Chick-fil-A has the strongest QSR brand personality, study says

A Zion & Zion report ranked major fast food chains on five personality dimensions, placing Sonic and Dairy Queen close behind the chicken chain while Papa John's and Burger King earned low marks.

By Lauren Manning • May 9, 2019

Business catering averages $275 per check, says ezCater

Top industries ordering catering include healthcare, IT/technology and finance, but each of these segments have unique off-premise demands.

By Julie Littman • May 1, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Restaurant Dive

Check out a selection of articles about some of the biggest trends — from the rise of dessert concepts to a cohort of Mexican chains trying to overtake Chipotle  — shaping the restaurant industry in 2024.

By Restaurant Dive staff

Food trucks are the new restaurant billboards

Auntie Anne's, Shake Shack and others are going mobile to grow off-premise business while reaping the benefits of a new marketing avenue.

By Julie Littman • April 29, 2019

McDonald's Germany adds 1st vegan burger

While the fast food chain has been rolling out vegan options in international markets, it has yet to do so in the U.S., despite plant-based initiatives by rivals Burger King, Carl's Jr. and White Castle.

By Lauren Manning • April 26, 2019

Sweetgreen reverses cashless-only approach

Following a wave of bans against cashless stores, the salad chain will start accepting cash in Philadelphia in July and chainwide by the end of the year.

By Alicia Kelso • April 26, 2019

59% of restaurant operators fear disruption by mobile-savvy rivals

An Oracle study found a vast majority of operators believe that guest-facing mobile apps can reduce labor costs and improve speed of service.

By Alicia Kelso • April 23, 2019

'Welcome to Walmart. May I take your order?'

With popular local and fast casual chains siphoning off mealtime dollars, some grocers have brought the likes of Wahlburgers and Rapid Fired Pizza into stores.

By Lauren Manning • April 23, 2019

McDonald's reportedly adding international favorites to US menus

A leaked memo obtained by Business Insider revealed the chain's next menu items will include the McExtreme Bacon Burger from Spain and the Stroopwafel McFlurry from the Netherlands.

By Julie Littman • April 23, 2019

Yelp to rate restaurants' environmental footprints

Diners can now provide feedback on whether a restaurant uses single-use plastic items and compostable containers.

By Lauren Manning • April 23, 2019

Millennials to be the biggest food and beverage spenders in 10 years

Baby boomers and Gen Xers spend the most on restaurants and groceries currently, but as millennials' financials improve as they get older, CBRE predicts this demographic will take a lion's share of the spend. 

By Julie Littman • April 22, 2019

45% of diners have tried a restaurant because of social media

A new study from marketing agency MGH revealed that 74% of U.S. consumers are more likely to visit or order from an establishment that engages with its social media fans. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 22, 2019

Schools ban meal delivery citing disruption, safety concerns

Some Michigan schools instituted the ban due to safety risks in giving building access to strangers, as well as the potential for allergic reactions or food-borne illnesses from delivered meals. 

By Amelia Harper • April 16, 2019

Burger King plans to treat chickens better, and now they're going plant-based. Where's McDonald's?

Improving its animal welfare standards and introducing more vegetarian options could drive profits and protect against public backlash, says Kenny Torrella, VP of public engagement at Mercy for Animals.

By Kenny Torella • April 15, 2019

Panera's new tech could make breakfast rise and shine

Breakfast delivery has grown 250% at the chain, which is launching an Amazon Go-like tap and pay system, new portable morning foods and a revamped coffee program to better target diners on the go. 

By Julie Littman • April 15, 2019

McDonald's cage-free egg progress signals an industry sea change

The chain claims to be 33% cage-free on its way to reach 100% by 2025, and analysts predict the move will bring these egg costs down.

By Alicia Kelso • April 12, 2019

Restaurant website developer BentoBox gains over $16M in funding

The tech company has now garnered over $23 million in funding and plans to develop online ordering, POS and reservation features — reflecting restaurant demand for enhanced consumer-facing technology.

By Alicia Kelso • April 11, 2019

Restaurant brands bring recognition, familiarity and innovation to Big Food's menu

Restaurants like P.F. Chang's and California Pizza Kitchen have increasingly licensed items in grocery stores to help boost overall revenue, but food delivery could make these products less lucrative.  

By Christopher Doering • April 8, 2019

Why McDonald's is supersizing its tech spending

The QSR giant bought a technology company and invested in a mobile app developer in just a week, signaling an aggressive focus on its drive-thru sales and digital offerings.

By Julie Littman • April 5, 2019

Marijuana consumption expected to boost restaurant foot traffic, sales

A Technomic report indicated that 63% of cannabis consumers eat more food after use, presenting an opportunity for restaurants to grow revenue. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 4, 2019

Subway launches sandwich created with Tastemade data

The media brand's data-driven insights will help the chain offer locally relevant menu items for U.S. diners, such as the Green Goddess Tuna Melt. 

By Lauren Manning • April 4, 2019

Restaurant operators chase delivery, value menus to drive growth

A TD Bank survey found that 71% of franchisees feel pressure to expand and plan to turn to delivery, value meals, remodeling and mobile technology to boost performance.

By Alicia Kelso • April 3, 2019

Taco Bell launches vegetarian menu nationwide

Months after an April pilot at 200 Dallas stores, the chain will add a dedicated vegetarian menu to its revamped menu that will be released on Thursday.

By Kevin Whiteley • Updated Sept. 11, 2019

Burger King will roll out Impossible Whoppers nationwide

Burger King will be the largest chain to offer the product systemwide, a move that could spur rival burger brands to launch plant-based patties of their own. 

By Kevin Whiteley • Updated April 29, 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

Buffalo Wild Wings shames fans on Instagram for not watching March Madness

The full-service chain is increasing its brand awareness through a new campaign that targets Instagram users hesitant to watch the NCAA tournament. 

By Robert Williams • March 29, 2019