Corporate Operations: Page 4

  • Chipotle workers prepare food
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle targets Gen Z workers with latest benefits

    The chain, whose workforce is 73% Gen Z, hopes to appeal to the demographic’s economic insecurity and hire 19,000 workers by spring. 

    By • Jan. 24, 2024
  • Incoming Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner smiles in a portrait photograph from his previous role at Pepsi
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    Courtesy of PepsiCo
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    Wendy’s names PepsiCo exec as CEO

    Todd Penegor is stepping down as Wendy’s president and CEO, a post he’s held since 2016, and will be replaced by Kirk Tanner, effective Feb. 5.

    By • Updated Jan. 18, 2024
  • A photograph of chefs in a kitchen. Explore the Trendline➔
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Menu development

    Restaurants big and small are experimenting with their menus to align with the preferences of on-the-go diners and mitigate the impact of rising food costs, supply chain disruption and shrinking consumer discretionary funds. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A portrait photograph of Tatiana Lambert, Wendy's new U.S. chief development officer.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s hires Yum exec to lead US development

    Tatiana Lambert will lead the company’s domestic expansion as it looks to grow its franchisee base and build new restaurant formats.

    By • Jan. 17, 2024
  • Thuthuka Nxumalo, KFC U.S. COO, effective Feb. 5, and Christophe Poirier, KFC U.S. chief new concept officer, effective Feb. 1.
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    Courtesy of KFC
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    KFC appoints US operations chief and new concept officer

    Thuthuka Nxumalo and Christophe Poirier will join the brand’s American C-suite from other divisions of Yum Brands as KFC looks to modernize its concept.

    By • Jan. 17, 2024
  • Woman standing behind counter and cash register serves ice cream cone.
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    Permission granted by Lynne Marek
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    Will Toast raise prices this year?

    The restaurant point-of-sale provider may give clients a choice when it makes price adjustments, following a fee flub last year.

    By Caitlin Mullen • Jan. 12, 2024
  • An image of Papa Johns sign on a store
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    How Papa Johns plans to boost margins, store-level profitability

    The second phase of the pizza chain’s Back to Better initiative will focus on a new nationwide marketing strategy, development incentives for franchisees and supply chain improvements in North America.

    By • Jan. 10, 2024
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    Mike Mozart via Flickr
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    Denny’s, Franklin Junction strike 250-unit virtual brand deal

    The diner chain has been deepening its virtual brand investments over the past few years, expanding its Banda Burrito test ninefold in November.

    By • Jan. 9, 2024
  • 7-Eleven
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven’s top foodservice executive departs

    Jack Stout, who before last summer was the retailer’s chief merchandising officer for nearly five years, left the company at the end of 2023.

    By Brett Dworski • Jan. 8, 2024
  • A Starbucks worker pours a beverage into a cup meant to represent a customer's personal drinkware.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks will accept diners’ personal mugs for drive-thru, app orders

    The chain has implemented new equipment and standardized its process for fulfilling personal cup orders following a 200 drive-thru-store test last year. 

    By • Jan. 3, 2024
  • A portrait photo of Rick Brown, CFO of Brix Holdings
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    Permission granted by Brix Holdings
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    Brix hires TGI Fridays alum as CFO

    Rick Brown, who previously served in leadership roles at TGI Fridays for 14 years, joins Brix as the company plans rapid growth across all of its brands.

    By • Dec. 19, 2023
  • Krispy Kreme doughnuts are displayed in a box.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Donuts and do nots: Krispy Kreme’s first ESG report reveals carbon emissions spike

    The chain said it achieved carbon neutrality in some global operations through carbon offsets, despite a jump in scope 1 and scope 2 emissions overall.

    By Zoya Mirza • Dec. 18, 2023
  • Wingstop's new Dallas location will serve as a laboratory for new restaurant layouts.
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    Courtesy of Wingstop
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    Wingstop names CIO

    Chris Fallon joins the wing brand as it prepares to roll out a $50 million in-house technology platform built to allow it to leave Olo’s system.

    By • Dec. 15, 2023
  • An image of a customer entering a Cava restaurant.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    Cava is bolstering customization through catering, loyalty strategy

    The Mediterranean chain is testing restaurant models with expanded kitchen space to support catering and a new, bankable points rewards program to deepen engagement, said CEO Brett Schulman.

    By • Dec. 14, 2023
  • Yellow, square-shaped robots roam a farm field
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    Courtesy of Chipotle Mexican Grill
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    Chipotle invests in regenerative farming robots

    The restaurant chain is looking to reduce its dependence on conventional fertilizer with a fleet of autonomous, weed-cutting bots.

    By Sarah Zimmerman • Dec. 14, 2023
  • Inside a Papa Johns location
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    Permission granted by Papa Johns
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    Papa Johns taps The Martin Agency, Carat in agency shakeup

    Both shops pitched the pizza chain on insight-driven strategies that can drive cultural relevance and improve areas like targeting and loyalty.  

    By Chris Kelly • Dec. 13, 2023
  • An image of CosMc's Berry Hibiscus Sour-Ade beverage
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    CosMc’s service model, pricing unlikely to hurt Starbucks, analysts say

    The concept’s drinks and snacks are similar to Starbucks and Dutch Bros’ offerings, but CosMc’s comparative discount may not make up for a “lack of human interaction,” per a William Blair report.

    By • Dec. 12, 2023
  • McDonald's Q1 Earnings Up On Higher Menu Prices, Overseas Growth
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s doubles down on geofencing

    The chain will expand its Ready on Arrival mobile pickup technology, which can trim wait times by about 60 seconds, in its top six markets by 2025.

    By • Dec. 11, 2023
  • Kiosks for ordering food sit in the dining area of a McDonald's restaurant located inside the company's new corporate headquarters on June 4, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.
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    Scott Olson / Staff via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s taps Google Cloud to super-size analytics, AI

    The fast food giant said it plans to leverage the hyperscaler’s hardware and software capabilities across thousands of locations worldwide.

    By Matt Ashare • Dec. 8, 2023
  • A sign for McDonald's new CosMc restaurant concept is in the foreground, with blue sky in the background
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    McDonald’s CosMc’s chain is coming for Starbucks customers

    The beverage-forward concept is targeting the “3 p.m. slump” — a daypart Starbucks is also working to improve — with highly customizable caffeinated beverages and select food items, CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors Wednesday. 

    By • Dec. 7, 2023
  • The prize center inside a Dave & Buster's restaurant
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    Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic via Getty Images
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    Dave & Buster’s sees future in revamped restaurants and loyalty growth

    The restaurant chain is remodeling its store fleet and enhancing its loyalty program with personalized offerings. 

    By Bryan Wassel • Dec. 7, 2023
  • An image of CosMc's menu options
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    Permission granted by McDonald's
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    6 key details about CosMc’s, McDonald’s new fast food chain

    CEO Chris Kempczinski said he believes McDonald’s has “the right to win” the afternoon “beverage pick-me-up occasion” with its new concept, which will be tested in three markets over at least one year.

    By • Dec. 7, 2023
  • A McDonald's store is shown in Houston, Texas.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s aims for 50K units by 2027, plans AI deployment

    To reach that mark, the restaurant chain will need to increase its growth rate by roughly 80% to about 2,200 openings per year.

    By • Dec. 6, 2023
  • A photo of Wawa pizza in a box.
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    Jessica Loder/C-Store Dive/Restaurant Dive
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    Column

    Fueling Up: People hate Wawa’s pizza. Here’s what the company can do about it.

    Critics and consumers have harshly judged the retailer’s pies since they debuted this summer. If sales are also poor, it may need to pull pizza from its menus, one expert says.

    By Brett Dworski • Dec. 5, 2023
  • A McDonald's store is shown in Houston, Texas.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s asks SCOTUS to hear no-poach case

    A group of former employees sued in 2018, alleging that hiring restrictions between the fast food chain and its franchises constituted a “per se” violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

    By Ryan Golden • Dec. 4, 2023
  • A Papa John's sign.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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    Papa Johns will pay $175K to settle ADA claim involving service dog

    The worker was not allowed to bring to work the dog he needed for his commute — despite running the accommodation past the store manager ahead of time, according to the complaint. 

    By Emilie Shumway • Dec. 4, 2023