on a Square card reader.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Square
    Sponsored by Square

    Square’s Future of Restaurants report: 2022 Edition

    The Square Future of Restaurants report explores what restaurants care about today and tomorrow, along with the top strategies they’re using.

    Sept. 19, 2022
  • Artistic rendering of an outdoor set of Camp Pickle pickleball courts
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Camp Pickle

    Punch Bowl Social founder takes a swing at a pickleball concept

    Camp Pickle is Robert Thompson’s biggest eatertainment play yet, featuring 10 to 14 pickleball courts spread across a minimum of 55,000 square feet.

    By • Sept. 15, 2022
  • QDOBA Burrito
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of QDOBA

    Qdoba enters Austin, Texas, via Reef ghost kitchens

    The Mexican chain launched a ghost kitchen trial with Reef trial in Austin this spring, and plans to open 25 locations with the ghost kitchen company.

    By • Updated Sept. 15, 2022
  • An image of a man wearing a suit.
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    Retrieved from Starbucks on September 01, 2022

    3 things to know about Starbucks’ new CEO

    What will progress look like under Laxman Narasimhan? Restaurant Dive explores his professional background for clues of how his transformational tactics in past roles could translate to his new post.

    By , • Sept. 7, 2022
  • Au Bon Pain interior rendering
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Au Bon Pain

    Au Bon Pain to roll out modernized store design companywide in 2023

    The chain’s cafes will feature a self-serve bakery and to-go areas to add efficiencies for off-premise customers.

    By • Sept. 7, 2022
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Scott Olson via Getty Images

    Survey: 88% of restaurant operators have neutral or positive outlook for 2023

    Most operators say customers haven't reacted much to price changes, though 91% have raised prices, according to a Rewards Network report.

    By • Sept. 6, 2022
  • An image of several plant-based meat items from Baja Fresh
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Baja Fresh

    Baja Fresh makes plant-based items permanent

    The Impossible Meat taco, burrito and bowl received positive customer feedback during the yearlong test at the fast casual chain.

    By • Sept. 1, 2022
  • A picture of three sandwiches
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Del Taco

    Del Taco adds tortas to its menu

    The addition of Epic Tortas comes nine months after the debut of Del Taco’s 20 for $2 value menu, which helped drive sales during the most recent quarter. 

    By • Aug. 30, 2022
  • An image of two men wearing black shirts with Freddy's on them.
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    Permission granted by Freddy's

    Freddy’s names COO, VP of finance as it continues to expand

    Brian Wise, who previously served as SVP of operations, was promoted to chief operating officer, while Jerry Kunz joined the company from First Watch.

    By • Aug. 30, 2022
  • An image of a small gray building with green Quiznos wording on the side.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Rego Restaurant Group

    Rego Restaurant Group develops modular construction units

    BCubed Manufacturing will provide Quiznos and Taco Del Mar franchisees the option to build 650-square-foot units with drive-thrus and pickup windows. 

    By • Aug. 25, 2022
  • Brinker International launched its second virtual brand, Maggiano's Italian Classics, in 2021.
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    Retrieved from Maggiano's Italian Classics on August 18, 2021

    Brinker to trim virtual brand menu, hike prices

    The company is rightsizing menus, pricing and kitchen operations for It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Italian Classics, which drove 6% of sales in fiscal 2022. 

    By • Aug. 25, 2022
  • Chili's expanded its partnership with Bear Robotics into 51 states in 2022.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Chili's

    Brinker pauses robotics server test

    The company is pivoting from the pilot, which involves Bear Robotics’ robot server, to focus on tech it says can better improve speed of service. 

    By • Updated Aug. 26, 2022
  • Black waiter, restaurant
    Image attribution tooltip
    FG Trade via Getty Images

    Danny Meyer’s investment arm injects $10M into voice AI tech firm

    ConverseNow, which partners with 1,200 restaurants across 40 states, plans to use this cash better meet demand.

    By • Aug. 24, 2022