Tilman Fertitta, Del Taco, Clover Food Lab
Tilman Fertitta’s Fertitta Entertainment is set to acquire Caesars Entertainment in a $17.6 billion deal that includes $11.9 billion of debt, adding more than 50 casino‑hotel resorts to his portfolio of restaurants. Del Taco announced a new $1 value menu featuring ten items aimed at boosting foot traffic amid a broader industry price war. Meanwhile, Massachusetts‑based plant‑based chain Clover Food Lab shut its remaining 11 locations, citing ingredient cost spikes of 30‑50 percent. The three stories illustrate divergent pressures across hospitality, fast‑food pricing and the plant‑based sector.
Drone Delivery Company Matternet to Go Public
Drone delivery specialist Matternet announced it is going public after raising $33 million in private capital and completing a reverse merger with Los Altos Venture Corp., a SPAC created in 2025. The transaction will rename the shell Matternet Inc., making it...
McDonald’s Can’t Meet Its 2030 Emissions Targets
McDonald’s disclosed that it missed a key emissions goal last year and now expects its 2030 climate targets to fall short, citing factors beyond its control. The fast‑food giant will invest $1 billion over the next decade to bolster supply‑chain resilience,...
Planta Exits Canada, but Remaining U.S. Units Show Signs of Turnaround
Planta announced the closure of its final two Canadian restaurants on May 19, marking a complete exit from the Canadian market. The plant‑based casual‑dining chain had filed for U.S. bankruptcy in May 2025 and was rescued by Anchorage Capital Group, which swapped...
How Restaurants Can Maximize Revenue During the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring up to 10 million visitors to 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with fans staying an average of 12 days and spending heavily on dining. Restaurants must shift from a walk‑in...
Trends to Watch According to the National Restaurant Association Show
Nation’s Restaurant News editors Sam Oches and Alicia Kelso recapped the National Restaurant Association Show, the largest food‑service expo in the Western Hemisphere, which attracted over 55,000 professionals and 2,300 exhibitors. They highlighted a wave of innovations ranging from “dirty” soda...
Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Red Robin
Taco Bell is rolling out a cold‑brew coffee line, featuring flavored foams, at roughly 30 Live Mas Cafe locations in Southern California, Houston, Dallas and Las Vegas, as part of a push to hit $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030. Pizza Hut is...
5 Food and Drink Trends Highlighted at the National Restaurant Show
The 2026 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago highlighted emerging food and drink trends, from duck‑based proteins like bacon and prosciutto to functional mood‑enhancing spritzes and low‑ABV Italian aperitivos. Plant‑forward burgers made with real vegetables such as roasted artichokes are...
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How Restaurants Can Once Again Become an Employer of Choice
Restaurant labor shortages have eroded the industry’s reputation as an employer of choice, with turnover now at historic highs. Associate professor Audrey Benet urges operators to adopt a "Miss Pat" mindset—personal, welcoming, and community‑focused—to rebuild belonging and psychological safety. She...
5 Tips From Whataburger CEO on How Restaurant Chains Can Create a Family-Like Culture
Whataburger CEO Debbie Stroud, a former McDonald’s and Starbucks executive, outlined five practical ways restaurant chains can nurture a family‑like culture. She emphasizes combining hard fundamentals—pay, training and resources—with soft skills such as patience, approachability and genuine care. Stroud argues that...
How 3 CEOs of 2 Brands Have Thrived Through Challenges
At the National Restaurant Show, CEOs Randy Sharpe of Wahlburgers and Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily of The Granola Bar discussed how they navigated setbacks and found new growth paths. Wahlburgers closed 79 underperforming Hy‑Vee locations in early 2025, trimming...
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In Family Dining, Closing Early Is Good Business
Family‑dining chains that limit service to breakfast and lunch are outpacing traditional three‑daypart concepts. Technomic data shows daytime‑dining brands posted 11.6% sales growth in 2025, while full‑day chains slipped 0.3%. Eggs Up Grill exemplified the trend, delivering a 32.3% sales jump on...
Here's What We're Excited to See at the 2026 National Restaurant Association Show
The 2026 National Restaurant Association Show kicks off at Chicago’s McCormick Place, marking the 105th edition and drawing over 53,000 food‑service professionals from 100 countries. More than 2,000 vendors will occupy roughly 700,000 square feet—about the size of 12 football...
National Restaurant Association Show's 2026 FABI Awards Spotlight Top Trends
The National Restaurant Association Show announced 28 winners of its 2026 Food & Beverage (FABI) Awards, highlighting ten products as FABI Favorites. Winners emphasized protein, global flavors and texture, while plant‑based meat and dairy alternatives played a smaller role than...
Nation's Restaurant News May 2026
The May 2026 issue of Nation’s Restaurant News, timed with the National Restaurant Association Show, spotlights Whataburger CEO Debbie Stroud on the cover. The edition includes a Signature Series interview and a deep dive into current industry dynamics. It offers data on...