Operations: Page 5

  • A Whatburger storefront. A sign outside reads, "Whataburger".
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    Courtesy of https://stories.whataburger.com/press-kit
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    Love’s will open its first Whataburger in 2025

    The Texas burger chain will bring its patties and fries to a Love’s travel center in San Antonio in late summer or early fall.

    By Brett Dworski • Jan. 27, 2025
  • An image of Krispy Krunchy Chicken display at NACS
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    Permission granted by Krispy Krunchy Chicken
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    Krispy Krunchy Chicken outlines 2025 growth plans

    The fried chicken brand opened just over 600 locations in 2024 and expects to beat that number this year while also improving e-commerce efficiency.

    By Jeff Wells • Jan. 27, 2025
  • 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
  • View of a table top with a spread of food
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    Shutterstock/ rawpixel.com

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    Sponsored by Society Insurance

    2025 trends: What hospitality businesses should be preparing for

    From nuclear verdicts to gas appliances, here are hospitality trends shaping 2025 from Society Insurance.

    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
  • An image of the inside of a Yogurtland with frozen yogurt stands in the back and white and purple chairs toward the front
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    Permission granted by Yogurtland
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    How Yogurtland’s shift to digital powered 3 years of growth

    After adding online ordering and remaking its loyalty program and app, the chain has had double-digit same-store sales growth and strong new unit expansion.

    By • 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
  • An image of two men standing at a counter ordering food.
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    Lacheev via Getty Images
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    Restaurant spending to increase slightly in 2025: Fitch

    Investment in tech like artificial intelligence will also define the year, supporting restaurant operations as inflation and labor market challenges persist.

    By • Jan. 21, 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
  • The entrance to a P.F. Chang's restaurant is pictured on Aug. 4, 2014 in Schaumburg, Illinois.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    P.F. Chang’s drops lawsuit claiming UKG lost, destroyed employee data

    The restaurant chain sued in 2022 claiming that the HR vendor had provided “false hope” that it could recover some of the chain’s deleted information.

    By Ryan Golden • Jan. 17, 2025
  • An image of a Twin Peaks restaurant with wooden exteriors.
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    Permission granted by Twin Peaks
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    Twin Hospitality Group expects to go public on Jan. 30

    Fat Brands’ spinoff of its highest-performing brands will help it deleverage its balance sheet, which includes $1.2 billion in debt.

    By • Updated Jan. 17, 2025
  • An image of the Shake Shack logo on a window.
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    Shake Shack’s CFO talks 1,500-unit goal, drive-thru and restaurant optimization

    Katie Fogerty is confident that the burger chain, once only in New York City, can reach its next big target through labor model updates, drive-thru optimization and profitability improvements.

    By • Jan. 17, 2025
  • An image of a restaurant with tables that showcases a pretzel, ice cream and cookie concept.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    Fat Brands will grow a new tri-branded snack concept

    The company combined Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker at a unit in Texas, with plans to open more.

    By • Jan. 16, 2025
  • An arm reaches out of a gray car to collect a bag of food while an employee with blue gloves hands off the bag.
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    NewSaetiew via Getty Images
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    QSR traffic turns positive in Q4, report shows

    A push toward more restaurant value offerings appears to be paying off, with spikes in traffic seen in October and November, according to Revenue Management Solutions data.

    By • Jan. 16, 2025
  • A photograph of a brick building with a red sign and white letters that says Chipotle.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Chipotle invests in firm that makes plant-based meat from duckweed

    The restaurant chain’s venture fund is also backing efforts reduce cow-based methane emissions.  

    By Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 15, 2025
  • People sit in a coffee shop.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Starbucks reverses open-door policy as it pursues coffeehouse environment

    Under the new policy, customers will have to make a purchase if they want to hang out in Starbucks coffee shops or use its bathrooms.

    By Kristen Doerer • Jan. 14, 2025
  • A man stands on a stage talking
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive
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    Portillo’s tests computer vision to boost drive-thru times

    Managers will see a screen flashing red if a car has sat for four minutes, allowing them to redeploy labor and move guests faster through the drive-thru.

    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
  • An image of a store sign that says Shake Shack. To the left is a green neon sign of a burger
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    How Shake Shack plans to triple its unit count

    The chain is targeting 1,500 company-owned units by enhancing leadership, boosting operations and entering new markets, executives said at ICR. 

    By • Jan. 14, 2025
  • A building with a drive-thru that is blue and white. Signage says Just Salad.
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    Courtesy of Just Salad
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    Just Salad joins the drive-thru game

    A New Jersey outpost is the first of multiple drive-thru units the fast casual chain plans to open in 2025.

    By • Jan. 13, 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
  • A Starbucks store stands in Manhattan on January 30, 2024 in New York City.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Starbucks hands Anomaly US creative duties in blow to WPP: report

    WPP, which only won the account in October, established a bespoke Team Starbucks unit to support the coffee chain’s turnaround plan.

    By Peter Adams • Jan. 9, 2025
  • An image of three Krispy Kreme doughnuts and six in a box.
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    Permission granted by McDonald's/Krispy Kreme
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    Krispy Kreme promotes 4 executives as part of expansion push

    The appointments include a new chief operating officer, chief growth officer, president of international and chief product officer.

    By • Jan. 9, 2025
  • Bloomin' Brands is promoting Pat Hafner, currently VP of operations at Carrabba's, to president of the Italian brand.
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    Permission granted by Bloomin' Brands
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    Bloomin’ appoints EVP, president of Outback Steakhouse

    Pat Hafner, president of Carrabba’s, has worked at Bloomin’ Brands in various capacities for nearly 30 years.

    By • Jan. 9, 2025