Mac Haik Restaurant Group to Bring Starbird to Texas
San Francisco‑based chicken chain Starbird announced a partnership with Mac Haik Restaurant Group to launch 36 new locations across Houston, Austin and San Antonio beginning in 2027. The deal represents Starbird’s largest development effort, expanding the brand from 19 U.S. units to a major presence in Texas. Mac Haik, which already operates First Watch and holds stakes in several fast‑casual concepts, will leverage its regional expertise to scale the premium fast‑casual chicken concept. Starbird’s new CEO Greg Levin called Texas a critical growth market as the chain celebrates its 10‑year anniversary.
Scott and Jacob Margroff Discuss Flavor and Innovation at Strickland’s
Family‑owned Strickland’s, founded in 1936 in Akron, Ohio, still operates with its original ice‑cream equipment across five state locations and a new franchise in Costa Mesa, California. The franchising model mandates two permanent flavors—chocolate and vanilla—and two rotating flavors selected...
Stop Talking About Price, Start Talking About Food
Restaurant chains are being urged to abandon price‑centric strategies and refocus on food quality to win customers over the long term. The opinion piece notes that many brands are only now recognizing that competing on price erodes margins, especially amid...
Can AI Help Bring Down Delivery Costs? Not Just Yet
Restaurant operators are eyeing AI‑driven chatbots as a way to bypass costly third‑party delivery services, but early deployments are actually inflating expenses. Uber Eats has recently raised delivery fees for select partners, underscoring the pressure on margins. The article highlights...
Uber Eats Is Raising Delivery Fees for some Restaurants
Uber Eats announced its first delivery‑fee hike in a decade, raising the Lite tier from 15% to 20% and the Plus tier from 20% to 25% while keeping Premium at 30%. Custom contracts will see a 3% increase, capped at...
Why the Social Media Burger Wars Are Good for the Industry
The video discusses the current social‑media battle among fast‑food giants, focusing on McDonald’s new “Big Arch” half‑pound burger, Burger King’s revamped Whopper, and Sweetgreen’s wrap experiment. It notes how CEOs’ Instagram posts—Chris Kempczinski’s bite of the Big Arch and Tom Curtis’s...
Why the Social Media Burger Wars Are Good for the Industry
Burger chains are waging a high‑visibility social‑media battle, turning menu drops and meme challenges into traffic‑driving events. The podcast episode highlights how this digital rivalry benefits the broader restaurant sector by generating free user content and accelerating trend detection. It...
As Culver's Expands Into New Markets, Menu Innovation Accelerates
Fast‑casual chain Culver's is accelerating its geographic footprint, adding dozens of locations across the Midwest, South and West. The expansion is paired with a wave of menu innovation, including region‑specific burgers, a new line of plant‑based proteins, and limited‑time offerings...
Del Taco's Turnaround Plan Brings Back some of Its Old Ways
Del Taco’s new owners launched an 18‑month turnaround called Project Sunrise, promising to restore the chain’s classic menu items and original preparation methods. The plan reintroduces legacy burritos, the Jack’d Up line, and a limited‑time $6 combo for loyalty members...
Black Rock Coffee Bar Sees a Path to 1,000 Shops
Black Rock Coffee Bar, a specialty coffee chain that went public in September 2025, announced a roadmap to expand from roughly 620 locations to 1,000 stores within three years. The IPO raised about $150 million, providing capital for accelerated franchising and...
The Secret Behind the Success of Dave's Hot Chicken
The episode features Jim Biddick, newly appointed CEO of Dave's Hot Chicken, discussing the brand’s meteoric rise and its recent acquisition by Roar Capital. He outlines his transition from president to CEO, emphasizes continuity with former CEO Bill Phelps, and...
How 4 Restaurant Chains Are Using AI Today
At Olo’s Beyond4 conference, leading restaurant chains demonstrated that artificial intelligence has moved from speculative hype to everyday operations. Krispy Kreme is testing AI agents for contract management, while Nekter Juice Bar uses bots for SEO, social media, and an...
Dutch Bros' First Los Angeles Location Has Everything but the Drive-Thru
Dutch Bros opened its first Los Angeles walk‑thru store near USC in late November, marking the chain’s initial foray into an urban, drive‑thru‑free format. The location has become the chain’s top‑performing shop, with mobile‑order traffic three times the system average....
Cheese Is Melting All over Menus, Giving Sales a Solid Boost
Cheese‑centric dishes have become a viral sensation after Chili’s popularized the ooey‑gooey pull on social media. Casual‑dining chains quickly followed, rolling out cheese‑laden burgers, fries, and appetizers to capture the buzz. The trend has translated into measurable sales lifts, with...
Jean-Georges Vongerichten Restaurants in New York's Tin Building Have Shuttered
Famed chef Jean‑Georges Vongerichten’s Tin Building complex in Manhattan’s Seaport has permanently closed. The 50,000‑square‑foot venue, which housed The Fulton, The Frenchman’s Dough, House of the Red Pearl, T. Brasserie and other concepts, shut its doors on Feb 23, ending a $200 million...
The Secret Behind the Success of Dave's Hot Chicken
Dave’s Hot Chicken CEO Jim Bitticks discussed the brand’s explosive growth on the Restaurant Business podcast, highlighting its recent acquisition by private‑equity firm Roark Capital. He explained how the company’s operator‑executive model drives consistency while enabling rapid expansion across the...
Cracker Barrel Sees some Progress in Rebound From Logo Saga
Cracker Barrel’s traffic fell 10.1% YoY in the quarter ending Jan. 30, driving a 7.1% same‑store sales decline, the second consecutive period of steep foot‑traffic loss after its controversial logo change. The chain has shifted focus to food quality, service and its...
Chef Sungchul Shim Infuses Korean Flavor Into a Times Square Steakhouse
Chef Sungchul Shim’s GU Steakhouse, which opened in Times Square in 2025, reimagines the traditional American steakhouse by infusing it with Korean and broader Asian influences. The concept retains the classic steakhouse layout—bar, appetizers, and prime cuts—but layers it...
The Burger Wars Get some New Life, Thanks to Social Media
McDonald’s unveiled the Big Arch, its biggest burger ever, and CEO Chris Kempczinski promoted it with a personal Instagram video. The post sparked criticism, with users calling the CEO’s reaction inauthentic and turning the clip into a meme. Burger King retaliated...
Winners and Losers From a Strange End to 2025
The latest end‑of‑2025 earnings reports reveal a stark split among U.S. retail and restaurant chains. While several large retailers posted double‑digit revenue growth, many discount and legacy operators saw earnings miss expectations. Tech‑enabled concepts outperformed traditional brick‑and‑mortar locations, and profit...
Pilot Travel Centers Launch Robust New Foodservice Program
Pilot Travel Centers, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is rolling out a comprehensive foodservice overhaul, extending its full hot‑deli menu to roughly 400 locations and keeping 350 franchised fast‑food outlets open around the clock. The company introduced two proprietary concepts—Pilot eats...
Olo Is Launching a Customer-Facing Ordering App
Olo announced the launch of the Olo App, a consumer‑facing ordering platform that will host hundreds of restaurant brands. The app positions itself as a “remote control” for diners, streamlining the ordering experience across multiple venues. Restaurants joining the network...
Chef Sungchul Shim Infuses Korean Flavor Into a Times Square Steakhouse
Chef Sungchul Shim, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, opened Gui Steakhouse in Times Square a year ago, marrying classic American steakhouse traditions with Korean flavors and techniques. The restaurant features dry‑aged steaks cooked over a live fire of wood...
Keith Lee Jumps From Restaurant Influencer to Investor
Keith Lee, a food‑centric social media personality with over 20 million followers, has become an investor in Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, a fast‑food dumpling chain. The multi‑year partnership adds Lee to a celebrity‑rich investor group that includes Kevin O’Leary, RSE Ventures co‑founders,...
It's Time for Banh Mi to Go National, Says This Vietnamese Sandwich Pioneer
Vietnamese sandwich pioneer Bun Mee, founded in San Francisco in 2011, operates five Bay Area locations. The brand is launching its first New York City outlet through a franchisee, marking its inaugural entry into the East Coast market. This move...
At This Southern California Car Dealership, You Can Get a Patty Melt with Your Porsche
Galpin Motors, one of Southern California’s largest auto groups, has turned its dealerships into culinary destinations by operating full‑service restaurants such as the Horseless Carriage diner and the Porsche‑themed Boxenstopp. The Horseless Carriage alone pulls in about $3.2 million in annual...
Fat Brands Says that Bond Investors Knew What They Were Getting Into
Fat Brands, the parent of Fazoli's and 15 other restaurant chains, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2024. Lenders have pushed for a court‑appointed trustee, alleging CEO Andy Wiederhorn misused company funds for personal loans, bonuses, and an unauthorized stock...
The Beverage Boom Is Transforming the Soda Fountain
Restaurants are responding to a surge in specialty beverage demand by partnering with equipment manufacturers to replace legacy soda fountains with advanced, high‑tech drink dispensers. The new machines integrate IoT connectivity, real‑time analytics, and modular ingredient cartridges, allowing on‑the‑fly customization....
James Beard Foundation Honors 6 Longtime Restaurants with 2026 America's Classics Award
Six long‑standing, family‑owned restaurants across the United States have been named the 2026 James Beard America’s Classics. The honorees include The Serving Spoon in California, Oyster House in Philadelphia, Johnny’s Café in Omaha, Eng’s in Kingston, Figaretti’s Italian Restaurant in...
How the Restaurant Industry Fared in the State of the Union Address
President Trump’s State of the Union offered little concrete relief for restaurants, focusing instead on broader political themes. Washington state introduced the “Golden Oldie” proposal, a per‑employee head tax aimed at funding health initiatives. Minneapolis reported calmer streets and a...
Want More Sales? Just Add Cheese
Applebee’s reported a notable sales boost after launching a cheese‑laden burger, highlighted on the Restaurant Business podcast. The episode also examined Burger King’s Whopper enhancements and its rollout of AI tools to streamline operations. Meanwhile, major pizza chains continue to...
Burger King's Store-Level Profitability Runs Into a Beef Cost Wall
Burger King has been steadily boosting store‑level profitability, posting double‑digit earnings growth across its U.S. locations. However, a sharp rise in beef prices—up roughly 35% since early 2025—has begun to erode those gains. The chain responded with modest menu price...
Five Guys Is Making some Changes
Five Guys is entering a new phase of growth, celebrating its 40th anniversary while rolling out a catering service through EasyCater and its own digital ordering platforms. The chain’s chief marketing officer, Molly Catalano, explained that the catering model packages...
Danny Lledó Shares the Nuances of Paella
The episode of Menu Talk features chef‑owner Danny Yedot of Washington, D.C.’s Chiquette and its sister venue Taller de Chiquette, both rooted in Valencian culinary tradition rather than generic Spanish fare. Yedot explains that paella’s rice, especially the short‑grain bomba, is...
Portillo's Is Still Learning What Not to Do From Texas
Portillo’s reported a 3.3% decline in fourth‑quarter same‑store sales and a 0.5% drop for the full year, driven largely by weak transaction growth in Texas. The chain announced new CEO Brett Patterson, succeeding interim CEO Mike Miles, who highlighted that...
Domino's Hopes Its Largest Franchisee Can Turn Things Around
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises (DPE), the pizza chain’s largest franchisee with 3,500 stores across Asia‑Pacific and Europe, reported its first annual loss in a 20‑year public history and announced the closure of more than 300 locations, most in Japan. The franchisee’s...
Reservation Services Resy and Tock Are Merging
American Express is consolidating its two reservation platforms, Resy and Tock, into a single service under the Resy brand this summer. The merger will double Resy's inventory to over 25,000 restaurants and wineries, adding Tock’s tiered experiences and prepaid booking...
After Solid Year, First Watch Approaches 2026 with Caution
First Watch posted a solid 2025, achieving 3.6% same‑store sales growth and opening a record 64 restaurants despite a modest traffic dip. The chain projects 2026 same‑store sales growth of 1%‑3% and will temper expansion to 59‑63 new sites while closing...
Sweetgreen Explores a New Menu Platform: Wraps
Sweetgreen is piloting three chicken‑based wraps—Classic Chicken Caesar, Chicken Jalapeño Ranch, and Chicken Salad Bacon Club—across New York, the Midwest and select Los Angeles locations. Each wrap contains over 40 grams of protein and is priced between $10.95 and under $15, positioning it...
Consumers Are Sending a Signal on Tech. Restaurants Should Listen
Consumers are increasingly demanding technology-driven experiences in restaurants, from mobile ordering to contactless payment. Recent surveys reveal a measurable shift toward digital convenience, prompting operators to reassess the balance between tech and traditional hospitality. Restaurants that integrate intuitive tech solutions...
McDonald's Is Bringing Its Big Arch Burger to the U.S.
McDonald’s will roll out its half‑pound Big Arch burger in the United States on March 3 as a limited‑time offering. The sandwich, already a permanent menu item in the UK and sold in France and Canada, layers two quarter‑pound patties, white cheddar,...
Domino's Gained More Market Share Last Year
Domino’s reported a stronger‑than‑expected 2025, with U.S. same‑store sales climbing 3.7% and a one‑point gain in market share that lifted its pizza‑category share to 30%. The earnings beat sent the stock up about 5% in pre‑market trading. The company added...
Subway Pulls Back on Its Free Sub Offer
Subway announced it will discontinue the three‑buy‑one‑free foot‑long sub promotion on April 1, ending a short‑lived loyalty incentive that granted a free sandwich after purchasing three. The change follows a heated backlash from franchise owners who called the deal "financial suicide"...
Southern Grounds Aims to Be a Bridge Between Starbucks and First Watch
Southern Grounds is launching as an all‑day café that fuses high‑end specialty coffee with chef‑driven, brunch‑style food. The concept positions itself between the mass‑market appeal of Starbucks and the upscale, menu‑focused experience of First Watch. With a funky, community‑centric vibe and...
The Restaurant Industry Gets 2 Big Wins
Federal judges delivered two significant rulings affecting restaurants. In Illinois, a judge held Visa, Mastercard and banks not preempted, allowing states to pursue swipe‑fee reforms. In Oregon, a judge found the state's extended producer responsibility law likely unconstitutional, halting the...
Why DoorDash Isn't Afraid of AI Shopping Agents
DoorDash CEO Tony Xu says AI ordering agents won’t replace delivery apps because DoorDash controls the end‑to‑end experience, from driver dispatch to issue resolution. AI agents may handle search, ordering and payment, but fulfillment and logistics remain platform‑specific. DoorDash posted 32%...
Subway Pulls Back on Its Free Sub Offer
Subway announced it will discontinue the free fourth‑footlong offer that was a key component of its Sub Club loyalty program. The move comes amid stagnant same‑store sales and mounting pressure on margins from rising ingredient costs. By transitioning to a...
In the Social Media Era, Be Careful What You Wish For
Five Guys launched an anniversary promotion that dramatically outperformed its internal forecasts, driven by a wave of social‑media buzz. The unexpected surge highlighted how digital platforms can amplify marketing offers far beyond traditional channels. Companies across sectors are now grappling with...
RaceTrac: Don't Expect a Potbelly in Every Convenience Store
RaceTrac bought Potbelly for $566 million but will not install a sandwich shop in every convenience store. Senior vice‑president Jennifer Durham says the rollout will be selective, starting with a pilot company‑owned location in Atlanta. The acquisition’s core purpose is to...
How the Restaurant Industry Will Fare in 2026
The podcast episode features Jonathan Mays speaking with Michelle Cororsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, about the industry’s outlook for 2026. Cororsmo cites the association’s State of the Industry report, which projects $1.55 trillion in food‑service sales...
