Labor and Policy
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Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Why 2026 is the year of employee retention
Nearly half of operators surveyed by Toast said they plan to keep the same staffing levels, an increase of 10 points year over year.
By Julie Littman • Sept. 4, 2026 -
Ryan Murphy via Getty Images
Mamdani makes NYC outdoor dining year-round
New York City's mayor signed a bill this week lifting seasonal restrictions on roadway cafes and permitting winterization of outdoor dining structures.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 3, 2026 -
Sean Gallup/Getty Images via Getty Images
Uber, Wonder issue layoffs
Uber cut 10% of its workforce, or over 3,000 employees, while Wonder reduced its employee roster by 150 this week, as each delivery-focused platform plans for its next phase of growth.
By Julie Littman • Sept. 3, 2026 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Deep DiveCan restaurants avoid the next Cyclospora outbreak?
The parasite is hard to trace and harder to kill. With recent cuts to food safety regulators, restaurants will be hard pressed to keep their supply chains clean.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Sept. 3, 2026 -
Kevin Dietsch / Staff via Getty Images
Starbucks faces another union boycott, activist investor pressure
Pro-labor investors want the chain to split its board chair and CEO roles as Starbucks Workers United asks consumers to join its contract fight.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 31, 2026 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
FTC to disburse $23.8M from Grubhub settlement
Grubhub originally settled with the Federal Trade Commission in 2024 for allegedly unfairly blocking consumers and deceiving drivers in pay messaging.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 13, 2026 -
Courtesy of Cava
Cava’s investment in value and wages pays off
The fast casual brand’s longstanding effort to underprice inflation has helped it drive sales growth in lower-income trade areas.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 12, 2026 -
Courtesy of QDOBA
Jalapeños served at Qdoba, Chipotle tied to Salmonella outbreak
Both chains stopped serving potentially contaminated peppers after hundreds of consumers across 27 states fell ill.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated Aug. 10, 2026 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Chipotle pulls some jalapeños over Salmonella concerns
The brand, which has a long history of food safety scares, said its ingredient tracking system identified a batch of peppers that may have been affected.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Aug. 5, 2026 -
Permission granted by Fat Brands
Why do so many restaurants insist on employee gimmicks?
Canned phrases, scripted songs and choreographed dance routines aim to boost brand consistency and memorability but risk alienating customers and employees, experts say.
By Michael Brady • Aug. 3, 2026 -
Courtesy of Starbucks
Starbucks remodels, service tweaks are paying off
The coffee giant gained same-store sales momentum in the U.S. market with its third consecutive quarter of comps growth.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 30, 2026 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Taco Bell tied to Cyclospora outbreaks in 4 more states
While the chain removed potentially contaminated lettuce by July 17, the long incubation period of the parasite — upwards of two weeks — means new cases may continue into early August.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 27, 2026 -
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Taco Bell flooded with lawsuits over diarrhea outbreak
The fast food giant, supplier Taylor Farms and at least one franchisee face legal action from consumers in multiple states over alleged deceptive marketing and illness tied to lettuce.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 23, 2026 -
Courtesy of Starbucks
What 10 leading restaurant companies pay their CEOs — and their hourly workers
Median hourly compensation hovers near, and sometimes below, the poverty line, while leading restaurant CEOs earn tens of millions.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 22, 2026 -
Courtesy of Burger King
Burger King reworks manager role to support guest experience
The chain is redefining its restaurant manager role with a new, more distinct uniform and new responsibilities to better address guest concerns.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 20, 2026 -
Getty Images
Inappropriate touching, unwanted spanking costs Las Vegas restaurant group $2M
The court documents allege that Bouchon and the greater restaurant group failed to take appropriate action to prevent the harassment, even after receiving complaints.
By Caroline Colvin • July 17, 2026 -
Getty Images
Taco Bell lettuce supplier linked to diarrhea outbreak
Upwards of 1,600 people who contracted cyclosporiasis reported eating at the chain beforehand, the CDC and FDA said.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Updated July 20, 2026 -
Courtesy of Taco Bell
Taco Bell pulls some ingredients as cyclosporiasis outbreak grows
The brand said its decision was a voluntary precaution and that no specific brand or restaurant has been confirmed as the source of the outbreak.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 16, 2026 -
Michael M. Santiago / Staff via Getty Images
Starbucks rolls out quarterly bonuses for high-performing workers
The latest perks could help the chain attract and retain workers needed to sustain its turnaround drive.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • July 13, 2026 -
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Shallow restaurant labor pool could drive up summer wages
With 300,000 fewer young workers in the labor force than in 2025, restaurants in seasonal markets could have a tough time finding workers, the National Restaurant Association said.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • June 25, 2026 -
Courtesy of Cava
Cava will hire over 2K employees, open 75 units in 2026
The chain has already hired 150 assistant general managers as part of its Flavor Your Future platform to develop a deep bench of future general managers.
By Julie Littman • June 10, 2026 -
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Q&AWhy trade, swipe fees are NRA’s political priorities for restaurants
The National Restaurant Association is urging the Trump administration to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement and take a do-no-harm stance on tariffs.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • June 9, 2026 -
Hispanolistic via Getty Images
Q&ANRA: Immigration reform may be on the table in 2026
From scheduling laws to visa delays, the restaurant workforce is uniquely impacted by changes to labor regulations, posing major problems for operators with thin margins.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • June 8, 2026 -
Getty Images
Illinois restaurants face more tip fees, for now
A federal court blocked the state's interchange fee ban. Delays to the law could cost local businesses $500 million a year, proponents say.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • June 3, 2026 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
Restaurants frame immigration as a fight for consumer affordability
As inflation concerns escalate, restaurant groups have found lawmakers more receptive to immigration conversations — even in deep red Texas.
By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • May 20, 2026
