Operations

Restaurants are plotting aggressive franchise expansion. Here's where — and why.

Surging diner demand, strong franchising sales and second-generation real estate left by shuttered eateries have created a market primed for expansion, with chains targeting Southern states with lax COVID-19 rules.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 18, 2021

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Trendline

Independent restaurants

In an industry built on in-person interactions and long-term relationships with customers, the COVID-19 crisis was a serious blow to independent operators, but many have pivoted and found new ways to reach diners.

By Restaurant Dive staff

Opinion

Restaurants need to break past third-party delivery apps

Never underestimate the internal efforts needed to get your organization aligned for digital growth, writes Matt Carinio, VP of strategy and consulting at Hathway.

By Matt Carinio • Oct. 14, 2021

Wendy's to use AI, machine learning to improve customer experience

Through a partnership with Google Cloud, the fast food chain will offer diners tools like speech-to-text, Google Maps and Search.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2021

Deep Dive

How host kitchens are propelling virtual brands forward

Despite the rapid expansion, many experts question whether delivery-only concepts have long-term sustainability.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 11, 2021

Reef Technology acquires logistics partner Bond

The acquisition strengthens Reef's distribution capacity, which will now include Bond's last-mile delivery nano-warehouses.

By Emma Liem Beckett , Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Oct. 07, 2021

Deep Dive

Want to expand through host kitchens? Here's what you need to know.

Brands should keep in mind how they plan to maintain consistency in food quality and the customer experience.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 07, 2021

Deep Dive

Recipe for revenue: Why restaurants are becoming host kitchens

Restaurants are leveraging unused kitchen capacity to facilitate the delivery of other brands and rake in extra cash.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 04, 2021

First Watch eyes significant growth following first day as public company

The proceeds of its IPO, which initially raised $170 million, will help pay off debt and fuel the chain's goal of reaching 2,200 units, CEO Chris Tomasso said.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 04, 2021

Chili's parent company to boost hourly employee pay to $18 by 2023

Brinker International also plans to raise Chili's general manager pay from $87,000 to $100,000 by 2025, a move that's part of the restaurant group's overall strategy to improve staffing. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 01, 2021

NRA: 78% of operators report decline in dine-in business

Eighty-five percent of operators are reporting slimmer margins due to rising food, labor and occupancy costs, a September survey from the National Restaurant Association Research Group found. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 30, 2021

Yelp tool helps restaurants manage operations amid off-premise surge

The reservation platform's Guest Manager streamlines its front-of-house products into one suite. The company also debuted a feature that identifies virtual or delivery-only restaurants. 

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 29, 2021

Papa John's signs largest domestic franchise deal ever

Sun Holdings has agreed to open 100 units in high-growth markets across Texas by 2029, a move that follows several large deals signed by the pizza chain to expand in new and existing international regions. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 29, 2021

Cousins Subs adds a storefront to its ghost kitchen

The restaurant chain now offers seating for 14 guests and pickup at the previously delivery-only unit, which opened in downtown Milwaukee in 2019.  

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 28, 2021

Procuring sustainable coffee cups presents a blend of challenges

Increased global demand and recycling setbacks during the pandemic point to the need for better systems within the supply chain.

By Jen A. Miller • Sept. 28, 2021

Drive-thru speed of service slowed 26 seconds in 2021, study finds

Order accuracy also declined by 2% year-over-year at QSR chains, which SeeLevel HX attributes to continued restaurant labor woes, supply chain issues and inflation.

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 24, 2021

Subway records strongest August sales in 8 years on tails of brand refresh

The overhaul, which includes a retooled menu and "never-ending" creative campaign, led to a 33% August sales lift at top-performing restaurants.

By Peter Adams • Sept. 21, 2021

McDonald's to remove virgin plastic from Happy Meal toys by 2025

The QSR will source its toys from renewable, recycled or certified materials, which is expected to reduce fossil fuel-based plastic in the products by 90%. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 21, 2021

McDonald's enhances kiosks for visually impaired

The fast food chain will add screen-reading software, tactile keypads and the ability to use headphones to place orders via audio prompts at company-owned stores by the end of the year. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 21, 2021

Chick-fil-A to launch 3 virtual concepts in Nashville

This fall, guests ordering from the chain's delivery kitchen concept Little Blue Menu can order from Flock & Farm, Garden Day and Outfox Wings, as well as menu items from Chick-fil-A. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 15, 2021

IRC: 82% of restaurants fear they will shutter without Restaurant Revitalization Fund refill

The nonprofit urged Congress to refill the RRF before budget reconciliation talks last week, but the House Committee on Small Business didn't vote on a plan that would add $60 billion to the fund.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 14, 2021

Taco Bell tests Taco Lover's Pass

After purchasing the 30-day pass through its app, guests at select locations around Tucson, Arizona, can redeem one taco a day, a move that could help build more repeat customers. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 13, 2021

Feds to require large employers mandate coronavirus vaccine

The requirements will impact some 80 million workers in private sector businesses, in addition to many federal employees and contractors, the White House said.

By Ryan Golden • UPDATED: Sept. 10, 2021 at 9:19 a.m.

Raising tipped minimum wage could spark job loss, study shows

The National Bureau of Economic Research also finds that hiking the tipped minimum wage would do little to prevent employees from falling into low-income brackets.

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 09, 2021

Why aren't restaurant workers coming back? Here's what the data shows.

While operators continue to point to high unemployment benefits keeping workers from returning, various reports show the staffing shortage is much more complicated.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 08, 2021