Marketing

  • A personalized Taco Bell advertisement at a bus stop.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell boosts fan-created mobile orders with free advertising

    Fan Style encourages mobile ordering and creativity by rewarding users each time someone purchases their custom order once it’s been shared.

    By Sara Karlovitch • July 24, 2025
  • Wendy's Meal of Misfortune collaboration with "Wednesday" is displayed against a purple backdrop
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    Permission granted by Wendy's
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    Wendy’s marketing embraces the macabre with ‘Wednesday’ collaboration

    The chain’s pigtail-sporting mascot is swapped for scowling Wednesday Addams for a limited-time meal collaboration and in-app mobile game.

    By Peter Adams • July 24, 2025
  • Pickles rain down on the top of a car in an ad from Sonic Drive-In
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    Permission granted by Sonic Drive-In
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    Q&A

    Don’t hold the pickles: Sonic’s CMO on going all-in on dining trend

    Ryan Dickerson discusses a Grillo’s partnership and ad shoot that involved over 2,000 real pickles as briny snacks win Gen Z’s favor.

    By Peter Adams • July 18, 2025
  • Several Taco Bell menu items.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell tests value menu in Indianapolis

    The brand will watch how consumers respond to a limited-time slate of $3 and under items before deciding whether to take them national.

    By • July 17, 2025
  • A collage of fake instagram posts and Starbucks drinks.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks makes secret menu hacks official

    The chain will offer a rotating selection of customized beverages, including ones designed by consumers, as it looks to deepen mobile engagement. 

    By • July 15, 2025
  • A pedestrian strolls by a KFC ad that shows Colonel Sanders scowling.
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    Permission granted by Kentucky Fried Chicken
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    KFC’s new take on Colonel Sanders is serious about its ‘Comeback Era’

    The usually grinning founder-turned-mascot has taken on a scowl to ensure the Yum Brands chain gets serious about winning back market share. 

    By Peter Adams • July 15, 2025
  • A building with white and brown siding with two black cars at a drive-thru. Signage says Bojangles
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Opinion

    Two lanes for AI-powered order taking in drive-thrus: Humanization vs. transparency

    While mimicking a human voice can lead to more emotionally engaging guest interactions, the stakes are higher for brands, with robotic-sounding voices offering greater transparency, says Hi Auto’s Eyal Shapira.

    By Eyal Shapira • July 8, 2025
  • Two iced coffee drinks in glass jars with cream being poured into the one on the right and filtering through. The jars are on a silver tray with a white linen napkin, two straws, a spoon and a bowl.
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    viennetta via Getty Images
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    Beverage trends: The forces shaping the coffee sector in 2025

    Small coffee chains are looking to experiential coffee occasions to outcompete major chains, but they’re not abandoning menu innovation.

    By • July 1, 2025
  • A beige building with a yellow "M" and white "McDonald's" sign.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s adds Daily Double to menu

    The Golden Arches said the burger has performed well in several markets and will use it to anchor a pricier value meal option.

    By • June 27, 2025
  • DoorDash sticker in window
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    How DoorDash is evolving its retail media arm as ad revenue grows

    The ads division just acquired ad-tech startup Symbiosys for $175 million and is introducing new artificial intelligence tools for restaurant brands. 

    By Peter Adams • June 20, 2025
  • An image of a brick building with red Chick-fil-A signage
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Chick-fil-A leads in customer satisfaction for 11th straight year

    The ACSI 2025 report found challenger brands on the march, sector leaders on the defensive, and Starbucks showing surprising strength.

    By • June 17, 2025
  • Chipotle burrito and app on the beach
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s brand chief on turning up the heat where brand meets culture

    The chain plans to meaningfully ramp up marketing spend as it seeks to bounce back from its first same-store sales decrease since the pandemic.

    By Chris Kelly • June 9, 2025
  • McDonald's Snack Wrap Files homepage
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    Retrieved from McDonald's on June 03, 2025
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    McDonald’s goes behind the scenes to hype fan-favorite Snack Wrap return

    The marketing campaign will include a new spot, a Snapchat activation and a throwback web portal that features behind-the-scenes content.

    By Chris Kelly • June 5, 2025
  • The sign on a Red Robin restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Red Robin ‘far from claiming victory’ despite comps growth

    The casual chain’s turnaround efforts are paying off in terms of comparable sales and profits, but executives say a repeat performance is unlikely in Q2.

    By • May 30, 2025
  • A sign advertising a digital ordering app is displayed at a McDonald's.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    How restaurant chains are updating their marketing menus in tough economy

    Marketers at QSR and fast casual brands are taking big swings with creative campaigns, evolving loyalty strategies and digital technology investments.

    By Chris Kelly • May 28, 2025
  • El Pollo Loco logo and tagline
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    Courtesy of El Pollo Loco
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    Why El Pollo Loco’s rebrand invites diners to ‘Get Loco’

    CMO Jill Adams shares how a new tagline serves as a “call to action” and a play to engage with consumers around their passions.

    By Chris Kelly • May 22, 2025
  • Burger King’s Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper
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    Courtesy of Burger King
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    LTOs and value are key to solving restaurant traffic downturn: Technomic

    With consumers bracing for tariff impacts, limited-time offerings will likely grow in importance alongside budget-focused menu items.

    By • May 20, 2025
  • Tiffani Thiessen in a Chili's ad
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    Retrieved from Chili's on May 15, 2025
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    Q&A

    Chili’s CMO on how ‘culture pops’ supercharge the chain’s sales

    The casual dining chain’s executives have cited marketing as a key factor behind two straight quarters of same-store sales growth of more than 31%.

    By Chris Kelly • May 20, 2025
  • 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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    Analysts at NRA Show: Tariffs could make H2 gloomier for restaurants

    As costs rise, fast food chains are losing pricing advantages relative to fast casual and even full-service chains.

    By • May 19, 2025
  • In-game graphics on a Chipotle Roblox activation
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle brings trading card mania to Roblox with new experience

    Ingredient Quest capitalizes on renewed interest in games like Pokémon and card-pull social media videos of fans uncovering rare finds.

    By Peter Adams • May 1, 2025
  • An image of a pink sign that says "Saucy"
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    Permission granted by Saucy by KFC
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    Taco Bell sales surge, KFC will expand Saucy concept

    As Taco Bell succeeds in the U.S., KFC’s spinoff could replicate the Cantina strategy that Taco Bell has used to power its menu innovation.

    By • April 30, 2025
  • Chili's Big Smasher cheeseburger accompanied by sides of chips, fries and cola on a wooden dining table
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    Permission granted by Chili's Grill & Bar
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    Chili’s notches 21% traffic surge

    The casual chain’s focus on value is driving success where rivals are lagging, with many competitors reporting sliding same-store sales. 

    By • April 29, 2025
  • A smiling white woman with blond hair and a blue shirt. She is Julie Fussner, the new CEO of Culver's
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    Courtesy of Culver's
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    Culver’s promotes CMO Julie Fussner to CEO

    Fussner takes the helm as the brand hits the 1,000 restaurant mark, propelled by a $3.8 million AUV.

    By • April 28, 2025
  • McDonald's new McCrispy chicken strips.
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s chicken strips mark first permanent menu addition in 4 years

    The chain needs a menu win — and a leg up on fast-growing chicken competitors — after last year’s value and LTO successes were offset by an E. Coli outbreak.

    By • April 25, 2025
  • The exterior of a Del Taco with several empty parking lots out front
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    Permission granted by Del Taco
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    Del Taco’s new meal boxes mirror Taco Bell deal

    The value bundles — which are priced between $5 and $9 — come as the chain battles shrinking same-store sales.

    By • April 23, 2025