Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

22, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, visited Atlantic City’s Ocean Casino Resort, which just opened two new concepts from restaurateur Stephen Starr. By Patricia Cobe and Bret Thorn on Jul. The pair discussed new offers from Carl’s Jr.,

Loyalty Program

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 5, 2025

Both fast-food chains’ same-store sales fell 5%, while Habit Burger and Grill’s sales also declined. Continue to Site >>> Menu KFC and Pizza Hut continue to struggle in the U.S. Taco Bell’s same-store sales rose 4%. By Jonathan Maze on Aug. 05, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn KFC's U.S. same-store sales declined 5% in the second quarter.

Point of Sale

Restaurant Business

JULY 3, 2025

per share for the online ordering and payment company just four years after Olo went public. per share for the online ordering and payment company just four years after Olo went public. Experts say it’s long overdue, but some restaurants are wary of consolidation. Trending Operations Week in Review: McDonald’s new burger, Luckin’s U.S.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

23, 2025 Photograph: RATIONAL Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Maintaining clean and hygienic equipment is one of the most important tasks in food service — and also one of the most despised. Most of all, it’s not nearly as much fun as preparing food and serving customers, the reason most people love working in food service.

Food Supply

Restaurant Business

JULY 2, 2025

The new menu format makes it easier for customers to pair drinks and food. Another change tested in Michigan was collapsing the beverage and food menu back into one after previously offering separate menus for food and drink. Investors are leery about fast-food chains and they’re jumping onto a few key casual-dining bandwagons.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

One example is OpenAI’s Operator, a tool that can perform web-based tasks like making a restaurant reservation or ordering food from a delivery app. AI agents will no doubt make their way into restaurants themselves, where they could be used to create schedules or order supplies, easing the workload on managers.

Hiring

Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

Legacy owner Amol Kohli will become chairman of Brix, and the Brix leadership team, including CEO Sherif Mityas, will remain in place. It will take over Dallas-based Brix, which has more than 250 locations across Friendly’s, Clean Juice, Orange Leaf, Red Mango, Smoothie Factory + Kitchen, Souper Salad, and Humble Donut Co.

Franchising

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 7, 2025

Dutch Bros has improved its use of paid advertising, which has helped with brand awareness. And the company continues to test a larger food menu, which is now in 64 company shops. and the company raised expectations for the year, sending its stock up as much as 20%. And it introduced new flavors like Sour Berry and Matcha.

Point of Sale

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 11, 2025

Photo courtesy of Zaza Cuban Comfort Food. Perez is now focused on building Zaza Cuban Comfort Food, a 10-unit regional chain in Central Florida with another six or seven expected to open in the next 18 months or so. Photo courtesy of Zaza Cuban Comfort Food. By Lisa Jennings on Aug. And that’s how Zaza was born in 2013.”

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 8, 2025

deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. That doesn’t mean it’s not expensive there.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JULY 29, 2025

We encourage customers to bring in a can or package of food, which we then donate to a food bank. menu trends News marketing Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. To promote the boxes, Farmer Boys sets up an actual farmstand in some restaurants. “We

Menu

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

Continue to Site >>> Menu C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Not quite yet An easy way to bring bold Korean flavors to modern menus From BBQ to beverages, menus are seeing a lot of action Food C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Photo: Shutterstock Made-to-order food, value offerings, loyalty programs.

Food

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 8, 2025

Premium Financing The fast-food market is tanking The Bottom Line: Fast-food chains are losing market share as their core customers, low-income diners, cut back and visit less often. If the value war is working, it’s difficult to see how.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 9, 2025

Zero-waste, high-fiber snack bars Food What operators should know about ancient grains Sponsored content from our partner Furmano’s on Jul. If you’re looking to incorporate international dishes into your menu, either to explore global themes or for educational food programs, ancient grain-based options are a great choice.

Operations

Restaurant Business

JUNE 27, 2025

Los Angeles has become a hotbed for bagel concepts like Courage Bagels, Hank’s Bagels, the Yeastie Boys food trucks, and more. Premium Financing 5 reasons the McDonalds-Krispy Kreme partnership failed The Bottom Line: The relationship between the fast-food giant and the doughnut chain ended before it was even half complete.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

The fast-food franchisor is asking a federal court to sign off on its decision to terminate Paradigm Investment Group’s franchise agreement. Private-equity firm Savory Fund made a major investment in casual-dining chain Hawkers Asian Street Food. million last year, that’s more than double the next closest chain. Sign up here.

Operations

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 7, 2025

Chef Lamar doesn’t just cook Southern food—he pushes it forward. The way you grew up, the flavors you knew—those are what make your food yours. His food hits because it’s personal—and it performs because it’s thoughtful. Here’s what he shared. It’s not about reinventing the wheel. It’s not about reinventing the wheel.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

For certain events, Greenlane also sends the mascot Gigi—a human in a fluffy pink bunny suit, because salads are rabbit food—who has become somewhat of a TikTok star, helping to build brand awareness. Side salads are designed for the car cup holder. Photo courtesy of Greenlane. Trending Premium Emerging Brands Forget coffee.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 28, 2025

Premium Financing Subway is rapidly losing its sub sandwich dominance The Bottom Line: The fast-food giant has seen its share of the sub sandwich market fall by 21% over the past five years. Other brands are winning with new, more sustainable business models. Trending Operations Washington, D.C.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

The Atlanta-based company is hoping that more modern food and restaurants will help its brands break through with younger consumers. Last June, the 260-unit chain dropped “Restaurant and Bakery” in favor of the more streamlined Perkins American Food Co. That means you can now get boba at Perkins. By Joe Guszkowski on Jun.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 21, 2025

In its announcement, Subway noted that the company under his leadership had 17 straight quarters of same-store sales growth. But store closures have returned this year amid a difficult operating environment for much of the fast-food space. By Jonathan Maze on Jul. Photo courtesy of Subway. Members help make our journalism possible.

Loyalty Program

Restaurant Business

JULY 21, 2025

In Canada, restaurants offer about 100 items, but Luo said the company is still building the supply chain for U.S. It’s almost like a supermarket display,” said Luo. What you see is what you’re going to get.” stores, and the menu will evolve as they see what works.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 6, 2025

The salad chain said it also sees opportunity in California, where the fast-food minimum wage is $20 per hour. Members help make our journalism possible. Sweetgreen says its high-tech Infinite Kitchens could mitigate the impact of a $30 minimum wage being proposed in New York.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 5, 2025

On behalf of the entire board, I want to thank Drew for his steady leadership and service,” said Jeff Jones, board chair. We’re pleased he will continue to provide guidance as a board director, given his vast industry experience and leadership as we have undertaken our brand revitalization work to date, and he has our full support.”

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 25, 2025

Fast-casual Panera Bread has been going through significant change over the past two years, with multiple board and leadership changes. News leadership Fast_Casual Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Sign up here.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 20, 2025

Penfield has spent two decades at Raising Cane’s, where he held multiple leadership roles, including chief of restaurant services, senior vice president of restaurant services, and regional vice president of operations. Emathinger has been the brewpub chain’s executive chef for 26 years. By Restaurant Business Staff on Jun.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 12, 2025

He attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and worked in a variety of restaurants, including Caribbean concept Sugarcane and Zuma, which sells modern Japanese food in a stylish setting. He also spent time at Pao by Paul Qui which, similar in a way to Kyu, also offers Asian-inspired cuisine from a wood-fired grill. 

Innovation

Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

Click here to complete your profile Multimedia How Cracker Barrel chef Matt Banton is expanding the flavor portfolio Tyler Florence dishes on San Francisco and David Burke puts his pastrami to the test Happy Hour value and summer flavors The summer of spritzes The Latest Leadership Wendys names Pete Suerken president of its U.S.

Franchising

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

And fast-food customers Chef Jonathon Sawyer discusses his Chicago restaurant, Kindling, and his latest TV appearance Are we reaching peak chicken tender saturation on menus? It’s easy to score what’s marketed as a Dubai Chocolate Bar at specialty retail food stores; in New York City a 7-ounce bar sells for about $19. Sign up here.

Bar

Restaurant Business

JUNE 12, 2025

Employees then load the food into a robot and send it on its way. The customer unlocks their food using a code in their delivery app. The company integrates with DoorDash and Uber Eats, and restaurants can opt in to having Coco bots deliver orders placed through those apps. Orders come in like any other delivery order would.

Delivery

Restaurant Business

JULY 9, 2025

To put the new Whopper on the menu, the Miami-based fast-food burger chain had to bring in the brisket, Carolina gold BBQ sauce and crispy onions. “A Both are available while supplies last. News menus Burgers Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JULY 15, 2025

Photo courtesy of Hawkers Asian Street Food. Chris Tomasso, CEO of First Watch, and Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chao, are both joining a new board for Hawkers Asian Street Food, the casual-dining chain Savory acquired last month. “The board we’ve built at hawkers isn’t just high-caliber—it’s high conviction,” Smith said in a statement.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JULY 16, 2025

But CEO Patrick Fore is a big Taco Bell fan, and he was impressed by the way the Mexican fast-food giant hacked a menu category by developing a pizza, said Jon Pavano, brand director of operations for Miami-born Lime Fresh. She provides in-depth coverage of chefs, trends and menu innovation.

Menu

Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

billion and international food delivery service Deliveroo for $3.9 Photo: Shutterstock San Francisco-based delivery service DoorDash announced Friday that it has completed its purchase of SevenRooms, a New York-City-based reservations and marketing platform for restaurants. billion, both in cash. Sign Up Thanks for signing up!

Reservations

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 8, 2025

consumers News menu trends Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 12, 2025

Of course, customers will always value free food over pretty much anything else. The Bottom Line: With beef costs high and chains looking everywhere for sales, a lot of fast-food chains have turned to chicken. Just 3% said personalized offers based on past purchases.  And what customers say is not always what they do. 

Loyalty Program

Restaurant Business

JUNE 18, 2025

Premium Financing In the fast-food world, growth is coming from drinks and desserts The Bottom Line: The highest-growth quick-service chains cannot be found in traditional sectors but among coffee, beverage and dessert brands. What does this say about the restaurant industry?

Fast Casual