Operations: Page 50


  • Red Robin diversifies with 3 delivery-only brands

    CEO Paul Murphy confirmed the casual dining chain is rolling out Chicken Sammy's, The Wing Dept. and Fresh Set nationally. 

    By March 10, 2021
  • Uber Eats
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    Courtesy of Uber Eats
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    Uber Eats' head of product poached by Instacart

    Daniel Danker is now the grocery delivery aggregator's VP of shopper and fulfillment, marking the second major leadership exit in the past week for Uber Eats.

    By March 9, 2021
  • 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
  • Chipotle introduced a quesadilla to its digital menu in March 2021.
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    Retrieved from Chipotle/PR Newswire on March 09, 2021
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    Chipotle adds quesadillas to digital menu

    While the company has introduced one to two items each year, quesadillas mark the first time the chain has added a customizable entree in 17 years.  

    By March 9, 2021
  • mask restaurant
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    Moriah Solomon. (2021). [Photograph]. Retrieved from Unsplash.
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    CDC: On-site restaurant dining leads to increased rate of COVID-19 cases, deaths

    The National Restaurant Association criticized the latest research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calling it "an ill-informed attack on the industry hardest-hit by the pandemic." 

    By Alicia Kelso • March 8, 2021
  • Wendy's hires its first diversity chief

    Wendy's joins a slew of restaurant chains, including Starbucks, McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut, that have created diversity chief positions in a bid to improve company culture. 

    By March 8, 2021
  • Uber Eats courier
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    "The image" by shopblocks is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Uber Eats' US and Canada head leaves after 6 months

    Sarfraz Maredia, current leader of Uber's rides division in the U.S. and Canada, will take on the position vacated by Stephane Ficaja. 

    By March 8, 2021
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    "The image" by ajay_suresh is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Panda Express opens first ghost kitchen in San Francisco

    The delivery-only location is Panda's initial step in offering faster dining solutions for off-premise guests, with plans to test more concepts this year. 

    By March 5, 2021
  • Applebee's launches ghost kitchen pilot in 3 cities

    The ghost kitchens cropping up in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Miami are expected to help online delivery demand where the casual chain doesn't have a strong presence. 

    By Alicia Kelso • March 4, 2021
  • Papa John's in Sterling, Virginia
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    Julie Littman/Restaurant Dive
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    Domino's, Papa John's sales soar on pandemic delivery demand, but complications loom

    Both chains reported double-digit same-store sales growth last year, but delivery aggregators' growing market share could complicate strategies when pizza sales return to normal levels.

    By March 4, 2021
  • Wendy's expects to reach 8K units globally by 2025

    With a growing emphasis on nontraditional locations like drive-thru only units and dark kitchens, the QSR expects to open 250 stores globally in 2021. 

    By March 4, 2021
  • Postmates' robotics division splits off, becomes Serve Robotics

    Serve Robotics closed its first funding round and will continue to develop and operate autonomous delivery robots in urban markets as it pursues new partnerships. 

    By March 3, 2021
  • Chipotle in Savannah, Georgia
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    Thai Phi Le/Restaurant Dive
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    Chipotle to settle 2017 overtime dispute with $15M payout

    Plaintiffs alleged Chipotle switched employees who were eligible for overtime back to "exempt" status while an injunction related to the The Fair Labor Standards Act, which expanded overtime rules, was in place.

    By Alicia Kelso • March 3, 2021
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    "The image" by Vu Hoang is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Texas, Mississippi and Massachusetts reopen dining rooms at 100% capacity

    The states cite a reduction in cases and hospitalization rates and increased access to vaccines as cause for removing restrictions, but a CDC official says it may be too soon. 

    By March 3, 2021
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    DoorDash
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    CFO of still-unprofitable DoorDash shares growth plans, investments

    The takeout and delivery app with a 48% market monopoly is investing in food preparation robots, its subscription program and partnerships with commercial retailers, Prabir Adarkar said, after its first earnings report as a public company.

    By Jane Thier • March 2, 2021
  • Shake Shack borrows $225M to support expansion plans

    The funding will be used to aid opening additional units, new store formats and drive-thrus, as well as improvements to the digital guest experience and further investments in talent development. 

    By March 2, 2021
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    Retrieved from Bojangles/Business Wire on March 02, 2021
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    Bojangles’ largest franchisee plots 45-unit expansion

    Operator Jeff Rigsby of BOJ of WNC will develop restaurants in his existing markets of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as move into Columbus, Ohio.

    By March 2, 2021
  • McDonald's mulls partial sale of AI company Dynamic Yield

    Following franchisee complaints, the fast food giant is evaluating the tech company's drive-thru performance and could sell the part that works with outside retailers.

    By Alicia Kelso • Updated March 1, 2021
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    "The image" by sylvar is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Steak 'n Shake's eyes self-service kiosks in QSR conversion

    The chain hopes to generate better profitability in its dining rooms as it moves away from a high-cost, slow production full-service model. 

    By March 1, 2021
  • Packaging manufacturers compete for raw materials as takeout shakes up foodservice

    There has been "an increased use of tamper-evident and tamper-resistant packaging, designed to protect food and beverage when it’s on the go," said Natha Dempsey, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute.

    By Jen A. Miller • Feb. 26, 2021
  • Papa John's Papadia sandwich
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    Retrieved from Papa John's/Business Wire on February 26, 2021
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    Product innovation propels Papa John's growth in 2020

    Following the release of four new products, the pizza chain posted same-store sales growth of 17.6% in North America last year driven by higher check and transactions. 

    By Feb. 26, 2021
  • An image of a California Pizza Kitchen restaurant.
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    Courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen
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    As restaurants recover, their success formula will change

    Off-premise innovations like ghost kitchens will characterize the industry going forward, a Duff & Phelps analysis says.

    By Robert Freedman • Feb. 24, 2021
  • Cracker Barrel to test virtual chicken and biscuits brand as off-premise grows 78%

    The company has been operating its ghost kitchen facility in Indianapolis since the fall and plans to launch the concept from the location this week. 

    By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 24, 2021
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    "The image" by Marco Verch is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    88% of restaurants considering swapping to digital menus, survey says

    Seventy-six percent of operators plan to continue offering contactless payment options this year as well, Square's Future of Restaurants 2021 report shows. 

    By Feb. 24, 2021
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    Industry Dive
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    Remote Chipotle ERG will support minority mentorship program

    The group, which will hold virtual roundtable discussions and quarterly diversity and inclusion training, builds on the fast casual chain's past efforts to make talent development more accessible.

    By Ryan Golden • Feb. 24, 2021
  • White Castle ghost kitchen to stay closed until late spring

    The fast food chain originally planned to resume its operations in Orlando, Florida, for online pickup orders on Thursday, but now says its current location is too small to sustain demand.

    By Updated Feb. 26, 2021