The Latest

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    lechatnoir via Getty Images
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    Restaurant trend outlook for 2024

    Slow traffic, growing interest in afternoon snacking and trends toward value menus, digital and in-store personalization will shape the restaurant landscape.

  • A sign is posted in front of a McDonald's restaurant on April 28, 2022 in San Leandro, California.
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    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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    Traffic at QSR chains in California declines following minimum wage increase

    Price increases meant to offset the cost of the sector’s $20 minimum wage in the state have significantly dented customer visits, data from Placer.ai shows.

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    Courtesy of CKE
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    CKE appoints Papa Johns vet as chief technology and growth officer

    Justin Falciola will oversee information technology, digital strategy and operations and help deploy new technologies as the company invests in digital channels.

  • A McDonald's restaurant sign between trees. The sign reads, "McDonald's"
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s names next chief supply chain officer for North America

    Cesar Piña, a 10-year veteran of the company, will succeed Bob Stewart and focus on supply chain resiliency and sustainability.

  • An image of a Noodles & Company restaurant with outdoor seating
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company appoints chief concept officer

    Scott Davis, who joins the troubled chain after serving as president and chief concept officer at CoreLife, was also concept chief at Panera for nearly three decades.

  • An image of a building with "Rubio's Coastal Grill" on the outside.
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    Permission granted by Rubio's Coastal Grill
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    What drove Rubio’s to declare bankruptcy again

    Despite completing a restructuring in 2020, the chain struggled to overcome macroeconomic headwinds that led to three years of negative EBITDA.

  • Portillo’s CFO Michelle Hook header
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    Permission granted by Michelle Hook
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    Q&A

    Portillo’s CFO Michelle Hook shares secret sauce for restaurant growth

    Hook talks about her job switch from Domino’s after 17 years, what creates passion for the work and how Portillo’s is viewing growth.

  • A Jack in the Box sign looms ominously from behind a hedge.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box to enter Georgia with 15-store deal

    The fast food chain’s move into the the Peach State is a major boost to its expansion strategy in the Southeast, which has also focused on Florida.

  • People holding signs and a bullhorn.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Uber loses gig worker court decision

    The battle over whether gig workers are independent contractors continues. A separate court case will decide the legality of a Lyft- and Uber-backed ballot measure in California that would define them as such.

  • An image of a man in a blue striped shirt crossing his arms
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    Permission granted by Corner Bakery
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    Corner Bakery promotes COO to president

    Erin Hasselgren, who returned to the chain as COO in 2023, has become the company’s fifth president and first under new owner SSCP.

  • A menu with photos of shrimp, lobster tail with "The Utlimate Way to celebrate any day" underneath. The menu sits atop a dark table.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    What operators can learn from Red Lobster’s downfall

    While the full-service chain’s food options have remained relatively unchanged during the past few decades, restaurants like Angry Crab Shack have found success by constantly innovating.

  • A Waffle House in Alabama.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Waffle House workers claim organizing prompted companywide wage bumps

    While CEO Joe Rogers III said wage increases were five years in the making, they also come months after organized workers went on strike at several stores calling for higher pay.

  • Flavor Flav clock for Red Lobster
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    Courtesy of Red Lobster
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    Red Lobster says it’s ‘here to stay’ with Flavor Flav-led campaign

    To combat doomsaying around its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the seafood chain is going full steam ahead on its Crabfest promotion.

  • An image of Tijuana Flats
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    Permission granted by Tijuana Flats
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    Tijuana Flats appoints turnaround expert as CEO

    James Greco, who has helped revitalize brands like Sbarro and Bruegger’s, joins the fast casual brand two months after it declared bankruptcy.

  • A Cumberland Farms store in Colorado
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    Courtesy of EG Group
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    EG America to debut $5 meal deal

    The convenience retailer is beefing up its foodservice program with the new promotion, which will be available from mid-June through early September.

  • An image of a white and red building with Red Lobster signage on the front.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Wedstraunt

    How a bad real estate deal sunk Red Lobster

    Trouble began in 2014 when the chain’s owner sold its real estate in a sale-leaseback, putting the seafood brand on the hook for millions in rent.

    Updated June 10, 2024
  • A photos of &pizza CEO Mike Burns
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    Permission granted by &pizza
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    Q&A // Meet the exec

    How &pizza’s CEO brought the cool back into the brand

    Mike Burns, now seven months into his tenure at the pizza chain, turned the music up in stores and told employees to be who they are as part of reviving the brand’s culture.

  • A phogrpah of fried chicken, biscuits and variuous sides on a white countertop with a yellow bag that says Bojangles in the background.
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Bojangles launches catering through ezCater partnership

    The channel is expected to provide a sales boost, especially with average catering orders about 10 times larger on average than digital transactions.

  • Foxtrot
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    Brett Dworski/Wedstraunt
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    Foxtrot is returning — but with plenty of questions about its future

    Founder Mike LaVitola plans to reopen several locations this summer, yet it’s unclear how he’s been involved with the retailer amid its bankruptcy process.

  • Kellanova's Cheez-It makes its way to Taco Bell food items.
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    Retrieved from Taco Bell.
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    Taco Bell brings Kellanova’s Cheez-It to the menu

    The Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme and Big Cheez-It Tostada feature a cheesy cracker that is 16 times larger than its typical snacking size.

  • An image of a bar with red chairs and TGI Fridays signage in the background
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    Courtesy of TGI Fridays
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    Why TGI Fridays expects hotels to be a growth channel

    The full-service chain, which opened a unit inside Hilton Garden Inn in Hollywood, California, says converting generic restaurants inside hotels decreases time and cost to develop.

  • An image of a barista wearing green putting a pink drink into a bag
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    Permission granted by Grubhub/Starbucks
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    Starbucks partners with Grubhub for delivery

    The new partnership will allow the coffee chain to continue building a channel that grew by double-digits last quarter.

  • An image of a building with "Rubio's Coastal Grill" on the outside.
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    Permission granted by Rubio's Coastal Grill
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    Rubio’s files for bankruptcy protection

    The company, which has been under financial pressures due to diminishing traffic and rising costs, said a Chapter 11 filing is part of facilitating a sale.

    Updated June 5, 2024
  • Blaze Pizza
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    Courtesy of Blaze Pizza
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    Blaze Pizza to move HQ to Atlanta

    Its East Coast headquarters will help the chain during the next phase of growth, CEO Beto Guajardo said.

  • A couple look at cupcakes displayed in a case. A man is pointing at one of the cupcakes.
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    doble-d via Getty Images
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    Restaurant openings up 6%, but momentum slowing

    Sweets and snack concepts had the most openings with new dessert stores up 52%, followed by shaved ice outlets up 22%, according to a Yelp report.