Menu Development

  • Chipotle opens its first Chipotlane Digital Kitchen in Ohio in December 2021.
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    2025 could be fast casual’s year, again

    Long-term trends in consumer preference have put fast casual chains in a position to leverage price sensitivity, digital touchpoints and an appetite for human connection.

    By • Jan. 27, 2025
  • An image of Tijuana Flats
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    Permission granted by Tijuana Flats
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    Tijuana Flats exits bankruptcy with menu innovation plans

    After Chapter 11 helped the chain reduce its debt and improve efficiency, it will add street tacos and refresh its stores to compete with fast casual rivals.

    By • Jan. 24, 2025
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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 table with a teapot and tea during high tea service.
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    Hanna Lassen via Getty Images
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    Top 3 food and beverage trends coming to hotels in 2025

    Restaurant experiences turn multisensory, social media influences menus and generations connect over “newstalgic” plates in the year ahead, per Marriott’s VP of Culinary.

    By Jenna Walters • Jan. 23, 2025
  • Exterior of a grocery store.
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    Courtesy of Hy-Vee and VusionGroup
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    Hy-Vee will transition all in-store Wahlburgers to Market Grille

    This transition includes introducing new menus as well as shuttering its partnership with Wahlburgers.

    By Peyton Bigora • Jan. 22, 2025
  • McDonald's, Pokemon Go hero imagery
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s amplifies mobile app with Pokémon Happy Meal

    The burger chain is again wedding pop culture and nostalgia with a Happy Meal box inclusive of a Pokémon booster pack, poster and sticker sheet.

    By Jessica Deyo • Jan. 22, 2025
  • A Smoothie King with a drive-thru.
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    Courtesy of Smoothie King
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    Smoothie King targets 100 openings in 2025

    The chain, which is also testing food items this year, plans to enter Phoenix for the first time as part of its Southwest expansion plan.

    By • Jan. 22, 2025
  • An image of serveral food items from Taco Bell's Craving's Value Menu
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Why quality may trump price in 2025’s restaurant value battle

    The mixed success of recently launched value menus highlights the importance of focusing on more than just affordability, experts said.

    By • Jan. 17, 2025
  • Panera Bread storefront
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    Permission granted by Panera Bread
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    Panera hires marketing, culinary executives

    Robin Seward joins the chain as senior vice president, brand and innovation, while Scott Uehlein was hired as vice president of culinary.

    By • Jan. 14, 2025
  • A photo of the upgraded coffee service in a 7-Eleven in Laurel, MD.
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    Jessica Loder/C-Store Dive/Restaurant Dive
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    Column

    3 Big Numbers: C-stores zero in on coffee consumers

    Wawa, Casey’s and 7-Eleven all are either updating their coffee programs or employing promotions to draw in more caffeine aficionados.

    By Jessica Loder • Jan. 14, 2025
  • A exterior shot of the blue and yellow building with CosMc's signage
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    Permission granted by CosMc's
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    McDonald’s to shutter 3 CosMc’s, open 2 more

    The chain said its beverage-centric concept works better in smaller locations and will close larger restaurants that were converted from McDonald’s units.

    By • Jan. 10, 2025
  • An image of burritos and other items from virtual brand Man vs Fries
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    Permission granted by Virtual Dining Concepts
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    CPK adds virtual brand to menu

    The pizza chain plans to fulfill digital orders for Man Vs Fries at 118 locations, with a secret menu for dine-in guests.

    By • Jan. 9, 2025
  • Taco Bell's $5, $7 and $9 luxe boxes. Each combo meal contains several items, a side and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell adds $5 and $9 meal combos

    A year after launching its $7 Luxe Cravings Boxes, Taco Bell is building out its value combo offerings with a cheaper choice and a more premium option.

    By • Jan. 7, 2025
  • John Cena in a McDonald's ad
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald’s value menu launch gets inspirational boost from John Cena

    The actor-wrestler appears in new ads that turn into a oddball spiel about the transformational power of the McValue platform. 

    By Peter Adams • Jan. 7, 2025
  • A Subway six inch sandwich, drink and chips
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Subway launches sub of the day deal

    After the early end of its $6.99 meal, Subway is stepping back into the value wars with a meal deal for every day of the week.

    By • Jan. 6, 2025
  • 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’ turnaround plan will be ‘no quick fix,’ analysts say

    The chain wants to improve customer experience by making its stores more welcoming and speeding up service. But will the changes come fast enough?

    By Michael Brady • Jan. 6, 2025
  • Three fast food drinks with blueberry dragonfruit poppers.
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    Courtesy of Del Taco
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    Del Taco adds new burritos and value bundles

    The chain’s same-store sales shrank considerably last quarter, though its value messaging may be starting to work, company leadership said.

    By • Jan. 3, 2025
  • An image of a pink sign that says "Saucy"
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    Permission granted by Saucy by KFC
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    Inside KFC’s tech-centric concept

    Opening Monday in Orlando, Florida, Saucy focuses on chicken tenders and will use order-ahead pickup technology to boost speed and efficiency.

    By • Dec. 19, 2024
  • A person holding an order of Taco Bell chicken nuggets, nacho fries and a drink.
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Taco Bell adds chicken nuggets to menu

    The nationwide rollout, which will happen Thursday, follows successful regional market tests in Minneapolis and Houston.

    By • Dec. 18, 2024
  • A white building with windows on the front with a large sign that says Cava
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    Courtesy of Cava
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    The restaurant industry’s top 3 winners and losers of 2024

    Sales and traffic fell for many brands, like Starbucks and McDonald’s, but fast casuals like Chipotle and Cava had a good year.

    By , • Dec. 17, 2024
  • Love's
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    Retrieved from Naf Naf.
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    How c-stores pushed the envelope on foodservice in 2024

    From creating new restaurant concepts to expanding menus and bringing in QSRs, retailers keep seeking new ways to enhance this key category.

    By Jessica Loder • Dec. 13, 2024
  • A Papa Johns' employee cuts pizza after preparing it.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Todd Penegor wants Papa Johns to make more pizzas

    Menu innovation may drive customer trial, but that doesn’t strengthen the brand’s core appeal, the chain’s CEO said during an investor event.

    By • Dec. 12, 2024
  • An image of several specialty drinks from Taco Bell's Live Mas Cafe lined up on a white counter top.
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    Permission granted by Taco Bell/Diversified Restaurant Group
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    An inside look at Taco Bell’s beverage concept

    Live Más Café offers drinks that appeal to Gen Z consumers like chillers, agua frescas and specialty coffee drinks.

    By • Dec. 10, 2024
  • A photo of various drinks from Jollibee
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    Courtesy of Jollibee
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    Jollibee courts Gen Z with new premium drinks

    The Signature Sips menu offers 16-ounce quenchers, freezes and iced tea starting at $3.99.

    By • Dec. 6, 2024
  • A customer in a green shirt and jeans watches workers complete a food order in a Chipotle restaurant.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Chipotle raises menu prices by 2%

    This is the chain’s first nationwide price increase since 2023 and will help offset low single-digit food cost inflation.

    By • Updated Dec. 5, 2024
  • An image of a white building with Keke's logo
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    Permission granted by Keke's Breakfast Cafe/Photo by Seth Parker with Parker Studios
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    Keke’s Breakfast Cafe on path to reach 200 locations

    Two years after Denny’s acquired the breakfast chain, it has signed commitments for over 140 units and is in the early stages of remodeling more than 50 locations.

    By • Dec. 4, 2024