Financials

  • A Firehouse Subs location
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    TennesseePhotographer via Getty Images
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    How Firehouse Subs is leveraging franchise incentives to speed up growth

    RBI’s smallest chain wants to speed up openings and fill in key U.S. markets, with bonuses targeting strong operators and multi-unit development.

    By • April 1, 2026
  • Zaxbys first Arizona unit, a restaurant with white walls and blue awnings
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    Courtesy of Zaxbys
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    Zaxbys appoints GoTo Foods exec as CFO

    Michael Dixon will oversee the chain’s financial strategy, planning and analytics and accounting and treasury as it continues to expand beyond 1,000 units.

    By • March 30, 2026
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    Permission granted by Golden Corral
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    Golden Corral appoints Nestlé vet as CFO

    Trona Balkissoon will oversee the buffet chain’s financial strategy, including franchised- and corporate-unit health, and ensure the chain grows responsibly. 

    By • March 27, 2026
  • An evening photograph of a corner of an Applebee's restaurant
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    M. Suhail via Getty Images
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    53-unit Applebee’s franchisee files for bankruptcy

    Neighborhood Restaurant Partners Florida has faced financial pressures since sales began to soften in 2015 and will now sell its restaurants to Applebee’s.

    By • March 26, 2026
  • An image of three large platters in the forefront with various food items. I nthe bagkround there are three cups, chips and tortillas.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    How 10 major restaurant chains are overhauling their strategies

    From Wendy’s to Outback, heavyweight brands are investing in new menu items and operational improvements  — often accompanied by closures and renovations — to get back on track.

    By • March 26, 2026
  • Sidewalk devilry robots in front of a Wonder location.
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    Courtesy of Grubhub
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    Wonder hires CFO ahead of potential 2027 IPO

    Marc Lore has built a vertically integrated food delivery network including food halls, a makeline manufacturer and Grubhub. Now, he wants to take it public.

    By • March 24, 2026
  • A nighttime image of a beige building with a sign that says Fatburger open 24 hours.
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    anderm via Getty Images
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    How Fat Brands’ bankruptcy could impact franchisees

    From diminishing marketing support to a sale of assets, operators could see changes that impact operations as the Fatburger parent continues through the Chapter 11 process.

    By • March 20, 2026
  • An image of a person wearing a suit with arms crossed and smiling. The person is in front of a wall with news clips in the background.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands CEO agrees to temporary leave of absence

    Andrew Wiederhorn can still bid on the company during its sales process, but will be removed from management in exchange for the company receiving debtor-in-posession financing.

    By • March 19, 2026
  • A picture of an Olive Garden restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    How snow derailed Olive Garden’s traffic growth

    Darden will run an extra week of value promotions for Olive Garden this quarter after bad weather stunted transactions.

    By • March 19, 2026
  • A close up of a gas pump that shows unleaded, plus and premium fuel with prices over $4 and $5 a gallon.
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    Getty Images
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    Gas price spikes don’t impact restaurant traffic: BTIG

    By analyzing 20 years of data, the firm found little correlation between gas prices hikes and restaurant traffic drops.

    By • March 18, 2026
  • An image of a beige building wiht both Fatburger and Round Table Pizza signage
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands could sell its assets

    If approved by the court, Fatburger’s owner, which is undergoing Chapter 11, will seek bids for all or some of its assets beginning in April.

    By • March 17, 2026
  • An image of various burritos and other items from Taco Bell.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell
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    Q4 2025’s restaurant winners and loses

    Casual dining? Good, not great. Fast casual? Bad, not terrible. Taco Bell? Living Más. Wendy's? Living Menos.

    By • March 16, 2026
  • Layne's Chicken Fingers
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    Permission granted by Layne's Chicken Fingers
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    Layne’s Chicken Fingers thinks it has what it takes to go national

    Cane’s. Dave’s. Now Layne’s? A small Texas chicken chain wants to be the next big thing. Multi-unit operators, a simple menu and a premium product could make it happen.

    By • March 11, 2026
  • A close up imae of a white sign with Cracker Barrel logo and Uncle Herschal mascot.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Cracker Barrel reports steepest traffic decline since botched rebrand

    Despite focusing on menu quality and value, the chain reported a 10% traffic drop nearly six months after it attempted to remove its iconic Uncle Herschel from its branding.

    By • March 5, 2026
  • A portrait of a person dressed in a suit in front of a gray background.
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    Courtesy of P.F. Chang's
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    Red Lobster hires former P.F. Chang’s CEO as CFO

    Brad Hill will oversee the chain’s finances and real estate strategy as it focuses on long-term growth.

    By • Updated March 3, 2026
  • Wooden seats and tables inside a Cava. In the background there is a make line with digital menu boards.
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    Deep Dive

    Why are leading fast casuals primarily company owned?

    Franchising is the primary model for development in fast food, but different market dynamics prevail in fast casual.

    By • March 2, 2026
  • An image of Papa Johns sign on a store
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Papa Johns will close 300 restaurants

    As part of its transformation, the chain will close units that are over 10 years old with AUVs under $600,000 and has already cut 7% of its corporate staff.

    By • Feb. 26, 2026
  • A photograph of a First Watch restaurant
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    Permission granted by First Watch
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    First Watch CFO to retire

    Mel Hope led the breakfast chain’s fiscal operations through a pandemic, an IPO and high inflation. His successor faces a strained consumer environment.

    By • Feb. 24, 2026
  • A Domino's Pizza employee assists a customer over the phone.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Domino’s loyalty program fuels carryout growth

    “We stated before that our objectives with the loyalty program was definitely to cater much more to the carryout customer and also to attract light users,” CEO Russell Weiner said.

    By Bryan Wassel • Feb. 24, 2026
  • A close up image of a red sign that says Fatburger
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    Wirestock via Getty Images
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    ‘This is not personal. It’s business’: Why an expert says the clock is ticking for Fat Brands’ CEO

    Andrew Wiederhorn’s days as CEO could be numbered if creditors successfully argue conflict of interests exist, bankruptcy expert Jerrold Bregman said.

    By • Feb. 23, 2026
  • An image ofa brick colored building with a logl of a red-headed girl with pigtails.
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    Courtesy of Wendy's
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    Wendy’s is ‘undervalued’ and could face takeover by Nelson Peltz

    The former Wendy’s board chair is considering taking action at the chain, where stock prices have fallen 60% over the past five years.

    By • Feb. 19, 2026
  • Jack in the Box
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Why Jack in the Box bets parking lot paint can cure sales

    The chain hopes improvements to product quality and restaurant cosmetics will reverse sliding same-store sales and help prepare for a full remodel program.

    By • Feb. 19, 2026
  • A Buggalo's and Fatbuger restaurant signs
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    Laser1987 via Getty Images
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    Fat Brands sued by lender over cash use during bankruptcy

    352 Capital contests Fat’s plan to use management fees and other cash under securitization receivables to fund operations during Chapter 11 proceedings.

    By • Feb. 19, 2026
  • An image of three people sitting at a table as another person serves them food on white plates.
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    SolStock via Getty Images
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    NRA: Restaurant, foodservice to surpass $1.5 trillion in sales

    While challenges related to the economy and food and labor costs will persist, the National Restaurant Association said operators are cautiously optimistic.

    By • Feb. 17, 2026
  • A daytime photogrpah of a white building that has an orange sign that says Popeyes Louisina Kitchen
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    Walter Cicchetti via Getty Images
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    Popeyes hopes restaurant-level reliability will turn sales around

    The chain, which saw comp sales decline by 4.9% in Q4, has already improved field engagement and targeted support for underperforming restaurants.

    By • Feb. 13, 2026