Maryland legislature advances statewide EPS foam ban bill

The legislation would ban foam containers in restaurants and other food service establishments starting next summer. If signed into law, it will be the first such statewide policy in the U.S.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 21, 2019

The blunt truth: Cannabis retail is here

It's a growth industry where the potential is high, but retailers, restaurants and consumers are on a steep learning curve. 

By Daphne Howland • March 21, 2019

Explore the 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

Forecasting for the future: What restaurants need to calculate

Restaurants can no longer rely on just historical data to predict demand, and should carefully examine labor and inventory to grow efficiency, says Fourth CTO Christian Berthelsen.

By Christian Berthelsen • March 20, 2019

Denny's turns to tech, Magic Johnson for new leadership training program

The casual chain is hoping to boost recruitment and retention with programs that use different technologies to teach skills needed for employees to succeed in the restaurant industry.

By Julie Littman • March 20, 2019

Sandwich chain Blimpie lifts customer spending 11% with personalized offers

At 70 locations, the Mobivity-powered test issued personalized offers to customers' phones and paper receipts based on their order history.

By Robert Williams • March 20, 2019

Yum Brands works on science-based carbon emissions reduction targets

If Yum sets goals in accordance with Science-Based Targets Initiative standards, it would be the second restaurant group do so — but it's a heavy lift for the firm with thousands of franchised restaurants.

By Emma Cosgrove • March 19, 2019

IHOP to open 19 locations in Pakistan

Dine Brands joins the likes of FAT Brands, Yum and McDonald's expanding into Asia-Pacific markets hungry for convenient and affordable American eateries. 

By Kevin Whiteley • March 19, 2019

McDonald's to improve delivery packaging, drive-thru times

Now that the chain has brought delivery to more than 9,000 U.S. locations, it aims to improve awareness and overall experience as dine-in traffic slips. 

By Julie Littman • March 18, 2019

Buffalo Wild Wings debuts 'Jewel Stool' supporting vasectomy patients for March Madness

Part of a larger campaign, the customized barstool recognizes the uptick in surgeries that occur around the college basketball tournament. 

By Erica Sweeney • March 18, 2019

Nearly 40% of restaurant, hospitality workers are sleep deprived

Restaurant workers that aren't getting enough sleep are more likely to be dissatisfied and look for another job, adding to the ongoing retention issues plaguing the industry. 

By Kevin Whiteley • March 18, 2019

Shift Change: Popeyes and J. Alexander's under new leadership, Wingstop adds chief growth and experience officer role

This week's Shift Change highlights exec changes at Dunkin' Brands, Wingstop, Restaurant Brands International and J. Alexander's.

By Julie Littman • March 15, 2019

Burger King takes on Starbucks with app-based coffee subscription service

BK Café Coffee lets users pay $5 per month — or, "the price of a large cappuccino from Starbucks"— for a daily brew. 

By Peter Adams • March 15, 2019

Shake Shack's four-day workweek test improves retention

Months after its initial test in Las Vegas, the chain has expanded short workweeks for managers to one-third of its system, and says the change is attracting job seekers. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Nov. 5, 2019

Order up: Kroger announces new in-store eateries

Mariano's will open Pork & Mindy barbecue joints inside select stores while Kroger Marketplaces in Ohio will soon get outposts of the popular Rapid Fired Pizza chain.

By Lauren Manning • March 15, 2019

Del Frisco's forges ahead on expansion plans despite significant traffic declines

The restaurant group plans to add 11 new bartaco locations by the end of 2020, and CEO Norman Abdallah is hopeful the brand's performance will boost Double Eagle and Del Frisco's Grille's business.

By Alicia Kelso • March 14, 2019

DoorDash overtakes Grubhub in delivery market share

Ongoing expansion and new restaurant partnerships have paid off as the company rose from 15% share of consumer spend to over 27% in one year. 

By Julie Littman • March 13, 2019

Delivery search engine FoodBoss gains $2M in funding

Former McDonald's CEO Don Thompson led the investment round in the platform, which allows consumers to compare delivery times and costs from major third-party aggregators like Uber Eats and Postmates.  

By Kevin Whiteley • March 13, 2019

McDonald's bets on 'augmented writing' to curb bias in job descriptions

The tech also is expected to help hiring managers and recruiters write job descriptions that reflect the chain's brand voice.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • March 13, 2019

Uber Eats serving up virtual kitchens in Paris, Bloomberg reports

Kitchen rental companies offer restaurateurs a new way to test menu items with a smaller investment as momentum for delivery-only concepts grow. 

By Julie Littman • March 13, 2019

Jury awards misclassified Steak 'n Shake managers $3M

As the verdict demonstrates, simply calling an employee a "manager" is not sufficient to prove that he or she is exempt from overtime requirements.

By Jennifer Carsen • March 12, 2019

McDonald's new gender initiative could boost recruitment and retention

The fast food chain will focus on increasing gender diversity at all levels of the company, which may make it more competitive against other brands committed to similar efforts such as Yum Brands, Starbucks and Panda Express.

By Alicia Kelso • March 12, 2019

Waitr looks to add reservations, loyalty programs

The delivery platform, which focuses on single-unit restaurants and independent chains, has consistently grown since its launch in 2013. But its new plans could bring it head-to-head with heavyweights like OpenTable. 

By Kevin Whiteley • March 11, 2019

DOL proposes $35K overtime rule threshold

The proposal, which is supported by the National Restaurant Association and International Franchise Association, will have far reaching implications for the restaurant industry and give over 1 million workers access to overtime pay.

By Ryan Golden • March 8, 2019

Resy in serious talks with potential buyer, Recode reports

An acquisition of one of the largest reservation platforms could provide more space for rising stars Yelp and Google to carve a strong niche in the segment. 

By Julie Littman • March 7, 2019

Yum China's Innovation Center could help fend off US transplants

The Yum Brands spinoff believes product experimentation is key to its success in the fast-changing market, where American heavyweights Shake Shack and Starbucks are testing their own new concepts. 

By Kevin Whiteley • March 7, 2019