Restaurant Daily

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.