McDonald's stirs up chicken sandwich wars with 3 new entries

The sandwiches fulfill franchisees' demand for competitive new chicken offerings to better compete with Chick-fil-A, which the National Owners Association listed as a top priority in 2019. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 5, 2021

How Sonic Drive-In swapped its iconic pitchmen for a 'pandemic-proof' campaign

Chief marketing officer Lori Abou Habib explains how the QSR shifted its focus from its long-running "Two Guys" to real families — right before COVID-19 upended the year.

By Chris Kelly • Dec. 23, 2020

Burger King sends customers $1 via Venmo to push new value menu

The $1 Your Way menu features a lineup of Burger King items all priced at $1, including the brand's take on the bacon cheeseburger and its Chicken Jr. sandwich.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 22, 2020

Starbucks suspends traffic-driving Happy Hours

The coffee chain has canceled at least three events and plans to reassess the promotion's safety in January. Last December, Happy Hours drove 11% traffic increases. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 16, 2020

Grubhub offers free delivery in Chicago, NYC during winter

Through mid-March, the aggregator will offer its Grubhub+ subscription program to customers for free. It will also include local partner restaurants in the program at no additional cost.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 16, 2020

Uber now lets businesses offer branded vouchers for rides, meals

Companies can offer vouchers that show their logo, giving them a way to create branded experiences that serve as another touch point with customers.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 15, 2020

Panera, Pepsi bite into virtual pizza party trend

Starring comedian King Bach, the push spoofs pandemic-spurred trends like virtual parties and cocktail hours on videoconferencing services such as Zoom.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 14, 2020

Wendy's teams with Uber Eats on customized menus for Twitch gamers

The burger chain's "Never Stop Gaming Menu" includes combinations of items selected by five of the platform's most popular streamers.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 10, 2020

KFC gets steamy with Lifetime movie starring Mario Lopez as Col. Sanders

"A Recipe For Seduction" ties to a promotion with Uber Eats, as the marketer looks to link an ambitious original content play with commerce.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 7, 2020

McDonald's gives away McRibs to fans who shave their beards

The chain asks people to post photos of their clean-shaven faces to social media after observing No-Shave November to raise awareness about cancer.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 1, 2020

How QSRs can pivot their marketing to join the holiday conversation

Less travel and in-person shopping could mean fewer moments for fast food, but savvy restaurant brands still have opportunities to join in on the season.

By Chris Kelly • Nov. 25, 2020

Dunkin' pushes for TikTok followers with return of branded onesies

After its recent holiday merch drop mostly sold out, the brand is promising to bring back last year's onesie if it reaches two million TikTok followers.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 20, 2020

Chipotle turns fans into 'royalty' with TikTok challenge

The chain's latest campaign on the embattled video app gives users a chance to win $10,000 and turn their go-to orders into a temporary menu item.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 18, 2020

Over 30% of diners plan to cater a holiday meal, survey finds

Fifty-three percent of consumers also plan to buy a restaurant holiday gift card this season, according to a Tripleseat survey.

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 18, 2020

Consumers expected to spend 29% more on restaurant gift cards, study says

Fifty-two percent of consumers plan to double their gift card purchases during the holidays, a trend that could help restaurants incentivize more diners to order out during the slow winter months.

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 10, 2020

Arby's flips viral TikTok videos into special menu item

Inspiration for the campaign stems from a video of a user saying his new flat-screen TV only displayed a message from Arby's.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 9, 2020

Starbucks brews buzz for mobile ordering in new holiday campaign

With the tagline "Festive is a tap away, download the app today," the effort touts mobile ordering as the pandemic dissuades people from lingering in coffee houses.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 5, 2020

Wendy's turns drive-thru into spooky Halloween experience

For people not near the Los Angeles "scare-thru," the chain is running a coupon effort on Twitter to ramp up usage of its app and loyalty program.

By Aaron Baar • Oct. 30, 2020

Chipotle lets diners track environmental impact of burritos as restaurants prioritize sustainability

The Real Foodprint tracker, which mirrors a recent move by Panera to label eco-conscious menu items, is explained by Bill Nye in TikTok videos.

By Peter Adams • Oct. 26, 2020

CMOs must decipher pandemic-related consumer behavior changes, Dentsu survey finds

Prepared CMOs were already shifting to digital and e-commerce channels, which are now table stakes for restaurants, evidenced by the dramatic growth of digital sales at chains like Chipotle.

By Chris Kelly • Oct. 21, 2020

Wendy's coupon gets more valuable with each retweet

The coupon on Twitter was retweeted 10.8K times, translating to customers receiving 30% off a breakfast order on the Uber Eats app through Friday morning.

By Robert Williams • Updated Oct. 14, 2020

Yelp adds alerts for businesses accused of racism

The company's notification system was introduced in response to a surge of media-fueled reviews over the past few months warning users of businesses' alleged racist conduct. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 9, 2020

McDonald's continues celebrity menus with reggaeton's J Balvin

With drive-thru, digital and delivery businesses bright spots during an otherwise tough period, the chain further targets young, digitally savvy diners.

By Aaron Baar • Oct. 6, 2020

S.Pellegrino swaps signature dishes between NY, LA restaurants

The Nestlé brand is giving residents of both cities a chance to sample food from restaurants on the opposite coast as the pandemic continues to scuttle travel plans.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 5, 2020

McDonald's is running out of its Spicy Chicken McNuggets

The offering is the chain's second promotion in less than a month to experience shortages, following the popularity of the Travis Scott Meal in early September. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 1, 2020