46 stories · last 7 days by relevance
Taco Bell is expanding AI-powered voice ordering in its drive-thrus through a partnership with Omilia, which already operates in nearly 900 U.S. restaurants, signaling continued industry momentum towa
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers plans to open around 60 locations in 2026, nearing 600 total units, with new building formats enabling expansion into different real estate types.
Audivi AI has released a new pricing model designed to make drive-thru automation more accessible to quick-service restaurant operators.
Wendy's is investing in digital sales, AI-powered ordering, and menu innovation to address weak customer traffic.
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.
Quick-service restaurants are receiving a higher share of citations in AI search results compared to fast-casual chains.
Pokeworks is seeking real estate in Texas as part of an expansion effort.
Bad Ass Coffee is expanding through nontraditional unit formats, a strategy that signals growing operator interest in flexible, lower-overhead coffee concepts beyond traditional standalone cafes.
Major restaurant groups are expanding into Boston, signaling confidence in the market's growth potential and dining demand.
Birdcall is pursuing Midwest expansion supported by technology and real estate capabilities.
Texas Roadhouse, headquartered in Kentucky, has become a major presence in Texas and expanded nationally.
Boka Restaurant Group is expanding beyond Chicago by opening Momotaro and Alla Vita in Nashville, along with a new cocktail bar called Middleman to connect the concepts.
Labor scheduling is moving to AI — the trade headline signals cost pressure and tech adoption spreading across QSR.
Restaurant operators are adopting voice AI technology to capture phone call data as a way to recognize and engage customers across locations, suggesting the phone channel may become a key loyalty and
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
Restaurant operators in major U.S. metros are paying elevated commercial real estate costs for dine-in space even as delivery orders grow, creating a potential mismatch between lease expenses and cust
MarginEdge added real-time cost management, AI forecasting, and back-office automation capabilities to its platform.
Skyline Essentials launched SkAI, an AI forecasting platform designed to help independent and multi-unit restaurant operators predict revenue and labor costs—capabilities historically available mainly
MashMore Potato introduced an AI operating system it says is reducing management workload at its Albany location; the company frames this as a step toward making its model more scalable and software-d
Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is opening its first New Jersey location in Wall on July 18, signaling the brand's geographic expansion beyond its traditional Hawaiian market.
Australian café chain Two Hands Hospitality has signed a lease for its first Kansas City location, continuing geographic expansion beyond its existing markets in New York, Texas, Tennessee, and Colora
Placer.ai released its June 2026 mall traffic index, tracking retail foot traffic momentum as the year progresses.
A report indicates quick-service restaurants are receiving higher citation shares than fast-casual chains in AI search results.
AmRest is continuing international expansion while reinforcing its restaurant platform.
Marco's Pizza's chief development officer and his father, a commercial real estate enthusiast, collaborate on the chain's expansion strategy, suggesting family involvement in site selection and growth
A New York-based apartment seller completed a $27.5 million 1031 exchange into a five-property Florida portfolio anchored by 7-Eleven, Chipotle, Wawa, and Starbucks locations, reflecting a broader shi
Canadian chain expansion into US signals growth opportunity, but story lacks specifics on brand, unit count, or strategy relevance to operators.
Shipley Donuts is entering Ohio for the first time with three locations planned in Cincinnati, signaling expansion into a new regional market.
A 2026 survey finds 22% of diners use AI for restaurant recommendations, yet 83% of restaurants don't appear in AI responses, signaling that most operators lack the verified data infrastructure needed
Food and beverage franchises are opening locations in convenience stores, expanding beyond traditional retail channels.
Wingstop, a Dallas-based restaurant group, will open its 100th location in Wichita next week.
Chuy's Holdings Inc is pursuing expansion to strengthen its brand presence.
International expansion of unspecified chain — lacking brand clarity, financial scale, or operator benchmark value.
Birdcall, a chicken chain, is planning to expand into Ohio as part of a broader Midwest growth strategy.
Nearly 9,550 restaurants opened in the first half of 2026, with new development continuing to concentrate in Sun Belt and Western markets, suggesting regional economic momentum and consumer demand rem
Migration patterns affect restaurant real-estate and unit placement strategy — Placer.ai data relevant for site selection, but snippet unclear on specifics.
Broad H1 marketing spend trends mention AI but lack restaurant-specific data or outcomes.
Single new-market development — incremental to In-N-Out's known expansion pace, not a strategy shift affecting competitive operators.
Single-location expansion announcement — insufficient scale or strategic signal for chain-wide operators.
Regional fast-casual expansion into new market shows geographic growth strategy but limited relevance without broader operator insights.
Generic local-development news naming no specific brands or growth strategies.
Cult brand closures without brand name or explanation — insufficient data to signal broader franchising or unit economics trouble.
AI visibility platform could tangentially help restaurant brands control their appearance in LLMs, but not directly operational or marketing-focused for QSR chains.
Single regional expansion announcement — too localized to signal broader growth or strategy for multi-location operators.
Single-location renovation announcement — no signal for multi-location portfolio strategy or chain expansion.