Dems urge McDonald's to enforce franchise sexual harassment policies

Lawmakers called the chain's working conditions "unsafe and intolerable" and said its alleged pervasive pattern of harassment must end.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • June 13, 2019

Burger King flips Whoppers 'upside down' for 'Stranger Things' tie-in

In advance of the third season of the hit Netflix series, Burger King is partnering with Coca-Cola and DoorDash for giveaways and exclusive content.

By Barry Levine • June 13, 2019

McDonald's is the most popular fast food chain, survey says

The chain beat out major competitors like Wendy's and Burger King in a UBS survey that found that consumers prefer the company's value and promotions. 

By Lauren Manning • June 13, 2019

Uber Eats drone delivery nears liftoff in San Diego

Restaurants participating in the pilot expected to begin this summer will place an order on a drone, which will then fly the food to a courier who will complete the last leg to a customer's door.

By Emma Liem Beckett • June 12, 2019

Subway giving franchisees $10K remodel grants

The sandwich chain's new grant program will cover about 25% of the cost of its new Fresh Forward design updates for franchisees. 

By Alicia Kelso • June 12, 2019

Sweetgreen buys meal delivery company in first-ever acquisition

The deal with Washington, D.C.-based Galley Foods will give the salad chain access to new logistics technology, production capacity and "unparalleled insight into delivery," sweetgreen CEO Jonathan Neman said. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • June 11, 2019

Amazon Restaurants to close US operations

The online retailer is leaving the competitive restaurant delivery segment after only four years.

By Julie Littman • June 11, 2019

Perkins & Marie Callender's declares bankruptcy, will sell Perkins business

The casual dining firm entered into an asset purchase agreement with Perkins Group, a newly formed entity, for the sale of its Perkins' and Foxtail bakery businesses. Marie Callender's is still in talks with potential buyers and investors.

By Julie Littman • Updated Aug. 5, 2019

Valuing a restaurant's 'vibe' protects its IP for sale or franchise

It's critical for eateries to not only maximize proceeds in a transaction, but also to protect its brand uniqueness and potentially even monetize it.

By Brian Buss and Doug Bania • June 10, 2019

Shift Change: Ruby Tuesday hires CMO, IHOP gets new president

This week's Shift Change also highlights executive changes at Shake Shack, Postmates and more. 

By Julie Littman • June 7, 2019

Blockchain, 5G could transform restaurants. Are they ready?

These solutions will dramatically impact the industry’s ability to trace and monitor products and automate processes, but many operators are behind in current tech adoption.

By Julie Littman • June 6, 2019

OpenTable partners with Upserve to enhance service

The partnership will enable servers to have diner information and preferences in real-time to help staff personalize service during meal time. 

By Alicia Kelso • June 6, 2019

Why restaurants should implement the Internet of Things

Connected sensors can monitor, detect and alert restaurant operators to potential kitchen disasters, says Dan Jamieson, the general manager of Particle.

By Dan Jamieson • June 5, 2019

Red Robin deploys 'poison pill'

This move, which comes a day after Vintage Capital increased its stake in the chain, will protect the restaurant from any takeover efforts as it searches for a new CEO and executes its strategic plan. 

By Julie Littman • June 5, 2019

Food or technology? Restaurants struggle with 'split brain'

Start-ups eatsa and Yumpingo shifted their food-first missions as restaurants wrangle with how to evolve with new technologies.

By Thai Phi Le • June 4, 2019

Tacos and turnover: How one Philly restaurant bolsters retention

From 401(k) matches to creatively challenging assignments, Mission Taqueria is defying the restaurant industry's "churn and burn" mentality.

By Kate Tornone • June 3, 2019

Mexico tariffs could cost Chipotle $15M

CFO Jack Hartung told CNBC that if tariffs, which could be as high as 25%, become permanent, the chain would have to consider increasing menu prices. 

By Julie Littman • Updated June 4, 2019

Google Maps' latest update highlights popular menu items

The navigation app is becoming a one-stop-shop for users with restaurant reviews, menus and delivery now integrated into search functionality. 

By Alicia Kelso • May 31, 2019

Shift Change: Jack in the Box adds 2 board members, Subway bolsters brand and innovation team

This week's Shift Change highlights executive changes at Smoothie King, Red Robin, Subway, Jack in the Box, Tijuana Flats and Golden Chick. 

By Julie Littman • May 31, 2019

KFC wants to add plant-based poultry to its menu

Chick-fil-A is also exploring vegan options, but with neither Beyond Meat nor Impossible Foods offering alternative poultry products yet, it could be a while before chicken chains go plant-based. 

By Lauren Manning • May 31, 2019

6 questions you need to ask about AI for restaurants

Restaurants need to know how they can gather data, if its clean and if an AI platform is the right model for their brand to reap significant rewards, says Sastry Penumarthy, co-founder of Punchh.

By Sastry Penumarthy • May 30, 2019

Baskin-Robbins teams with Netflix for 'Stranger Things'-inspired ice cream truck

Inspired by the show's Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream parlor, the activation is the latest brand partnership to bring the hit show to life.

By Dianna Christe • May 30, 2019

5 high-tech innovations at the NRA Show

The future is here. From robotic food runners to kiosks that let you pay with your face, the annual event was a parade of gadgets, gizmos and tech-heavy products that could streamline operations. 

By Emma Liem Beckett , Thai Phi Le , Julie Littman • May 29, 2019

Applebee's largest franchisee tests dropping delivery

After removing delivery from three markets, Flynn Restaurant Group reported faster growth of its dine-in and carside-to-go segments.

By Alicia Kelso • May 29, 2019

Data is important, but insights drive restaurant growth

To remain competitive in a digital market, operators must walk the tightrope of processing as much diner data as possible without ceding control to third parties or alienating customers. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • May 29, 2019