Auntie Anne's hits the pavement with food trucks

The pretzel chain has built a fleet of two dozen trucks since 2013 and even more street-side carts and standalone shops in a quest to find customers where they are.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 28, 2018

Abuelo's CMO dishes on social influencers and scooping up the growing Gen Z market

The Tex-Mex chain's Renae Scott discusses influencer marketing's challenges and opportunities and what success looks like to the company.

By Jacqueline Renfrow • Nov. 28, 2018

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

Restaurants adapt menus daily in wake of romaine recall

Alternative leafy greens are in high demand as chains try to swap out the recalled lettuce, but some companies are facing high prices and trouble securing daily supplies. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 28, 2018

NYC salmonella cases drop after public letter grades, study says

Research shows that since the scoring system was implemented, outbreaks dropped more than 5% in the city, and now 71% of restaurants earn A's. 

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 27, 2018

QSRs to grow 4.6% globally by 2022, bolstered by consumer demand

North America leads the quick-service segment, but growth in Asia and Europe will revive the category as global diners push for unique experiences in convenient packages.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 27, 2018

Restaurants embrace LTOs, add-ons to spice up slim menus

Chains across categories have cut back long menus in favor of specialty sauces and extras like shrimp and grilled chicken add-ons, offering customers variety without overburdening the ingredient list.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 26, 2018

How will restaurants contend with rising minimum wages?

About 20 states are set to increase their minimum wage on Jan. 1, including Arkansas and Missouri, which turned out a record number of voters. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 21, 2018

How can restaurant operators improve toxic kitchen cultures?

According to research from advocacy group FairKitchens, 1 in 4 back-of-house workers have reported physical abuse on the job, and nearly two-thirds of chefs suffer from depression. 

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 21, 2018

Jack in the Box franchisees dispute lease restructuring to new property company

The franchisee association alleges the burger chain's proposed strategy to move leases under a new property company could leave owners high and dry.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 20, 2018

Chipotle rehires manager who asked black men to prepay

The incident sparked extensive discussion on Twitter and elsewhere, with some comparing it to an April incident at a Philadelphia Starbucks.

By Ryan Golden • Nov. 20, 2018

Panera intensifies breakfast competition by adding delivery

The fast casual giant, which began delivery in 2014, announced it will add breakfast delivery to 381 cafes for orders of $5 or more. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 19, 2018

A former Chipotle HR exec shares lessons learned — and what's next

In our latest "Exit Interview," Mike Ferguson discusses why he prioritizes development, draws on the employee experience and values the ridiculous.

By Kathryn Moody • Nov. 19, 2018

Survey: Restaurant remodels still cost less than building from the ground up

Median costs for a brand-new restaurant land around $650,000 versus $425,000 to retrofit a space for foodservice, yet profits end up equal, according to a survey of 580 operators.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 16, 2018

Famous Dave's explores virtual kitchen models

The company is scouting locations in California and Minneapolis that would be dedicated solely to catering and delivery. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 16, 2018

What risks restaurants should consider before deploying AI, robotics and automation

Establishments need to balance the benefits of new technologies with the legal challenges and resistance from both the public and staff, write Matt Scherer, Jennifer Robinson and Daniella Adler of Littler Mendelson.  

By Matt Scherer, Jennifer Robinson and Daniella Adler • Nov. 16, 2018

Starbucks is laying off 5% of corporate employees

Jobs in marketing, creative, product, technology and store development will be eliminated or shuffled.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 14, 2018

Survey: 70% of chains say operational consistency is a primary challenge

Only one in 10 respondents reported more than 95% of their stores are in compliance with core operating procedures, according to Zenput research.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 14, 2018

Checkmate's delivery-POS integration software scores $3M in funding

The innovator's technology funnels orders from third-party delivery platforms directly to restaurant ordering systems, eliminating the need for multiple tablets to stay on top of digital orders.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 13, 2018

Restaurant traffic lags but sales rise on higher menu prices

October marked the fifth-straight month of same-store sales growth for restaurants, but store visits fell more than 2% due to oversaturation, according to research from TDn2K. 

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 13, 2018

Frustrated Papa John's franchisees hire lawyer as sales slip

The chain's restaurant owners' association, which claims operators have been "left to fend for themselves," has hired industry attorney Robert Zarco for representation in talks with the company and former chairman John Schnatter. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 12, 2018

Moe's invests in store remodels, street-style menu items

After years of steady growth, the chain is turning to its Southwestern roots for menu inspiration and a more sophisticated in-store experience.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 12, 2018

Honeygrow to shutter all Chicago stores

Despite recent investments, the salad and stir-fry chain has struggled to keep up with high rent and employee training, especially in the dense cities of Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C.

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 9, 2018

Waffle House serves up emergency preparedness with a side of social responsibility

The chain's restaurants so rarely cease operations that FEMA even has a Waffle House test. But how does it care for employees — and communities — when the worst happens?

By Jennifer Carsen • Nov. 7, 2018

What's the secret sauce behind Mariano's store experience?

The Chicagoland chain, along with Eataly, Lowe's Foods and China's Hema market, offered tips on how to turn locations into destinations.

By Jeff Wells • Nov. 6, 2018

Move over, teens: Seniors are entering the restaurant workforce

As the labor market shrinks, more quick-service restaurants are hiring older workers looking to cushion retirement funds or battle boredom. 

By Kristine Sherred • Nov. 6, 2018