57 stories · last 30 days by relevance
The National Restaurant Association's chief economist appeared on a podcast to discuss consumer trends and labor conditions in the restaurant industry.
Nation's Restaurant News reports on restaurant industry headwinds including mass closures and job losses, alongside Jersey Mike's planned IPO and recent employment data.
Eric Knott, who scaled PDQ as COO before becoming CEO of Kansas City-based Tiki Taco, joined Restaurant Tech Trends to discuss growth discipline learned from both successes and failures.
Ben Leventhal's Blackbird Labs tackles independent-restaurant invisibility and profitability through frequency-driven loyalty — a template applicable to multi-unit brands rethinking guest retention.
Yum divests Pizza Hut for $2.7B; Jersey Mike's topples Chick-fil-A in satisfaction; KFC and Panera signal menu/format shifts — major portfolio moves and competitive repositioning reshaping the QSR lan
Restaurant technology adoption remains a critical challenge; even sophisticated software fails to deliver value without consistent team engagement, according to a discussion with Decision Logic's CEO
A restaurant leadership podcast argues that indiscriminate agreement from hospitality leaders drives burnout and suggests that setting organizational boundaries at all levels can help protect leadersh
Burger King introduced new chicken sandwiches, Jersey Mike's disclosed details ahead of a public filing, and industry observers are questioning whether tiered menu pricing remains an effective strateg
Placer.ai traffic data reveals weak spring comp trends — consumer bifurcation (gas prices, income splits) is fragmenting performance across chains and requires targeted recovery strategies.
A Binghamton, New York operator built a five-concept portfolio within one block after acquiring a university bar at age 21 through seller financing, suggesting that owner-operator experience and geogr
Amex/TheFork deal (700M) plus SevenRooms aggregation move reshape reservation economics—operators now have leverage to multi-source bookings and escape single-platform lock-in.
Multi-brand menu platform expansion (bowls, wraps, sandwiches) alongside Cracker Barrel's comeback and KFC's three-quarter comp growth show category adaptation and traffic recovery strategies in actio
7shifts released findings on restaurant employee priorities for 2026, signaling where operators may need to focus retention and management efforts.
McDonald's strategic pivot to operational efficiency and hospitality, plus industry-wide pricing creativity targeting families, signal shifting competitive terrain beyond discounting alone.
Executive transitions at $10B+ brands, earnings momentum at casual-dining leader, and labor strategy shifts signal shifts in how chains manage growth and workforce engagement.
Loyalty and first-party data ownership are critical defensibility against third-party marketplace sprawl and emerging AI ordering agents — Thanx CEO discusses the data and AI bets operators must make
Union organizing acceleration and minimum-wage ballot rejection signal shifting labor politics — operators in multi-state chains should monitor federal and state labor law changes.
Structured succession planning at a restaurant-technology leader demonstrates how multi-unit operators should develop internal leaders before external search becomes necessary.
AI-powered recipe and culinary operating system — back-office recipe scaling and sourcing automation relevant to chains standardizing menus across units.
Court setback and veto on credit-card fee relief highlight ongoing merchant-bank leverage issues — interchange economics remain volatile for multi-location operators.
Virtual brand operator insights on scaling ghost-kitchen concepts — useful for brands testing delivery-only extensions, but niche unless you're actively exploring the model.
Jersey Mike's recently ranked highest among fast-food chains on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a position previously held by Chick-fil-A, signaling a potential shift in how customers percei
Breakfast-daypart scaling playbook with 21 consecutive quarters of growth—demonstrates how operational simplicity and affordability drive multi-unit franchisee success.
POS migration and IT infrastructure challenges are top operator pain points — strong tech infrastructure underpins guest experience and operational efficiency.
Multi-unit operators learning pricing-power strategies, loyalty mechanics, and AI applications from a fast-growing brand CEO—practical playbook for margin protection without discounting.
NRA advocacy on hemp beverage regulation and state legislative landscape—relevant to multi-state operators navigating regulatory risk and lobbying priorities.
Multi-unit operators need documented labor compliance strategies—wage/hour, tip pooling, wrongful termination exposure can cost hundreds of thousands per violation.
Kitchen robotics and AI automation are becoming mainstream operator conversations — multi-unit brands need to evaluate labor-replacement ROI and kitchen workflow integration.
Traffic-tracking data on beverage innovation at QSR and emerging segments—useful for understanding Gen Z ordering patterns and menu category performance.
Operational deep-dive on labor, inventory, menu engineering, and marketing ROI—useful for multi-unit operators seeking margin recovery in cost-inflation environment.
Plant-based QSR scaling via franchising and grassroots loyalty—relevant for understanding how niche fast-casual concepts build unit growth and customer retention.
MenuMasters highlights show AI and menu innovation driving wins—operators competing on culinary creativity and hospitality positioning.
Franchise founder discusses scaling operations and using AI as a multiplier; motivational content with limited tactical takeaway for multi-location brand operators.
A resource about strategies for attracting budget-conscious travelers during summer 2026 has been published.
A veteran restaurateur discusses his path from janitor to owner and the challenges of independent restaurant survival, suggesting that people-focused operations may build lasting competitive advantage
A podcast episode addresses the challenge of ensuring restaurant staff follow through on assigned tasks rather than simply acknowledging instructions.
Atlas Restaurant Group has grown from a single Baltimore concept in 2014 to 50+ restaurants across 40 brands in five states, generating over $250 million in annual sales—a scale that signals how multi
Conference preview featuring editorial perspective on founder mindset and brand storytelling — useful context for emerging brands but not actionable strategy for established multi-unit operators.
GPO strategies for cost management through menu optimization and supply-chain efficiency offer a systematic approach to protecting margins in inflationary periods.
A podcast episode examines unconventional perspectives on restaurant profitability.
A restaurant coach observes that owners typically delay operational changes until problems become severe rather than acting proactively, suggesting that pain tolerance—not early warning signs—often tr
Multi-concept operator shares leadership and growth philosophy; motivational rather than actionable for chain marketers and finance teams.
Generic advice on delegation and time management from a consulting vendor — no restaurant-specific data or case study.
Self-promotional episode on SMS best practices — generic tactical content lacking data, brand case studies, or strategic frameworks for multi-location programs.
Independent multi-unit chef-owner interview; personal-journey focus without data or strategy applicable to larger brands.
Founder interview about a small local multi-concept group; useful for independent-operator stories but below scale relevance for 25+ unit brands.
Generic podcast episode on restaurant profitability — no specific brand, trend, or operational insight to act on.
Founder story of regional multi-unit group with sustainability model; interesting but lacks financial, tech, or growth-platform news for chain operators.
Phantom labor and POS-scheduling sync are real cost drivers, but this episode is vendor-sponsored content for 7shifts with limited original operator insight.
Vendor interview about POS, Wi-Fi, and IT support — useful operational context but primarily F3 Technologies' marketing pitch to independent and multi-unit operators.