The Latest
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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.
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GoTo Foods names former IHOP exec as chief commercial officer
Kieran Donahue will oversee various aspects of the commercial division, including marketing, branding and consumer insights and analytics.
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Craveworthy buys emerging pizza brand
The multi-brand platform has been on an acquisition spree in 2024, buying Sigri Indian BBQ and Untamed Brands, among others.
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Chains struggle to stand out amid ‘noise’ of value wars
Papa Johns, Popeyes and Burger King’s value messages did not break through, while Portillo’s sought to sidestep deep discounting.
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McDonald’s invests $100M to help franchisees recover from E. coli outbreak
About $35 million will go toward marketing programs that will help drive traffic and rebuild consumer trust.
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$35K overtime salary threshold back in effect
A federal judge ruled that the Department of Labor’s 2024 rule exceeded the agency’s authority and is unlawful.
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Huddle House signs its biggest franchise deal yet
The franchising agreement will add a significant number of units to Huddle House’s system, which has seen store counts decline in recent years.
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Bojangles to install ordering kiosks across its system
The chicken chain said its pilot of the Grubbrr technology had high adoption rates and helped increase throughput.
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Chipotle defrauded investors with inconsistent meal sizes, says plaintiff seeking class action
The case is an example of securities lawsuits run amok, a directors and officers liability law specialist says.
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McDonald’s holiday cups entertain with Doodles content, digital collectibles
The fast food giant is collaborating with a Web3-fueled entertainment brand that CMO Tariq Hassan calls “an agent of change in the cultural landscape.”
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How Salata plans to triple its store count
With roughly 100 stores, the salad chain is looking to fill in existing markets, develop its franchisee base and set itself apart from other fast casual brands.
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Jack in the Box hires Lance Tucker as CFO again
Tucker rejoins the brand as it eyes significant franchising growth but faces comparable sales headwinds.
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Cava’s winning comp sales streak continued in Q3
Cava is the clear leader of the Mediterranean fast casual segment, and has had one of the strongest 2024s of any major brand.
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Subway’s newest design focuses on improving the dining room experience
During concept testing, guests said the Fresh Forward 2.0 image, which includes warmer wood tones and improved lighting, increased their chances of eating inside a Subway.
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KFC sues Church’s Texas Chicken over ‘original recipe’ ads
KFC claims Church’s use of the marketing phrase will deceive customers into thinking they are buying items from KFC.
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Red Lobster brings back old favorites, new items in menu remake
The casual chain added seven new dishes and revived classics like hush puppies and popcorn shrimp.
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Captive audience meetings are unlawful, NLRB says
The meetings, a common strategy for employers during union drives, “have a reasonable tendency to interfere with and coerce employees” in the exercise of their rights, the Board decided.
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Wonder to acquire Grubhub for $650M
Just Eat Takeaway originally purchased Grubhub for $7 billion in 2020 and has been trying to sell the company since 2022.
Updated Nov. 13, 2024 -
Deep Dive
What restaurants, suppliers can learn from McDonald’s E.coli outbreak
The fast food giant’s initial response to the outbreak was quick, but guest sentiment suffered from a lack of direct consumer messaging.
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DoorDash to pay $11.3M in Illinois tip settlement
The settlement will fund payments to as many as 79,000 workers who completed deliveries on the app from 2017 to 2019.
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Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux signs first franchise deal to build smaller restaurants
Operator Port Royal Brands will develop 20 units in Georgia and Tennessee using a prototype that will be half the size of Walk-On’s traditional restaurants.
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Chipotle names Scott Boatwright permanent CEO
Boatwright, who has been interim CEO since August, said on an earnings call that the chain will continue its current strategies and focus on operational efficiency.
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California Pizza Kitchen signs first US franchise deal under new strategy
Pizza brands have struggled broadly, including CPK, but the chain is betting on multi-unit operators to change its fortunes.
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Sweetgreen to launch points-based loyalty program
The chain is shifting its approach after customers found its tiered program, which includes a free and paid subscription, was too complicated.
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Potbelly signs 15-store Georgia deal
The sandwich brand’s latest move will expand its presence in the Southeast as it targets a nationwide goal of 2,000 units.