Mary Nguyen’s Quest to Make Chef-Driven Food Accessible Has Resonated Through Olive & Finch
Mary Nguyen, a former commodities trader, founded Olive & Finch in 2013, now operating nine locations with plans to add four more this year. The chef‑driven "fine‑casual" chain keeps every dish at $20 or less through a centralized production hub, counter‑service ordering, and strict kitchen standards. Nguyen also provides full medical, dental, vision insurance and a 401(k) to employees while running Finch on the Fly, a wholesale arm serving hotels and hospitals. The business remains fully independent, rejecting venture capital and relying on an internal leadership team.
Justin Rosenberg Combines Tech, Service, and Unique Food at Honeygrow
Justin Rosenberg founded Honeygrow in 2012 after a personal health wake‑up, creating a fast‑casual concept that serves cooked‑to‑order stir‑fried noodles and a customizable Honeybar dessert line. The chain now operates 74 locations across eight states, with three new openings in...
Panera Rolls Out New Salad Stuffer Menu Category
Panera Bread introduced a new "Salad Stuffer" menu category, offering two system‑wide variants – the Steakhouse and Santa Fe – that combine fresh salads with a soft, one‑hand roll. Prices range from $8 to $13, and the items sit between the...
Pies ‘N’ Thighs Celebrates 20 Years with a Second Location in Brooklyn
Pies ‘n’ Thighs celebrated its 20‑year anniversary by opening a second restaurant in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood. Founder Sarah Sanneh, a veteran of New York’s hospitality scene, kept the brand’s focus on Southern comfort food made with high‑quality ingredients. The new 1,600‑square‑foot...
Restaurant Chains Serve up Deals to Ease Pain of Tax Season
Restaurant chains are rolling out tax‑day promotions as consumers anticipate larger refunds under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. Deals range from a $4.99 eight‑piece chicken combo at Church’s Texas Chicken to 15% off catering at Corner Bakery and $10.40...
Huey Magoo's Signs 15-Unit Franchise Deal in Texas
Huey Magoo's, the fast‑casual chicken‑tender chain, announced a 15‑unit franchise agreement in Texas covering Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston and Montgomery counties. The deal is with SMR Capital Group, a diversified operator that runs a T‑Mobile franchise and a construction...
How to Grow Your Restaurant Using a Simple and Proven Formula
Restaurant operators are feeling a squeeze as average weekly spend dropped to $90, down from $115 in June 2025, and 68% of diners report cutting back. A Popmenu study of thousands of U.S. restaurants identified a simple growth formula: increase...
Starbucks Offers Baristas Bonuses, McDonald’s Raises the Value Bar, and Shake Shack Goes Full Tech
Starbucks introduced a new bonus program that can add up to $1,200 per year to barista earnings, aiming to boost retention amid union pressures. McDonald’s announced a $3 McValue menu featuring at least ten items, sharpening the fast‑food value war....
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IHOP Embraces Acronym Culture with BLT Trademark
IHOP has filed a trademark for the acronym BLTAF, standing for “Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato … And Fries,” to promote a new addition to its $6 Everyday Value Menu. The move reflects President Lawrence Kim’s “move at the speed of culture”...
Burger King Believes It Can Be the No. 1 Burger Chain
Burger King’s “Reclaim the Flame” program, led by former Domino’s executives Patrick Doyle and Tom Curtis, is accelerating restaurant remodels, menu upgrades and a new marketing push aimed at dethroning McDonald’s as the top U.S. burger chain. Over half of...
Taco Bell Fans Pick India’s Butter Chicken Taco for U.S. Menu
Taco Bell’s Global Taco Vote crowned India’s Butter Chicken Taco with nearly 65% of the votes, securing a limited‑time rollout on the U.S. menu later this year. The taco blends slow‑roasted chicken in a tomato‑cream sauce with Indian spices, served...
Why Restaurants Should Consider Second-Chance Hiring
Restaurants face a tightening labor market and immigration constraints, prompting many to consider applicants with criminal histories. Over 150 U.S. cities and counties now enforce Fair Chance or Ban‑the‑Box ordinances that limit blanket exclusions. The Department of Labor has allocated...
Mukbang Burger Sliders Launch Nationwide at Ruby Tuesday Locations
Virtual Dining Concepts is rolling out its Mukbang Burger brand to every Ruby Tuesday location in the United States, adding 200 new points of sale. The sliders are built on King’s Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet® rolls, blending a sweet‑savory profile with oversized...
The Fast-Casual Pizza Category Struggles Continue
Pieology announced the closure of its five Hawaii locations, eliminating more than 50 jobs, as part of a broader Chapter 11 restructuring after a 10% year‑over‑year sales decline in 2024. The California‑based chain has trimmed its footprint from 103 stores at...
Cheesecake Factory Launches App
The Cheesecake Factory rolled out its first mobile app on April 1, 2026, meeting its promise to launch in the first half of the year. The app lets Rewards members make reservations, place pickup orders, browse the menu, track rewards and receive...
Dave & Buster’s Traffic Trends Improve Despite Tough Quarter
Dave & Buster’s reported a challenging Q4, with same‑store sales down 3.3% and adjusted EBITDA falling 12% to $111.4 million, resulting in a $39.8 million net loss. Despite the weakness, traffic trends improved, driven by a 7% rise in food and beverage...
Chagee Adjusts After a Tough 2025 with Big Goals for the U.S.
Chagee, the Shanghai‑based tea chain, reported a Q4 revenue decline of 3.34 billion RMB (≈$483 million) and a share price plunge to $9.31 after its earnings release. The company posted a $5 million operating loss tied to restructuring and admitted it underestimated competitive pressures...
James Beard Foundation Announces Restaurant and Chef Awards Nominees
The James Beard Foundation unveiled its 2024 Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees, spotlighting a diverse slate that includes nine nominations for Los Angeles, four national nods for Philadelphia, and notable entries from Boise, St. Louis, and Mystic. Categories range from Outstanding Hospitality...
Restaurants Launch Promotions Aimed at Gas Price Relief
Rising gasoline prices are prompting quick‑service chains to roll out targeted promotions aimed at easing consumer cost pressures. Revenue Management Solutions data shows a $1 increase in gas reduces drive‑thru traffic by six customers per day. Brands such as Snooze...
Smashburger Named Official Smashburger of the Colorado Rockies for 2026 MLB Season
Smashburger announced it will serve as the Official Smashburger of the Colorado Rockies for the 2026 MLB season. The partnership includes a home‑run promotion that gives fans a free Single All‑American Smashburger or Americana Big Dog at participating Colorado locations...
Amy’s Drive Thru Shutters Final Location
Amy’s Drive Thru, the nation’s first organic vegetarian quick‑service chain, closed its final location at San Francisco International Airport on March 25, 2026, ending a seven‑year airport presence. The SFO site will be replaced by The Melt, a local fast‑casual concept. Amy’s...
Zaxbys Appoints GoTo Foods Veteran to CFO Role
Zaxbys announced Michael Dixon as its new chief financial officer, effective immediately. Dixon, a veteran with more than 30 years of finance leadership, most recently served as CFO of GoTo Foods, where he helped double the company’s portfolio. He will...
IHOP Unveils 'Stuffed ‘N Stacked Omelettes' To Highlight Unique Offerings
IHOP has rebranded its signature omelette line as “Stuffed ’N Stacked Omelettes,” launching a limited‑time Bold BBQ Pulled Pork version. The chain also expanded its $6 Everyday Value Menu with a BLT to capture lunch and dinner traffic, and introduced...
Jack in the Box Introduces Sliders
Jack in the Box is rolling out Smashed Jack Sliders on April 6 to mark its 75th anniversary, offering a 3‑piece slider for $9.49, a Munchie Meal for $14, and a Party Pack for $24. The Munchie Meal includes a surprise...
Taco Bell Puts Two Global Flavors up for a Fan Vote
Taco Bell has launched its inaugural “Global Taco Vote,” inviting Rewards members to decide which international flavor will join the U.S. menu later this year. Voters can choose between Thailand’s Kickin’ Chicken Taco and India’s Butter Chicken Taco by voting...
Western Addition Restaurant Group to Open Its First Venue Outside of Texas
Dallas‑based Western Addition Restaurant Group is launching its first restaurant outside Texas with il Bracco in Scottsdale, Arizona on March 30. The 5,000‑square‑foot, ground‑up build sits on a 1.6‑acre corner site and seats 165 guests, including a patio. The concept blends Italian...
Noodles & Company Considers Ramen Menu
Noodles & Company posted a 6.6% same‑store sales increase in Q4 2025, driven by a popular Chili Garlic Ramen limited‑time offer and a 1.4% rise in traffic. The chain closed 33 underperforming locations, boosting restaurant‑level margins to 14.1% from 11.2% a...
How CEO Mike Tattersfield Is Reshaping Salad and Go’s Growth Strategy
CEO Mike Tattersfield has reshaped Salad and Go by shuttering 72 underperforming Texas and Oklahoma locations, narrowing the footprint to Arizona and Nevada. The chain, which relies on a centralized‑kitchen, drive‑thru‑only model, reported $1.74 million average unit volumes and a 7.4%...
Rocco DiSpirito’s Italian-American Brasserie, Bar Rocco, Is Now Open in New York City
Bar Rocco, a 108‑seat Italian‑American brasserie helmed by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, opened this month in the Kimpton Era Midtown hotel adjacent to Rockefeller Center. The venue offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring steaks, pastas, seafood, and inventive cocktails. It...
GEN Korean BBQ Expands Its Grocery Division
GEN Korean BBQ is rapidly scaling its consumer‑packaged goods division, adding a full suite of Korean meals, sauces, drinks, soju and snacks to retail shelves. The brand moved from 30 launch locations to more than 800 U.S. supermarkets within six...
Chris Padoan Appointed Chief Operating Officer of Popeyes
Chris Padoan has been appointed chief operating officer of Popeyes U.S. and Canada, bringing nearly 15 years of field leadership experience from Burger King. He will focus on strengthening restaurant execution, enhancing the guest experience, and supporting franchisees. The hire...
James Trees Brings the Independent Restaurant Spirit to Hotel Dining
James Trees, a celebrated independent restaurateur, launched High Steaks atop the Rio Las Vegas Hotel’s Masquerade Tower, marking his first major hotel partnership. Backed by Rio CEO Patrick Miller, Trees secured autonomy over suppliers and staffing, allowing him to iterate...
Restaurant AI Must Deliver More than Fancy Dashboards
Restaurant operators are increasingly demanding AI that tackles scheduling and labor optimization, not just analytics dashboards. A Harri survey of 600 U.S. and U.K. hospitality professionals found 38% rank scheduling as the top AI use case, while dashboards lag at...
Little Caesars Jumps on the Shareable Trend
Little Caesars launched Four‑N‑One Stix, a pizza‑sized shareable snack featuring 16 breadsticks in four flavors for $7.99, available nationwide as a Hot‑N‑Ready item from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The product is positioned at the intersection of pizza, appetizers, and snacks, aiming...
Zaxbys Recruits Cameron and Cayden Boozer for Loyalty Promotion
Zaxbys launched a limited‑time loyalty drive called the “Transfer Portal,” offering the first 100,000 new Zax Rewards members a free dry‑rub menu item with any drink purchase. The app feature lets shoppers migrate existing restaurant loyalty points to Zaxbys and claim...
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From Roaster to Register: Coffee Shop Systems that Shape the Guest Experience
Dunn Brothers Coffee emphasizes that a memorable café experience stems from tightly integrated front‑of‑house and back‑of‑house systems. The company highlights personal greetings, knowledgeable staff, and consistent workflows as drivers of guest loyalty. In‑store roasting is presented as a tangible way...
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Chick-Fil-A Is Opening a Distribution Center in Texas
Chick‑fil‑A will break ground on a $50 million distribution and warehouse facility in Lubbock, Texas, slated for May. The site, positioned near Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, will store and ship food and related products to the chain’s restaurants across the region....
FAT Brands CEO, Darden Performance, MCL Closures
FAT Brands founder‑CEO Andy Wiederhorn is taking a leave of absence under a lender‑driven bankruptcy deal, receiving a $5 million payout and a ban on returning until the company is sold. Darden Restaurants posted a 4.2% same‑store sales increase, driven by...
Doherty Enterprises Opens the First Dual-Branded Applebee’s/IHOP Restaurant East of the Mississippi in Hawthorne, N.Y.
Doherty Enterprises opened the first Applebee’s/IHOP dual‑branded restaurant east of the Mississippi in Hawthorne, New York. The location was converted from an existing Applebee’s in a 10‑day remodel, adding IHOP’s breakfast menu and branding. The move follows Dine Brands’ rollout of...
Pizza Hut Sparks Nostalgia with Space Jam Collaboration
Pizza Hut has teamed with Warner Bros. Discovery to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Space Jam, launching a limited‑time Space Jam × Triple Treat Box priced at $21.99. The promotion coincides with the NCAA March Madness tournament, where the chain updates its...
Chipotle Introduces Cilantro Lime Sauce
Chipotle Mexican Grill is rolling out a limited‑time Cilantro Lime Sauce nationwide, debuting Thursday after a successful pilot in Los Angeles that generated two‑to‑three times the order rate of previous sauces. The fresh‑daily sauce blends cilantro, Mexican spices, sour cream,...
Johnny Carino’s Is Debuting a New Restaurant Prototype, Brand Refresh
Johnny Carino’s is launching a next‑generation restaurant prototype in Laredo, Texas on March 25, marking the first location with a completely revamped look. The 6,000‑square‑foot space features an open interior, larger bar, open kitchen, private dining, and an outdoor patio...
Handel’s Ice Cream Appoints Yum Brands Veteran to CFO Role
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has appointed Naveen Dasa as its new chief financial officer, effective immediately. Dasa arrives with more than a decade of finance and strategy experience at Yum Brands, Shake Shack, and investment banks, most recently overseeing Pizza...
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20 Popeyes Restaurants Close Following Franchisee’s Bankruptcy
Sailormen Inc., one of Popeyes' largest franchisees, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, citing roughly $130 million in debt and mounting cost pressures. Since the filing, the company has shuttered 20 Popeyes restaurants across Florida and Georgia, reducing its portfolio to 116...
Wendy’s Launches a Dunks Menu for March Madness
Wendy’s has teamed up with the NCAA as the Official Dunks partner for the 2026 March Madness tournament, launching a limited‑time Dunks Menu featuring Frosty‑Fries combos. The promotion runs from March 16 to April 6, with every app purchase entering customers into...
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CAVA Opens Its First Restaurant in Ohio as Part of Midwest Push
CAVA launched its first Ohio restaurant, a 3,200‑sq‑ft venue in Cincinnati’s Oakley Station, offering dine‑in, digital pickup and delivery. The opening extends the chain’s Midwest push that began with Chicago and continued into Indiana and Michigan. In 2025 CAVA added...
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Growth Is ‘Full Speed Ahead’ Under New CEO Jim Bitticks
Dave’s Hot Chicken posted a 58% increase in store count last year and was acquired by Roark Capital, the private‑equity firm behind Subway. In January, COO Jim Bitticks was promoted to CEO, pledging to sustain the brand’s rapid growth. Under...
IHOP Is Bolstering Its Catering Channel
IHOP is intensifying promotion of its catering business as off‑premise sales climb, now representing 21% of total revenue. The chain has introduced proprietary packaging and local‑store marketing kits aimed at hotels, schools and conferences, while also targeting late‑night breakfast demand....
Nation's Restaurant News March 2026
Nation's Restaurant News’ March 2026 issue spotlights the casual‑dining segment, probing why it is resonating strongly with today’s consumers. Editors highlight trends such as menu flexibility, experiential service, and accelerated technology adoption that are fueling the category’s growth. The cover features...
Casual Dining Redefines Value in an Inflationary Environment
The casual‑dining segment outperformed quick‑service peers in 2025, driven primarily by Chili’s and other company‑owned chains. Overall traffic stayed flat, but a core group of brands stabilized earnings through value‑centric promotions like Chili’s 3‑for‑Me and aggressive tiered pricing. Ownership of...
