Red Robin's CEO retires amid brand overhaul

Denny Marie Post exits the casual dining chain after eight years of executive leadership, leaving only two other women CEOs in the public restaurant space. 

By Julie Littman • April 4, 2019

Deliveroo to offer London riders electric scooter rentals

The third-party delivery company partnered with electric scooter rental platform Elmovo to launch the program, which comes just days before the city rolls out new Ultra-Low Emission Zone regulations.

By Kevin Whiteley • April 4, 2019

Proposed joint-employer rule could reduce liability for franchised restaurants

The DOL is pushing a four-part test to determine if two entities share liability for labor laws, including overtime pay for individual employees and minimum wage. 

By Ryan Golden • April 3, 2019

Chipotle spurs 5x surge in loyalty app downloads, analyst says

Within a week of the nationwide rollout​, Chipotle Rewards registered its one-millionth member, according to an industry analyst at Barclays Capital.

By Robert Williams • April 3, 2019

EzCater secures $150M in funding, surpasses $1.2B valuation

The catering platform plans to expand into new regions, acquire companies and add features to help support the growing off-premise industry. 

By Julie Littman • April 2, 2019

Protesters call for Wendy's to end use of unnecessary antibiotics in beef supply chain

U.S. PIRG said the chain has a chance to differentiate itself, but Wendy's will likely not be alone in efforts to remove medically unnecessary antibiotics.

By Emma Cosgrove • April 2, 2019

McDonald's invests $3.7M in app developer

The fast food chain's latest move will give it a competitive edge with access to new technology that will enhance the customer experience and drive sales. 

By Julie Littman • April 2, 2019

Major League Baseball quietly resumes Papa John's partnership

Bringing back its "Papa Slam" promotion alongside the MLB season may be what the beleaguered pizza chain needs to help boost declining sales. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 1, 2019

European Parliament approves 2021 single-use plastics ban

The new measure, which includes restrictions on cutlery, straws, cups and foam containers, could increase costs as restaurants switch to plastic alternatives. 

By Katie Pyzyk • April 1, 2019

McDonald's makes millennial black consumers top priority with extensive 'campaign movement'

"Black & Positively Golden" is the chain's most significant effort targeted at African-Americans in 16 years and specifically courts younger consumers.

By Peter Adams • April 1, 2019

Fair-weather diners: How temperature influences consumer cravings

While extreme weather can hurt restaurant foot traffic, operators also should consider the impact it has on menu selection and customer mood.

By Julie Littman • March 29, 2019

Dunkin' and Peeps hit the road for spring-themed campaign

Dunkin's coffee car and the Peepsmobile will journey together through New England to dish out new marshmallow-flavored coffee and Peeps doughnuts.

By Erica Sweeney • March 29, 2019

Shift Change: CKE Restaurants, Inspire Brands, Papa John's add new C-suite execs

This week's Shift Change highlights executive promotions and additions at CKE Restaurants, Inspire Brands, Papa John's, Little Caesars, Dickey's and more.

By Julie Littman • March 29, 2019

Postmates' latest partnership brings in-app food ordering to Coachella

A collaboration with AEG Presents lets concertgoers skip concession lines and pick up food and merchandise within a few minutes.

By Kevin Whiteley • March 29, 2019

Outback to open fast casual spinoff in the US

The restaurant joins chains like The Cheesecake Factory and Cracker Barrel in branching beyond casual dining to test a new revenue model. 

By Julie Littman • March 28, 2019

ezCater acquires Monkey Group, growing its catering platform capabilities

The deal brings together two top catering tech firms, creating a more robust tool to support the growing off-premise segment. 

By Julie Littman • March 27, 2019

McDonald's will no longer fight minimum wage hikes

The fast food chain, whose average starting wage is currently about $10 per hour, says labor is its biggest challenge right now.

By Julie Littman • March 27, 2019

Papa John's struggles with 220% turnover rate for delivery drivers

Low unemployment and bad publicity have made it difficult for the national pizza chain to retain drivers, which is why it has turned to third-party delivery to supplement its workforce, according to a BTIG report. 

By Julie Littman • March 27, 2019

Bad hygiene at restaurants is a top frustration for diners, study says

More than half of diners would complain or demand a discount if they found a foreign object in their food, while another 49% would complain if it came out cold, according to a study from Big Domain. 

By Kevin Whiteley • March 26, 2019

McDonald's buys Dynamic Yield for $300M to improve drive-thru experience

The new technology will be used to roll out digital menu boards that can change depending on the weather, time of day and existing restaurant traffic, providing more personalization at the drive-thru. 

By Julie Littman • March 26, 2019

Virtual kitchen startup Keatz secures $13.5M in new funding

The Berlin-based cloud kitchen company has hefty competition in the European market, with Uber Eats and eatsa also doubling down in this segment. 

By Alicia Kelso • March 25, 2019

Wetzel's Pretzels to test delivery with virtual kitchen

The Kitchen United partnership lets the pretzel chain break free of its mall-based locations and stave off competition from Auntie Anne's, which has already made big off-premise moves. 

By Julie Littman • March 25, 2019

San Antonio Airport ban unlikely to ruffle Chick-fil-A's feathers

The hyper-popular chicken chain continues to gobble up market share and earn top scores in consumer satisfaction, despite long-standing accusations of LGBTQ discrimination.

By Kevin Whiteley • March 25, 2019

Blockchain card offers low cost payment technology for restaurants

Yosemite Card offers zero to extremely low transaction fees by removing intermediaries during the payment process, giving restaurants a new way to reduce overall operating costs.

By Julie Littman • March 22, 2019

Dunkin' and Saucony bring back doughnut-themed running shoe

Last year's Boston Marathon collaboration between the two local brands quickly sold out, prompting them to create a new limited-edition offering.

By Erica Sweeney • March 22, 2019