Restaurant Daily

The federal infrastructure bill could limit a key restaurant relief program. Greg Flynn adds to his hotel portfolio. And Burger King’s parent invests in a home cooking platform.

Restaurant earnings are rebounding from a year ago. But the delta variant of the coronavirus is looming in the background of that recovery. And Domino’s is making plans to surprise and delight its customers.

Restaurant workers are bearing the brunt of enforcing new COVID restrictions. Seafood prices have more than doubled this summer. And KFC is expanding in big cities. Welcome to RB Daily, a quick look at the top industry news of the day from the editors of Restaurant Business. I’m Joe Guszkowski, senior editor at RB.

Denny’s bounces back. Noodles is raising its prices. And a new shortage is frustrating the industry: Equipment.

New York City diners are going to need their COVID shots. McDonald’s is seeing an uptick in interested workers. And casual dining is in the midst of a rebirth.

New York calls for stricter vaccine requirements in restaurants. McDonald’s is mandating mask-wearing in some locations. And the delta variant could stunt the return of urban concepts. 

Popeyes is feeling the chicken sandwich heat. Burger King continues to slump. And BJ’s got dinged for having a surplus of beer.

Danny Meyer’s restaurant group will require vaccinations. Delivery providers are dealt a blow in New York. And the joint employer rule is tightening up again.

The CDC updated its face-mask guidance for restaurants. McDonald’s says staffing problems are improving. And Subway fights back against a lawsuit about tuna.

: Chick-Fil-A’s unit volumes are eye-popping. New York City’s mayor said restaurant customers there may need to show proof of vaccination. And hundreds of bars in San Francisco will require proof of COVID vaccination to enter.

Chicken nuggets make their debut at Popeyes. Two Black McDonald’s franchisees allege more discrimination. And By Chloe is changing its name.

Domino’s is getting slammed by the labor shortage. Even more restaurants are making plans to go public. And franchising is red hot right now.

Domino’s had a good quarter. Bojangles inked a deal with a pair of college quarterbacks. And McDonald’s added to its diversity efforts.

Chipotle needs to find a way to crank out more burritos and bowls. Shake Shack is investing millions in its workers. And ToGo’s is testing out a new assembly-line model.

Is L Catterton going public? Just Salad just got a big cash infusion. And Gopuff is getting into the ghost kitchen game.

Portillos has made formal plans to go public, restaurant stocks are heating up and what the child tax credit means for restaurants. 

Restaurant sales have fully recovered from the pandemic. Masks are back in Los Angeles County. And two third-party delivery providers are suing San Francisco over delivery fee caps.

The pandemic didn’t stop Domino’s, or a lot of other brands, from opening new restaurants. Good Times’ latest quarter is a microcosm for the industry right now. And Pressed Juicery gets a rebrand.

It might be time for restaurants to pay attention to traffic again, says The Bottom Line. Starbucks is adding its voice to the push for voting rights. And Panda Express is testing a plant-based take on a classic dish.

Menu prices keep going up. Tony Roma’s was sold. And a virtual wing concept is becoming an actual restaurant.

Popeyes is ready to start selling chicken nuggets. Grubhub is making a money-back guarantee. And a new food-and-golf concept is getting a big investment from a pro golfer.

Noncompete and anti-poaching agreements could be in jeopardy. Papa Murphy’s is the latest chain to launch a new prototype. And a union group wants to help supplement servers’ wages.

Papa John’s workers should expect some bonus cash. Subway’s star has fallen significantly. And Carrols Restaurant Group is back into acquisition mode.

Burger King loses its U.S. president. Some big restaurant names invest in a plant-based meat company. And Colorado bans polystyrene to-go boxes.

There’s been an explosion in restaurant mergers and acquisitions. Restaurants continue their hiring spree. And digital kitchen operator C3 just secured a major investment.