Operations: Page 31

  • A promotional image for Subway's new menu
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    Permission granted by Subway
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    Subway brings back Footlong Pass subscription

    The chain, which sold out 10,000 subscriptions in August in under six hours, is now offering 250,000 passes to rewards members for April redemption. 

    By • March 17, 2023
  • Image of assorted doughnuts in an open Krispy Kreme box.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Krispy Kreme exiting CPG snack business, cutting 102 jobs

    The sweets maker said the segment underperformed on the market. Instead, the company is focusing on delivering fresh-baked doughnuts to stores.

    By Megan Poinski • March 17, 2023
  • A man and a woman dressed as a chef look at a tablet. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Wavebreakmedia via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Back-of-house Technology

    From voice AI at the drive-thru to robot-powered makelines, restaurants are investing in technology solutions to optimize kitchen operations and reduce employee turnover. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
  • A photograph of chicken sliders from IHOP's virtual brand TenderFix
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    Permission granted by Nextbite
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    Nextbite, IHOP launch TenderFix virtual brand

    Nextbite’s chicken-centric brand, which was developed with the help of actor Noah Schnapp, marks the third partnership between the host kitchen and IHOP.

    By • March 16, 2023
  • A computer generated image of a drone delivery station attached to a restaurant
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    Courtesy of Zipline
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    Sweetgreen teams with Zipline for drone delivery

    Zipline’s new home delivery platform would use 97% less energy than deliveries fulfilled by car, the company claims. 

    By • March 16, 2023
  • A photo of a guest viewing an augmented reality experience on Denny's menu.
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    Courtesy of Denny's
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    Denny’s serves up AR experience with new menu overhaul

    Guests can take a virtual tour of Denny’s new menu and get exclusive deals, as part of a brand update that includes new kitchen equipment and food offerings. 

    By • March 15, 2023
  • An image of a building with Hawaiian Bros branding
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    Permission granted by Hawaiian Bros
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    Hawaiian Bros signs first multi-unit franchise deal for 75 units

    The roughly 30-unit fast casual chain will more than double its unit count in a deal with Stine Enterprises to open restaurants in Arizona and North Texas.

    By • Updated March 15, 2023
  • An image of a a white building with Chipotle signage at night.
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    Permission granted by Chipotle
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    Chipotle’s chief development officer departs

    Tabassum Zalotrawala, who has been at the fast casual chain for over four years and helped develop the Chipotlane, has resigned from her position. 

    By • Updated March 14, 2023
  • A Grubhub courier. Grubhub and Sonesta will offer delivery to 120 extended stay hotels.
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    The image by Elvert Barnes is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Grubhub CEO Adam DeWitt resigns

    DeWitt leaves Grubhub May 1 after 11 years at the company and nearly two years as CEO. Howard Migdal, current CEO at sister company SkipTheDishes, will succeed him.

    By • March 13, 2023
  • A photograph of Roland Gonzalez, U.S. COO at Church’s.
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    Courtesy of Church’s Texas Chicken
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    Church’s Texas Chicken hires Burger King vet as US COO

    Roland Gonzalez, who has over a decade of restaurant experience, joins the QSR amid a C-suite hiring spree, including CFO, CMO and CEO hires within the past year. 

    By • March 13, 2023
  • Kitchen United, Stellar Pizza, Sweetfin at Curbivore panel 2023
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    Emma Beckett/Restaurant Dive
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    Sweetfin, Stellar Pizza detail cost-saving robotics strategies

    Sweetfin uses Coco Delivery bots to deliver food within two miles in 15 minutes, while Stellar Pizza’s robotic truck can bake pizzas with just one human employee.

    By • March 13, 2023
  • A photograph of a Potbelly sandwich shop sign.
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    Andrew Burton via Getty Images
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    Potbelly secures first refranchising agreement

    The deal with United One Group, which includes eight refranchised units, will add another 13 new restaurants to New York City by 2031.

    By • March 13, 2023
  • A U.S. Department of Labor sign is see outside the agency.
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    Kate Tornone/Restaurant Dive
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    DOL: Florida restaurants withheld $190K from workers to cover operating costs

    Investigators in the agency’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $27 million for 22,531 foodservice workers during fiscal year 2022.

    By Ginger Christ • March 10, 2023
  • Person using a point of sale software system at a restaurant
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    Moyo Studio via Getty Images
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    Shift4 needles rival Toast

    Toast and Shift4 are battling to win larger customers in the intensely competitive restaurant payments arena. 

    By Caitlin Mullen • March 10, 2023
  • An image of a customer showing a smartphone to a Noodles & Company cashier
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company to test dynamic pricing

    Digital menu boards will offer not only flexibility in promotions and featured items at the fast casual chain, but could also allow for pricing tweaks.

    By • March 10, 2023
  • An image of a delivery courier in New York City
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    NYC cuts proposed delivery worker wage floor by almost $4

    Grubhub, Uber Eats and DoorDash persuaded the city to reduce its 2025 target base pay by $3.86 an hour, arguing workers would be compensated by “multi-apping.”

    By • March 8, 2023
  • A photo of Natalia Franco, global CMO at Church's Texas Chicken.
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    Courtesy of Church's Texas Chicken
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    Church’s Texas Chicken adds global CMO amid new leadership push

    Natalia Franco, who started her role on Monday, joins a slew of recent corporate hires including CFO, CEO and procurement VP. 

    By • March 7, 2023
  • A photograph of an Applebee's sign.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    How Applebee’s new president plans to revive franchisee development

    With high costs hurting potential ROI on new builds, Tony Moralejo wants to save with a new kitchen prototype and franchisee incentives.

    By • March 7, 2023
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    Rosie Bradbury/Industry Dive
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    Sweetgreen launches catering as workers return to offices

    The fast casual chain slowly grew the channel through a pilot program last year as it expanded into new markets. 

    By • March 7, 2023
  • An image of a building with glass and a yellow sign that says Fatburger next to an image on orange buffalo
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    Permission granted by Fat Brants
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    Fat Brands CEO to resign, citing federal investigation

    Andy Wiederhorn will remain with the restaurant firm until May 5, at which point he will act as an outside consultant and strategic advisor for the holding company he founded. 

    By , • March 6, 2023
  • A photograph of a cafe operator holding up an open sign.
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Restaurant unit counts up 18K compared to 2020

    Despite the growth noted by NPD Group, only about one-third of QSRs and fast casual operators are likely to open new units this year, NRA research finds. 

    By • March 6, 2023
  • Dinner plates with food
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    Soleskz/Shutterstock.com

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    Sponsored by Upside

    Personalized restaurant promotions are the key to new sales and customers

    There’s a tentative sense of optimism in the restaurant industry — between inflation and recession fears — as sales return to pre-pandemic levels.

    March 6, 2023
  • An image of the welcome center in Subway's secondary HQ
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Subway opens second headquarters with sandwich test station

    The sandwich giant’s Miami office will help speed up menu innovation and may enable greater cooperation with franchisees on supply chain issues.

    By • March 2, 2023
  • An image of a Wetzel's Pretzels inside a convenience store.
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    Permission granted by Wetzel's Pretzels
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    Q&A

    How Wetzel’s Pretzels built a pipeline to reach 400 units this year

    CEO Jennifer Schuler discusses the chain’s strategy of opening units inside c-stores and large retailers like Walmart and Macy’s.

    By • March 1, 2023
  • Exterior of a Kroger store with a "Kitchen United Mix" sign on the building and delivery van.
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    Courtesy of Kroger
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    NRA: One-third of operators predict ghost kitchens will decline

    Consumers prefer to order from brick-and-mortar establishments, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Industry Report.

    By • March 1, 2023
  • A photo of a front counter at Tijuana Flats.
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    Permission granted by Tijuana Flats
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    Tijuana Flats halves franchise fee, targets 50 openings by 2025

    The Tex-Mex chain will offer royalty fees starting at 1% that ramp up in subsequent years as it seeks multi-unit operators and growth in the Southeast. 

    By • March 1, 2023