Operations


  • An image of Elote Mexican Street Corn Hash at First Watch
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    Permission granted by First Watch

    How breakfast brands are reinventing morning menus

    Restaurants like First Watch, Snooze and Another Broken Egg Cafe have been adding twists to classic menu items as the segment emphasizes affordable brunch options.

    By March 23, 2023
  • A photograph of John Williams, CEO at True Food Kitchen.
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    Permission granted by True Food Kitchen

    True Food Kitchen appoints Lazy Dog exec as CEO

    John Williams joins the 43-unit, wellness-focused chain as it looks to grow and open a new fast casual concept to reach new customers. 

    By March 23, 2023
  • A photograph of chefs in a kitchen. Explore the Trendline
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
    Trendline

    Restaurant Dive Outlook for 2023

    Restaurants across categories are hungry for growth this year, with many embracing franchising. However, confidence in the ghost kitchen model is waning.

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A photograph of Black Bear Diner
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    Permission granted by Black Bear Diner

    Breakfast eateries embrace delivery, technology

    Chains have adapted front- and back-of-house operations to accommodate more off-premise sales and technology to improve the dine-in experience.

    By March 22, 2023
  • A Papa John's sign.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images

    Papa Johns CFO resigns

    Ann Gugino, who has been at the pizza chain since 2020, is leaving effective May 31. Papa Johns has begun a search for a permanent CFO. 

    By March 22, 2023
  • An image of Pretzel Bites and a lemonade from Pretzelmaker
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    Retrieved from Pretzelmaker on March 21, 2023

    Pretzelmaker opens first drive-thru

    The Mason City, Iowa unit will include the chain’s Fresh Twist brand menu, which launched in 2018 to meet demand for breakfast and late-night options. 

    By March 21, 2023
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Drew Angerer / Staff via Getty Images

    Survey: 66% of franchisees feel optimistic about business

    Changing consumer preferences may push franchisees to invest in store remodels and digital ordering and delivery systems, TD Bank found in a survey.

    By March 21, 2023
  • A photograph of a First Watch restaurant
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    Permission granted by First Watch
    Deep Dive

    Rise and shine: Why breakfast chains are booming

    Early bird foot traffic from remote and hybrid workers is boosting same-store sales growth at A.M. eateries, fueling sizable expansion pipelines.

    By March 21, 2023
  • An image of a Chick-fil-A customer scanning her rewards program at the drive-thru
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    Retrieved from Chick-fil-A on March 17, 2023

    Chick-fil-A to roll out updates to rewards program in April

    Chick-fil-A One, which has over 50 million members, will offer new items and increased points for redemption on some items starting April 4.

    By March 17, 2023
  • An image of CKE Restaurants CEO Max Wetzel
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    Courtesy of CKE Restaurants

    CKE names former Papa Johns COO as CEO

    Max Wetzel joins the parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s after working at Papa Johns for over three years in various executive positions. 

    By March 17, 2023
  • An image of Crisp & Green
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    Courtesy of Crisp & Green

    Steele Brands’ 250-unit pipeline will take it nationwide

    After consumer interest in health food boomed following the COVID-19 pandemic, the holding company accelerated franchising of its Crisp & Green concept, which will soon operate in 25 states.

    By March 17, 2023
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Subway

    Subway brings back Footlong Pass subscription

    The chain, which sold out 10,000 subscriptions in August in under six hours, is now offering 250,000 passes to rewards members for April redemption. 

    By March 17, 2023
  • Image of assorted doughnuts in an open Krispy Kreme box.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images

    Krispy Kreme exiting CPG snack business, cutting 102 jobs

    The sweets maker said the segment underperformed on the market. Instead, the company is focusing on delivering fresh-baked doughnuts to stores.

    By Megan Poinski • March 17, 2023
  • A photograph of chicken sliders from IHOP's virtual brand TenderFix
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    Permission granted by Nextbite

    Nextbite, IHOP launch TenderFix virtual brand

    Nextbite’s chicken-centric brand, which was developed with the help of actor Noah Schnapp, marks the third partnership between the host kitchen and IHOP.

    By March 16, 2023
  • A computer generated image of a drone delivery station attached to a restaurant
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    Courtesy of Zipline

    Sweetgreen teams with Zipline for drone delivery

    Zipline’s new home delivery platform would use 97% less energy than deliveries fulfilled by car, the company claims. 

    By March 16, 2023
  • A photo of a guest viewing an augmented reality experience on Denny's menu.
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    Courtesy of Denny's

    Denny’s serves up AR experience with new menu overhaul

    Guests can take a virtual tour of Denny’s new menu and get exclusive deals, as part of a brand update that includes new kitchen equipment and food offerings. 

    By March 15, 2023
  • An image of a building with Hawaiian Bros branding
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    Permission granted by Hawaiian Bros

    Hawaiian Bros signs first multi-unit franchise deal for 75 units

    The roughly 30-unit fast casual chain will more than double its unit count in a deal with Stine Enterprises to open restaurants in Arizona and North Texas.

    By Updated March 15, 2023
  • An image of a a white building with Chipotle signage at night.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle

    Chipotle’s chief development officer departs

    Tabassum Zalotrawala, who has been at the fast casual chain for over four years and helped develop the Chipotlane, has resigned from her position. 

    By Updated March 14, 2023
  • Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    Grubhub CEO Adam DeWitt resigns

    DeWitt leaves Grubhub May 1 after 11 years at the company and nearly two years as CEO. Howard Migdal, current CEO at sister company SkipTheDishes, will succeed him.

    By March 13, 2023
  • A photograph of Roland Gonzalez, U.S. COO at Church’s.
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    Courtesy of Church’s Texas Chicken

    Church’s Texas Chicken hires Burger King vet as US COO

    Roland Gonzalez, who has over a decade of restaurant experience, joins the QSR amid a C-suite hiring spree, including CFO, CMO and CEO hires within the past year. 

    By March 13, 2023
  • Kitchen United, Stellar Pizza, Sweetfin at Curbivore panel 2023
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    Emma Beckett/Restaurant Dive

    Sweetfin, Stellar Pizza detail cost-saving robotics strategies

    Sweetfin uses Coco Delivery bots to deliver food within two miles in 15 minutes, while Stellar Pizza’s robotic truck can bake pizzas with just one human employee.

    By March 13, 2023
  • A photograph of a Potbelly sandwich shop sign.
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    Andrew Burton via Getty Images

    Potbelly secures first refranchising agreement

    The deal with United One Group, which includes eight refranchised units, will add another 13 new restaurants to New York City by 2031.

    By March 13, 2023
  • A U.S. Department of Labor sign is see outside the agency.
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    Kate Tornone/Restaurant Dive

    DOL: Florida restaurants withheld $190K from workers to cover operating costs

    Investigators in the agency’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $27 million for 22,531 foodservice workers during fiscal year 2022.

    By Ginger Christ • March 10, 2023
  • Person using a point of sale software system at a restaurant
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    Moyo Studio via Getty Images

    Shift4 needles rival Toast

    Toast and Shift4 are battling to win larger customers in the intensely competitive restaurant payments arena. 

    By Caitlin Mullen • March 10, 2023
  • An image of a customer showing a smartphone to a Noodles & Company cashier
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company

    Noodles & Company to test dynamic pricing

    Digital menu boards will offer not only flexibility in promotions and featured items at the fast casual chain, but could also allow for pricing tweaks.

    By March 10, 2023
  • An image of a delivery courier in New York City
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

    NYC cuts proposed delivery worker wage floor by almost $4

    Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash persuaded the city to reduce its 2025 target base pay by $3.86 an hour, arguing workers would be compensated by “multi-apping.”

    By March 8, 2023