Restaurant Daily

McDonald’s is changing its diversity and inclusion strategy. New York City restaurants are fretting over congestion pricing. And a 20-unit casual-dining concept has been acquired.

Welcome to a very special edition of Restaurant Daily, as we round up some of our favorite gaffes of 2024. The podcast is taking a holiday break but will return with a new (blooper-free) episode on Jan. 7. Happy holidays and thank you for listening. 

Chefs are getting creative when it comes to work-life balance. Olive Garden got a boost from all-you-can-eat pasta. Plus, it’s been a big year for Jersey Mike’s.

Traffic finally turned positive for QSRs this fall. The union drive has come home to Starbucks. And why are so many legacy brands spinning off new concepts?

KFC is launching a new restaurant concept. Grubhub owes millions of dollars to settle a lawsuit brought by the FTC. And Boston Market is expanding again. Just not in the U.S.

Starbucks is increasing parental leave for baristas. Insurers could be liable for lost pandemic sales after all. And Buffalo Wild Wings is celebrating the Heisman Trophy winner.

McDonald’s is debuting a new store format. Raising Cane’s is flexing its marketing mojo. And workers at LAX are getting a big pay bump.

Papa Johns is laying out its growth mindset. Might one well-known restaurateur become the next ambassador to Italy? Plus, Domino’s is making a big move.

Dave & Buster’s is looking for a new CEO. Krispy Kreme was hit with a cyberattack. And restaurant menu inflation is normalizing.

Starbucks China is looking to grow. SPB sold a group of brewery concept. And a meal-deal battle is brewing at casual-dining chains.

Another small restaurant chain has declared bankruptcy. Taco Bell’s flashy menu preview is returning. And full-service restaurant pay has increased. A lot.

Restaurant hiring accelerated in November. TGI Fridays’ former CEO wants to buy some of the chain’s bankrupt restaurants. And Taco Bell is testing a new beverage concept.

Here’s a sneak peek at next year’s Top 500 list. Chipotle is raising prices for the first time in a year. And McDonald’s is bringing back a customer favorite.

More Canadians means more Tim Hortons. Cherry Bounce Hospitality picked up a hot chicken concept on the rebound. And a tiny chain is suing Smashburger over trademark issues.

The investigation into the recent McDonald’s E. coli outbreak is now closed. Pizza Hut’s new design looks like a fast-food concept. And one long-dead Mexican chain appears to be prepping for a return. Welcome to Restaurant Daily, a quick look at the industry’s top stories from the editors of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Business. I’m RB Managing Editor Heather Lalley.

BurgerFi has sold all its assets. Some cucumbers may be contaminated with salmonella. And Pinstripes’ losses have deepened.

Subway is looking for a new CEO. Starbucks workers are struggling to track their hours this week. And should restaurants expect a Thanksgiving boost?

The recent E. coli outbreak caused McDonald’s traffic to plunge. Tom’s Watch Bar has new leadership. And dipping is taking over menus.

McDonald’s adds a new value platform while Subway scraps its meal deal. A look at recent independent restaurant openings. And a northern California burger chain is heading south.

Ground beef is being recalled because of contamination fears. Jack in the Box sales are improving. And Starbucks is still considering its China options.

Frisch’s Big Boy found a new owner at the last minute. The tale of Baja Fresh is an object lesson for emerging chains. And California voters opted not to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Jersey Mike’s has a new majority owner. McDonald’s has a problem with its espresso machines. And Wendy’s continues to shake up its C-suite.

The top 100 independent restaurant list is out. The overtime rule is overturned. And the CEO of Salad & Go is stepping down.

McDonald’s is making a big investment in marketing after its e. Coli incident. The industry is making strides toward more affordable childcare. And you can add another fast-casual pizza chain to the roster of those that have filed for bankruptcy this year.

Franchisee Greg Flynn still believes in the power of casual dining. Here’s how much California’s boosted fast-food wage is impacting traffic. And things are looking up for Cracker Barrel.