Restaurant Dive
7 Brew outbids Dutch Bros in $143M offer for 73 Salad and Go units
7 Brew has made a $143 million offer to acquire 73 Salad and Go locations in bankruptcy, outbidding Dutch Bros for the assets.
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7 Brew has made a $143 million offer to acquire 73 Salad and Go locations in bankruptcy, outbidding Dutch Bros for the assets.
Chipotle opened its first Asian location in Seoul, South Korea, through a partnership with Sangmidang Holdings, signaling an expansion beyond North America.
Chipotle is simultaneously launching two limited-time offerings—a reformulated Pollo Asado and new Chili Lime Chips—marking the first time the chain has run dual LTOs at once, suggesting a bid to driv
Evergreens, a Seattle-based fast-casual chain founded in 2012, has launched a franchise program targeting 12 Western states, signaling a shift from company-operated growth to franchisee-led expansion.
Minor Food and Serruya Private Equity have completed their acquisition of Bonchon, the Korean fried chicken chain.
Former fitness entrepreneur Steele Smiley exited his 900+ franchise fitness business to launch CRISP & GREEN, a healthy fast-food brand now operating 53 locations; the move signals entrepreneur convic
WOWorks, which operates six restaurant brands including Saladworks and Zoup!, has opened 23 locations year-to-date with 15 more in development, signaling continued momentum in its multi-brand expansio
Original ChopShop is launching a dinner-focused promotion called 'Feel Good Nights' featuring new bowl options and a loyalty offer to drive weeknight traffic.
Fast Casual Executive Summit (Oct. 4-6 in Arlington, Texas) will explore how integrating fragmented tech systems into a unified customer view can improve returns for fast casual brands.
Fast-casual operators from Hot Head Burritos, Smoothie King, and Kraft Heinz are sharing insights on executing brand collaborations successfully at an industry conference.
Commercial real estate dynamics are shifting the restaurant landscape, with industry experts discussing how operators should adapt to changing lease and location strategies.
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers signed an eight-unit franchise agreement to expand in Arkansas and Texas, continuing its franchise growth strategy in the South.
Mo' Bettahs promoted Kylee Arreaga to VP of Marketing after two years leading efforts that strengthened the brand's marketing organization during its national expansion.
Savory Fund, the PE firm behind Swig and Mo' Bettahs, invested in Zao Asian Grill, a 23-unit pan-Asian fast-casual chain—signaling continued appetite for growth-stage plays in the fast-casual segment.
Panera replaced its surprise-and-delight rewards model with a points-based program featuring premium tiers, shifting toward predictable redemption value and member control.
Sweetgreen introduced lower-priced wraps to boost traffic and value perception after a weak first quarter, but faces fresh operational challenges that may limit the strategy's impact.
Panera Bread has launched a tiered, points-based loyalty program designed to increase perceived value and member engagement through clearer reward mechanics.
Cava's same-store sales grew 9% in the second quarter, driven by a 5.3% traffic increase, despite a temporary consumer pullback from salad.
Portillo's is cutting corporate staff and reducing discounting while rethinking its development strategy to lower costs, signals the chain is adjusting its operational model as it faces margin pressur
Salad and Go filed for bankruptcy and will close all 70 locations, ending the 13-year-old drive-thru salad chain's operations.
Crisp & Green is accelerating franchise expansion, with existing franchisees planning to open 15+ restaurants by year-end as the wellness-focused chain targets density in priority markets.
CAVA's second-quarter results showed newly opened locations performing strongly, existing stores driving increased traffic, and top-performing units suggesting headroom for sales growth above current
Panera appointed Andrew Rebhun as Chief Marketing Officer, tasking him with oversight of brand, digital, loyalty, menu innovation, and media functions.
Chipotle proactively removed jalapeños from some Minnesota locations and sourced replacements from different growers as part of a salmonella investigation.
Salad and Go filed for Chapter 11 and closed 70 stores, citing weak consumer demand partly influenced by a Cyclospora outbreak.
Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shop added a pulled pork sandwich called the Pit Boss to its menu across all locations, combining barbecue sauce, coleslaw, and pickle chips on brioche.
Chipotle is relaunching its Chipotle IQ trivia game for Rewards members in the U.S. and Canada, offering over $1 million in free food as prizes—a move that signals the brand's continued focus on deepe
Slutty Vegan has signed multiple franchise agreements and opened in Florida.
Sweetgreen outlined five operational and technology strategies in its Q2 2026 earnings call, including AI personalization and refined growth tactics, to boost traffic and profitability.
Beyond Juicery + Eatery's Senior Director of Brand and Product Innovation Elliott Disner, who joined the brand nearly two decades ago, is transitioning to franchise owner and plans to open his first l
Brooklyn Water Bagel has opened its first location on a college campus at Nova Southeastern University.
Quality Fresca, a Florida-based Moe's Southwest Grill franchisee that operated 69 locations at its peak in 2021, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after closing dozens of underperforming stores.
Cava reported 9% same-store sales growth and a 5.3% traffic increase, suggesting the fast-casual chain has weathered recent food-safety concerns better than peers in the segment.
Sweetgreen posted negative same-store sales in Q2 but showed sequential improvement; a concurrent cyclospora outbreak adds public-health risk to the chain's recovery narrative.
Portillo's reduced its corporate and field workforce by 18% following a 3.4% decline in second-quarter traffic, with the CEO framing the move as necessary for long-term growth.
HB Protein Smoothies appointed Tyler Doolittle to lead real estate and expansion efforts.
Qdoba has removed jalapeños from its menu following a salmonella outbreak that has spread across multiple states, mirroring a similar move by Chipotle.
Shake Shack has attracted activist investor Starboard Value amid guidance misses this year, though the chain's sales performance has remained resilient.
Chipotle has relaunched its Chipotle IQ trivia game, offering Rewards members chances to win free entrée codes and points.
Teriyaki Madness hired Jake Lowell as Franchise Development Real Estate Manager, a newly created position, signaling the chain's active focus on site selection and franchise expansion infrastructure.
Qdoba and Chipotle halted jalapeño service after they were linked to a multistate Salmonella outbreak affecting hundreds of customers, signaling potential supply chain vulnerabilities in produce sourc
Rōti Modern Mediterranean has launched a franchise incentive program aimed at supporting and accelerating development for its franchise partners.
Chicken Salad Chick appointed Drew Travis as CFO, continuing a recent round of C-suite hires that includes a new CMO and CDO.
Flytrex and Nash have partnered to offer delivery options combining drones and traditional couriers, signaling a shift toward hybrid logistics that lets restaurants choose delivery method by order.
Shake Shack achieved 2% traffic growth and 3.5% same-store sales increases in Q2, extending its streak to four consecutive quarters of positive traffic, suggesting the chain is sustaining customer vis
Pokeworks is running September-long promotions including tiered bonus points for loyalty members and Labor Day offers, signaling continued focus on member engagement and seasonal traffic drivers.
Graze Craze reported a 65% increase in same-store sales for the first half of 2026 compared to the prior year, signaling strong consumer demand for the charcuterie franchise format.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is approaching 100 locations following strong first-half 2026 performance, signaling continued momentum in the fast-casual Mediterranean segment.
El Pollo Loco's CEO announced the chain is doubling its development pace year-over-year and exploring fried chicken additions, signaling accelerated expansion and product diversification following a b
Sweetgreen reported operational improvements in value perception, transactions, and throughput, though a Cyclospora outbreak concern dampened sales gains despite the brand not serving iceberg lettuce.
