The Latest

  • Grubbrr's kiosks on display at the National Restaurant Association Show in 2024.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    9 restaurant industry trade shows to attend in 2025

    The coming year is brimming with restaurant conferences and trade shows covering key issues for the business sector, from franchising strategy to economic forecasts.

  • Friends doing breakfast at the cafe
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    franckreporter via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by MARS Foodservices

    How restaurants can thrive in the experience economy

    Consumers are focusing on experiences rather than material goods, and restaurants are in the sweet spot to take advantage of this “experiential economy.”

  • One of Serve Robotics next generation robots
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    Courtesy of Serve Robotics
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    Serve Robotics debuts faster, larger robots for Uber Eats deal

    The company is on track to deploy about 250 robots in Los Angeles in Q1 2025, and its next gen model can run for longer and carry more.

  • An image of a man wearing a suit in front of an orange logo sign that says "Togo's"
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    Permission granted by Togo's
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    Togo’s appoints CFO to CEO position

    Matt Dowling, who has been CFO for three years, will continue in that role while also taking on the top executive position.

  • Kraft Heinz's Heinz Tap device.
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    Courtesy of Kraft Heinz
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    Kraft Heinz ‘betting big’ on reaching consumers away from home

    The ketchup and Mac & Cheese maker said its foodservice unit is “an integral strategic building block” to growing its business and raising brand awareness.

  • An image of a bowl with meat and other vegetables. A cookie is next to the bowl as is a plastic fork and pink drink.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle makes minority investment in Mediterranean fast casual concept

    As part of its Cultivate Next venture fund, Chipotle invested in six-unit Brassica as well as artificial intelligence supply chain platform Lumachain.

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    Chicken Salad Chick
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    Chicken Salad Chick signs 5 franchise agreements across the Midwest

    The flurry of franchise deals will strengthen the chain’s presence in Chicago and bring it to new markets like Cleveland and Kansas City, Missouri.

  • KFC's ad campaign for its new chicken tenders is a "battle cry" to fast-food competitors.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC is battle-ready in satirical campaign for chicken tenders debut

    The fried-chicken chain playfully nods to competitors like Popeyes in a campaign depicting a chicken tenders war.

  • An image of a pink building with a Chuy's sign on the side.
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    The image by Michael Rivera is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    Darden wraps up Chuy’s acquisition

    The Tex-Mex chain brings strong unit volumes — about $4.5 million — to Darden, but its same-store sales fell last quarter, like many casual dining brands.

    M&A
  • A person in a PSL hat sits at a table pouring something into a glass.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Looking to replace pumpkin spice? Stop looking.

    One day there may be another innovative product that hits the cultural zeitgeist, but even then experts say the fall favorite is here to stay.

  • A Zaxby's logo used for the chicken chain.
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    Glenn, Miles. (2022). "Zaxby's" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
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    Zaxbys is coming to Maryland

    The chicken brand has signed a three-unit franchising deal covering the state’s Eastern Shore.

  • An image of three Krispy Kreme doughnuts and six in a box.
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    Permission granted by McDonald's/Krispy Kreme
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    McDonald’s tie-up with Krispy Kreme expands to Chicago

    The Golden Arches’ home market starts serving Krispy Kreme doughnuts next week as part of a drive to add the treats to 1,000 of its restaurants this year.

  • 7-Eleven
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven shuttering 444 North American stores amid strategic pivot

    The retailer also aims to generate $520 million through sale-leasebacks of an undisclosed number of stores as its parent company slashes its profit forecast and spins off non-core segments.

  • A Fazoli's store.
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    Permission granted by Fazoli's
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    Fazoli’s returns to Utah with 5-store deal

    Fat Brands, which acquired Fazoli's in 2021, is focused on bringing the Italian QSR back to markets it once left.

  • A picture of a hand lifting a Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa with another in the background.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell to test chicken al pastor

    The Al Pastor Street Chalupa is the first flavor variant of Taco Bell’s Cantina Chicken Menu. The chain will test more al pastor items in the future. 

  • An image of a man wearing a blue shirt with arms crossed.
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    Permission granted by Rusty Taco
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    Q&A // Meet the exec

    How Rusty Taco’s president is plotting sustainable growth

    Daniel Smith, who joined the chain earlier this year, is restructuring corporate to assist operators, boost franchise communication and optimize its business.

  • Japanese food from Pepper Lunch on big hot slabs of iron. Yum.
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    Permission granted by Pepper Lunch
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    ‘Experiential’ brand Pepper Lunch signs West Coast expansion deal

    The deal is a significant expansion of Pepper Lunch’s presence in the U.S. and covers parts of Southern California and Nevada.

  • An image of a sign with a red apple and the word Applebee's
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    Andrew Burton via Getty Images
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    Applebee’s franchisee files for bankruptcy after creditor lawsuit

    Louisiana Apple’s major creditor, City National Bank of Florida, claimed the operator and the brand transferred control of its restaurants in a breach of credit agreements. 

  • An image of three noodle dishes from Noodles & Company
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    Permission granted by Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company brings new flavors to menu with 3 dishes

    The fast casual chain’s transformation will touch two-thirds of the menu and will fill in flavor gaps with items like Chipotle Chicken Cavatappi. 

  • A couple looks at food delivery packaging on the left. On the right a mobile app displays generic branding and discounts for a restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Toast
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    Toast adds branded apps and text marketing

    The company said its new features can help restaurants drive traffic and frequency, and that apps are more effective than websites.

  • A renderite image of a Perkins storefront.
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    Courtesy of Perkins
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    Perkins debuts fast casual unit

    The smaller unit balances Perkins’ traditional fare with breakfast sandwiches and a lighter menu section.

  • Am image of a sign on a window that says "Meal Deal" and shows a chicken sandwich and burger with nuggest, fries and a Coca-Cola.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Did McDonald’s $5 Value Meal bring customers back? Here’s what the data shows.

    Traffic rose in the days following the promotion launch, but customers still view pricing negatively at McDonald’s.

  • EG Group
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    Retrieved from Cumberland Farms website.
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    EG America reveals 3 new foodservice concepts

    A Cumberland Farms store in Massachusetts is now home to the retailer’s first Alanza Pizza, Burger Baby and Wing Trip locations.

  • A worker takes orders from customers in the drive-thru lane at a Chick-fil-A restaurant.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Study: Chick-fil-A leads in drive-thru satisfaction, Taco Bell in speed

    Intouch Insight’s drive-thru study found across-the-board improvements in chains’ speed. The firm added Raising Cane’s to its ranking for the first time.

  • A farmer holds a coffee plant bearing fruit
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks buys more innovation farms to create climate-proof coffee

    Farmers in Costa Rica and Guatemala will test drones, hybrid crop varieties and more as the company aims to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the region.

  • Two autonomous vehicles with Avride and Uber branding
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    Courtesy of Avride
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    Uber Eats to deliver with Avride robots in Austin

    The deal is the latest in a string of partnerships between the delivery giant and robotics developers, and includes sidewalk robots and robotaxis.