Restaurant Daily

There's a mass exodus among McDonald's franchisees, The Lost Cajun has a new owner and burger chains are booming.

WOWorks is buying a pair of fast casual chains, restaurants are asking for relief on soaring swipe fees and Dutch Bros had a rough quarter.  

The Senate is poised to vote on a bill that would re-fill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Consumers are expecting the worst when it comes to inflation. And Chipotle Mexican Grill is responding to charges of unfair hiring practices.

Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. are getting a makeover. Bakers Square is getting back to unit growth. And Wing Zone takes a step toward fully automating its restaurants.

Starbucks is facing a federal labor complaint, restaurant stocks are taking a beating, and a big Burger King franchise is performing especially poorly. 

Subway operators are having trouble sourcing meat for their sandwiches. Ghost kitchen operator Reef is laying off 5% of its workers. And delivery keeps on growing.

Papa John’s is embarking on a unit growth boom. Portillo’s is raising prices. And pickup is becoming king.

Starbucks workers are getting a raise--unless they’re part of a union. Denny’s is shaking things up in a big way. And Wingstop has good news on chicken prices.

More hospitality workers quit in March than the month before. Burger King’s same-store sales dipped last quarter. And Naf Naf Grill is trying to get back into growth mode.

Two big chains are out with notable new menu items. DoorDash opened another ghost kitchen. And Shake Shack is coming to Thailand.

Restaurant operators are continuing to struggle to pay the rent. Outback Steakhouse says it is done shrinking. And restaurant chains are flocking to Times Square.

Domino’s is struggling and looking for solutions. McDonald’s is winning with digital. And Noodles & Company says it needs to charge more for its chicken.

Chipotle has a need for speed. Gas prices are causing Americans to dine closer to home. And Wingstop wants to double its footprint in Indonesia.

Chipotles prices increases can't keep up with inflation, why franchisors should run some restaurants, and Restaurant Business took home some journalism honors.

Taco Bell is hosting a Drag Queen Brunch Tour, Starbucks is sanctioned for firing pro-union employees and Cinco de Mayo comes to menus.

The Humane Society isn’t happy with McDonald’s. Punch Bowl Social is trying to get back in the game. And Philadelphia is ditching its short-lived mask mandate.

A McDonald’s investor continues to bash the chain over its animal welfare policies. A fast-casual franchisor is scooping up two more chains. And tech suppliers are now providing loans to independent operators.

Grubhub appears to be on the market again. What it and Netflix can tell us about changing consumer habits. And why Chick-fil-A and First Watch are onto something with limited hours.

Chipotle is putting its money behind tech innovation. Is inflation impacting restaurant spending? And Chili’s is bringing its multi-functional robot to more restaurants.

Chick-fil-A’s average unit volumes are off the charts. And Panera Bread is making changes to its coffee subscription. 

Taco Bell finally brings back its Mexican Pizza. Pizza Ranch has an on again-off again relationship with its buffet. And IHOP is getting into the virtual brands game.

Fast-food menu prices went down last month. Shaq signed on for another term as Papa John’s spokesman. And a look back at what we learned at the Restaurant Leadership Conference this week.

Menu prices keep on rising. 2021 was an up-and-down year for casual-dining chains. And Dutch Bros receives a top industry award. This is RB Daily, your quick look at the industry’s top stories from the editors of Restaurant Business. We’re reporting live today from the second day of the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz pushed back against unionization efforts at his chain on Monday. Philadelphia is bringing back its mask requirement for restaurants. And a big restaurant investment firm just raised $950 million. Coming to you this week from the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix.

Denny’s CEO becomes the latest high-profile industry departure. McDonald’s and Subway are growing – despite closing hundreds of restaurants. And drive-thrus are causing headaches for city infrastructure.