Ramen burgers, Blackbird, 7 Brew
White Castle has some unusual new burgers. A high-tech loyalty startup raises money. And a look at the fast-growing coffee chain 7 Brew.
Oct 05, 2023•4 min
Restaurant Daily
Your quick morning dose of the restaurant news you need, every weekday, from the editors of Restaurant Business and Nation's Restaurant News.
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Episodes
Automation, Insomnia Cookies, AI
Restaurant chains test out automated makelines. Insomnia Cookies is on the market. And Domino’s and Microsoft are collaborating on AI strategies.
Oct 04, 2023•4 min
Burger ads, Subway, Martha Stewart
McDonald’s and Wendy’s win a lawsuit over their burger advertisements. A court orders 14 Bay Area Subway stores to close. And BurgerFi loses a high-profile board member.
Oct 03, 2023•5 min
Restaurant trends, consumer spending, coffee
A look at five big restaurant chain trends. Higher-end consumers may be cutting back on spending. And how coffee chains celebrated National Coffee Day
Oct 02, 2023•6 min
Wage hikes in Calif. and NYC, vegan cheese, Trump
California’s landmark fast-food wage hike is on the books. Third-party couriers in New York City are also in line for a big raise. And Taco Bell tries vegan cheese.
Sep 29, 2023•5 min
Burger King, Subway, Sweetgreen
Burger King buys a bunch of bankrupt Burger Kings. Subway is requiring all franchisees to start accepting digital coupons. And Sweetgreen tweaks its loyalty program.
Sep 28, 2023•4 min
Smokey Bones, Roman Empire, loyalty programs
Fat Brands has acquired Smokey Bones. Panera Bread is launching a new “Roman Empire” menu. And loyalty programs are becoming more cost effective for restaurants.
Sep 27, 2023•4 min
McDonald’s royalties, Krispy Kreme, Eataly
McDonald’s operators speak out against the chain’s service fee hike. Krispy Kreme is getting a new CEO. And KFC adds another bowl to its menu.
Sep 26, 2023•3 min
McDonald’s, Red Lobster, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
McDonald’s is increasing its franchise charges. Red Lobster named a new CEO. And Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza says goodbye to its AI phone ordering system.
Sep 25, 2023•4 min
Olive Garden, Taco/Social, chicken wings
Olive Garden customers are getting more selective. A group of restaurant veterans has a new taco concept. And these chains serve some of consumers’ favorite wings.
Sep 22, 2023•5 min
Portillo’s, price sensitivity, Uber Eats
Portillo’s wants to grow to 800 locations. Consumers are showing more price sensitivity. And Uber Eats is adding an AI chatbot that can help diners decide what to order for dinner.
Sep 21, 2023•4 min
Dynamic Pricing, Calif. marijuana dispensaries, Taco Bell
Restaurants show interest in dynamic pricing. California’s Marijuana dispensaries may soon be able to sell food and beverages. And Taco Bell is testing out Baja Blast flavored energy drinks.
Sep 20, 2023•3 min
Fast Act fallout, Kitchen United, KFC vs Popeyes
California’s Fast Act may be dead, but its replacement will still have a big impact on restaurants. Kitchen United is preparing for a new chapter under a new CEO. And KFC and Popeyes are duking it out again, this time over wings.
Sep 19, 2023•4 min
Sauce, tech, executive changes
Franchisees want to know what the return on investment is for new tech. A look at why sauce matters so much. And Papa Johns and other chains name new executives.
Sep 18, 2023•4 min
AI, Ice Spice, pickleball
Can tech and hospitality coexist? Dunkin’ teams up with Ice Spice and Ben Affleck. And pickleball concepts are proliferating.
Sep 15, 2023•5 min
Sweetgreen, Howard Schultz, Boston Market
Sweetgreen passes a key margin benchmark. Howard Schultz is stepping down as Starbucks director. And what’s going on at Boston Market?
Sep 14, 2023•4 min
Noodles and Company, Dominos, McDonalds
Noodles and Company is bringing Chicken Parmesan to the menu. Dominos changes up its loyalty program. And McDonalds is getting rid of its self-serve drink station.
Sep 13, 2023•4 min
Boston Market, Clean Juice, burger prices
We’ll discuss the chaotic world of the owner of Boston Market. About 40% of Clean Juice franchisees want out of the system. And the average price of a burger in the U.S. is nearly $16.
Sep 12, 2023•4 min
Big game back at Arby’s, Square outage, Wonder
Elk and venison are back on the menu at Arby’s. An outage at Square creates headaches for restaurants. And a look at Wonder, a new restaurant concept from entrepreneur Marc Lore.
Sep 11, 2023•5 min
Subway, Whataburger, Dave & Busters
Subway introduces a new loyalty program. Whataburger is opening a digital kitchen. And Dave & Busters has a plan to boost sales.
Sep 08, 2023•4 min
Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, CKE
Chick-fil-A is adding hundreds of new mobile ordering lanes. Wendy’s gets in on the pumpkin spice action. And the owner of Carl’s and Hardee’s names two new execs.
Sep 07, 2023•4 min
Pumpkin spice, Toast, Popeyes
Consumers can’t get enough of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice products. Toast’s CEO is stepping down. And Popeyes Sweet & Spicy Wings has been its most popular product introduction in four years.
Sep 06, 2023•5 min
McDonald’s valuations, sandwich chains, AI
The price to buy a McDonald’s is going down. Subway closures have been good for other sandwich chains. And a look at the many ways restaurants are using AI.
Sep 01, 2023•4 min
Chipotle, Pokeworks, Taco Bell
Chipotle is on track to add 7,000 new jobs this year. Pokeworks has a new CEO. And Baja Blast flavored gelato, anyone?
Aug 31, 2023•3 min
TGI Fridays, closures, US Open eats
TGI Fridays has a new CEO. A look at the chains with the most closures last year. And what tennis fans can find on the menu at this year’s US Open.
Aug 30, 2023•4 min
Krystal, Dog Haus, DoorDash
Krystal is planning a strategic refranchising program. Dog Haus has a new CEO. And DoorDash is developing an AI voicebot that can take phone orders.
Aug 29, 2023•4 min
Roark Capital, Walk-On’s, Fatz Cafe
Roark Capital is buying Subway. You’ll soon find bone-in wings on the menu at Walk-On’s. And Fatz Cafe has closed all of its locations.
Aug 25, 2023•5 min
Panera Bread, pickleball, Green District
Panera Bread is testing a smaller menu. A pickleball concept raises a courtload of money. And the tiny salad chain Green District files for bankruptcy.
Aug 25, 2023•5 min
Subway, O’Charley’s, sensory-friendly dining
Subway’s online reputation could use some help. O’Charley’s closed 18 stores in a single day. And a Chicago-area restaurant hosts a “sensory-friendly” dining hour.
Aug 24, 2023•4 min
Lemonade, Veggie Grill, Subway sale
Los Angeles-based chain Lemonade has been sold to Elite Restaurant Group. Veggie Grill has closed 12 restaurants. And the Subway sale might be the third largest valuation ever paid for a restaurant chain.
Aug 23, 2023•4 min
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