Restaurant Daily

Chipotle’s venture fund has some new investments. A Mountain Mike’s franchisee files bankruptcy. And Hot Dog on a Stick has a new owner. 

Marketing calendars are more crowded than ever, yet traffic remains down. Sweetgreen launched a salad in collaboration with Alice Waters. And Golden Chick is ready to press the gas on marketing.

Burger King has some new chicken sandwiches. Jersey Mike’s filing to go public has some interesting tidbits. And is tiered menu pricing becoming less effective?

Jersey Mike’s is officially going public. It seems there will not be a boost in summer hiring. And let’s get to know the woman largely credited with transforming the Las Vegas restaurant scene.

McDonald’s has a new chief of development. Just Salad scored a slam dunk with a new celebrity investor. And quick-service sandwich chains are losing to fast-casual competitors.

Luckin Coffee is bringing kiosks to its New York locations. Another chain has jumped into catering. And a casual-dining chain has been sold.

KFC has a plan for its next chapter of growth. Taco Bell opened its first Cantina in an airport. And Einstein Bros. is hoping to catch the bagel boom.

A group of Red Lobster’s creditors has filed a lawsuit against Thai Union Group. The eight-unit pizza chain Pizzana is preparing for big growth. And a bankrupt Popeyes franchisee has found buyers for 97 of its 136 locations.

Domino’s incoming CEO sees the pizza chain as a brand in progress. Business is booming at LongHorn Steakhouse. And Starbucks wants some employees to create TikTok content, and share in the ad revenue.

Wendy’s is getting the meme treatment. Restaurants are expected to hire fewer workers this summer. And On the Border filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. 

Domino’s CEO is stepping down. Taco Bell is offering emotional support tacos. And Starbucks is adding new leaders to its coffeeshops.

TGI Fridays made a new tech move in its ongoing transformation. The U.K. is getting even more hot chicken. And Zaxbys is tapping into a longtime favorite flavor profile.

Twin Peaks is out of bankruptcy. The history of McDonald’s fried apple pie. And the controversy about EverPass and the NFL Sunday Ticket .

Panera has rolled out a big menu upgrade. Higher gas prices have begun to take their toll on fast food traffic. And Pura Vida Miami is building infrastructure for expansion.

Pizza Hut will have a new owner. Dave & Buster’s latest quarter missed the mark. And Chick-fil-A has been dethroned as the longtime leader in customer satisfaction.

KFC has given us a glimpse of what’s next for the brand. On the Border closed most of its restaurants over the weekend. And Domino’s has added a premium crust to its Best Deal Ever lineup.

The James Beard Awards are here. A California bill could impact loyalty programs. And Chipotle is rolling out the red carpet, or at least sauce, for Father’s Day.

Smaller cafes may be the secret to Starbucks’ future growth. Wingstop is bringing back its Boneless Meal Deal. And restaurants are not impressed with a swipe-fee settlement.

Customers are coming back to Cracker Barrel faster than expected. Pizza Hut may be losing share to a surprising competitor. And The Habit Burger & Grill is jumping into the competitive wraps category.

KFC is testing a new concept.Screwworms could screw with beef prices. And Freddy’s is doing bowls. 

KFC is making a slow comeback. The World Cup is coming. And why technology hasn’t improved restaurant profits.

Shake Shack had to deal with rib theft last month. Restaurants keep adding jobs. And Subway has a new digital channel. 

Raising Cane’s has another flagship coming to LA. Luckin Coffee is upgrading its beverage experience. And the World Cup is coming.

The Pizza Hut sale appears to be happening. Dutch Bros taking on energy drink competition. And Logan’s Roadhouse is testing THC drinks.

McDonald’s is going for the goal. Shake Shack is somewhat less optimistic. And Yum Brand is losing a top exec.

Qdoba has closed on a whole business securitization. Chipotle is testing happy hour. And Papa Johns is taking its Toy Story 5 collab to another planet.

Chagee is having some success in the U.S. Red Lobster is leaving Times Square. And there are two economies in the U.S. Interested in a more in-depth look at weekly Restaurant News? Listen to..The Week in Restaurants: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/article/week-restaurants

Tilman Fertitta is about to expand his hospitality empire in a big way. Del Taco is bringing back the $1 menu, sort of. And Clover Food Lab is shutting down.

Jersey Mike’s is apparently getting a new headquarters. Chili’s teamed up with Lizzo. And Tropical Smoothie is turning on its marketing engine.

Guzman y Gomez is gone. McDonald’s is rethinking some of its climate targets. And I Heart Mac and Cheese is facing sanctions.

Starbucks is ditching an AI program, 7 Brew is going gangbusters, and here comes the summer menu items.  

Taco Bell is getting into the coffee game. Pizza Hut is turning to nostalgia. And Red Robin may be able to thank ChatGPT for its improved performance.

Wendy’s has a new CEO, Cava had a great first quarter, and KFC is continuing its comeback plan with fried pickles.

Kura Sushi gets a notable investor. Rotary phones are big. And here comes the protein.

FAT Brands has a path to a sale out of bankruptcy. The industry needs to keep talking about immigration. And limited-time offers continue to pick up momentum.

What the first quarter tells us about consumer behavior. Subway is shaking up its marketing strategy. And the National Restaurant Show is underway in Chicago.

Taco Bell is launching a new Mexican Pizza and Salsa.  Wingstop is bringing its immersive House of Flavor experience to North America for the first time. And Legal Sea Foods’ new gluten-free fish and chips already has a big following.

Chuck E. Cheese is watching you. McDonald’s has named its first soccer stadium. And Black Rock Coffee’s traffic was down, but sales were up.

Papa Johns is taking to the skies. Pizza Hut is being sued by a franchisee over AI. And El Pollo Loco’s turnaround effort is showing results.

Texas Roadhouse has been quietly adding more tech.  FAT Brands franchisees are making their own claims in the ongoing bankruptcy case. And El Pollo Loco’s momentum accelerated in the first quarter.

The Extra Value Meal platform is really working for McDonald’s. Wendy’s is losing lower-income consumers. And Texas Roadhouse is seeing beef costs ease a bit.

Papa Johns’ recent struggles continued in the first quarter. Noodles & Company is feeling pretty good about its turnaround. And Applebee’s is feeling a pinch from high gas prices.

Burger King’s listening tour could reverberate for years. Sibling brand Popeyes just turned in its worst quarter in almost two decades. And BJ’s Restaurants is on a roll.

First Watch got a boost from a redesigned menu. Portillo’s drove traffic in the right direction. And KFC gives us this day and every weekday our daily $10 bucket.

The chicken category’s sales decelerated for the second year in a row. Popeyes has made its wraps a permanent menu item. And Miller’s Ale House promoted its COO to CEO.

Huey Magoo’s has a new prototype. Chipotle has two promotions this week. And the fine-dining Mexican concept Rosa Mexicano has a new CEO.

The K-shaped economy is working for Cheesecake Factory. Chipotle’s same-store sales were up in the first quarter. And look at Yum Brands’ spinoffs Live Mas Cafe and Kwench go!

Chili’s chicken sandwiches were a hit. Taco Bell is firing on all cylinders. And Wingstop had a rough winter.

Subway has launched its first-ever value menu. McDonald’s is adding more drinks. And Chipotle has a new CMO.

Domino’s is dealing with a lot of discounting from competitors. A Jack in the Box franchisee is suing the franchisor. And 2025 was not kind to fast-casual restaurant chain sales growth.