Restaurant Daily

The Technomic Top 500 is out, and it shows that chain restaurants have largely recovered from the pandemic. The latest effort to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund made it through the House. And baseball’s opening day brought a new lineup of food and drink options to stadiums.

Is there some hope left for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund? Restaurants are still struggling to drive delivery orders through their own channels. And Dave & Buster’s is buying a competing food-and-games chain.

Chipotle is returning to the metaverse with a new promotion. Howard Schultz went against the grain by ending share buybacks at Starbucks. And Federal Donuts got a big investment to fuel its growth.

Howard Schultz is back at Starbucks and already making big decisions. One famed operator of high-end restaurants just scored a multi-million dollar investment. And industry veteran Bill Allen is the new chairman of the board of the parent company of some growth-focused fast casuals

Despite a strong economy, recession concerns are growing. Papa John’s sold 90 locations to a large franchisee. And Teriyaki Madness is making the best of a marketing oops.

Gas prices are hurting restaurant sales and profits. Fine-dining chains had a good year. And why higher interest rates won’t stop the hot market for restaurant acquisitions.

Restaurant workers keep quitting. McDonald’s CEO got a fat paycheck last year. And spring menus are rolling out in full force.

A dispute over how pigs are raised has made its way to the Supreme Court. An Applebee’s franchise exec was fired over his idea for lowering wages. And why restaurants may have more pricing power than it appears as food costs rise.

It was a banner year for Inspire Brands. There appears to be some tension between two major industry lobbying groups, and labor organizers have some advice for the new temporary leader of Starbucks.

Sweetgreen is plotting a drive thru. Outgoing Darden CEO Gene Lee is pontificating on the state of full-service restaurants. And McDonald’s is making progress on its diversity efforts.

First Watch is finally raising prices. Charley’s Philly Steaks is busting out of the mall. And a fondue chain is seeing a post-pandemic boom.

Business and leisure travel could be making a comeback, which is good news for restaurants. A steakhouse chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. And why Fat Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn said he’s not surprised that he’s being investigated by the feds.

McDonald’s and Panera Bread are adding some hot new items to their menus. Historic restaurants could be eligible for $40,000 grants. And the District of Columbia is suing Grubhub over alleged deceptive practices.

Another chain restaurant CEO is retiring. Burger King wants out of Russia. And senators are moving forward with efforts to regulate franchising.

Howard Schultz is back at Starbucks. So how might that affect unionization efforts at the chain, which, by the way, thinks it can double its unit count by 2030.

Starbucks shareholders are weighing in on unionization. Charlie Morrison’s resignation as Wingstop CEO raises more questions than it answers. And high gas prices are forcing third-party delivery providers to pay more.

Russia is threatening restaurant companies that closed locations in the country. The owner of Famous Dave’s is making another acquisition or two. And why some people who quit their restaurant jobs wish they hadn’t.

Red Robin is finally seeing some green shoots. Starbird is getting ready to franchise. And slow progress is being made on a hot-button animal welfare issue.

Restaurant menu prices hit another record high in February, and many consumers say they could start cutting back on dining out. Meanwhile, skyrocketing gas prices could put a pinch on food delivery.

The dire situation in Ukraine continues to have ripple effects on US-based restaurant chains. Bd’s Mongolian Grill is shaking up its menu. And a union-backed group has created a legal advice hotline for servers.

McDonald’s and Yum Brands take action on their restaurants in Russia. A restaurant company is suing Google. And a small Indian fast casual concept lands some funding.

Third-party delivery prices are soaring. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, so are gas prices. Burger King is riffing on its Whopper. And Famous Dave’s is entering the drive-thru arena.

Some restaurants aren’t ready to lift their COVID safety requirements. The industry added more jobs last month. And for Sweetgreen, workers’ return to offices can’t come soon enough.

McDonald’s ice cream machines are giving the chain a headache. Domino’s has hit a rough patch. And Applebee’s is taking a different approach to growth.

President Biden’s State of the Union address included details that should interest restaurants. Wendy’s is targeting markets both big and small as it grows. And Applebee’s and IHOP are undergoing a techy transformation.