Nation's Restaurant News — page 19

The latest Restaurant Daily podcast covers recent sales performance updates from Domino’s, Jack in the Box, and various fast-casual brands.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has appointed former Burger King and Activision Blizzard executive Fernando Machado as its new chief brand officer to lead global marketing strategy.

This week’s industry roundup covers Starbucks’ new Nashville corporate office, McDonald’s significant domestic unit growth acceleration, and Little Caesars’ entry into drone delivery testing.

A Texas-based Applebee’s franchisee is suing Dine Brands over territory infringement concerns related to the parent company’s aggressive co-branded IHOP-Applebee’s development strategy.

Restaurant executives are re-evaluating the definition of consumer value, shifting focus from low price points to a holistic experience to maintain long-term brand loyalty.

Habit Burger & Grill executives leveraged the expertise of sister brand Taco Bell to refine its value platform and improve customer engagement strategies.

Long John Silver’s has launched a limited-time menu featuring shrimp, chicken, and cheese bites tossed in Frank’s RedHot Buffalo sauce.

Domino’s Pizza shares fell after the company posted quarterly results that missed analyst expectations for both domestic and international same-store sales growth.

Technomic data shows fast-casual restaurant sales grew 6% to $77 billion in 2025, though growth rates for the segment are beginning to decelerate.

Forecasters expect 80 million Americans to dine out for Mother’s Day 2026, marking a significant traffic opportunity for the restaurant industry.

Little Caesars expands its high-capacity drone delivery testing in Texas while Starbucks prepares to launch a new scheduled ordering feature for customers.

Major chains including Wendy’s, Chipotle, and Bojangles are updating their menus with a mix of seasonal beverages, spicy additions, and new portion sizes.

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new national standard for joint-employer status, a move with significant implications for franchisor liability and labor law compliance.

Marketing executives from WOWorks, Paris Baguette, and Sonny’s BBQ detail how simplifying menus and cross-utilizing ingredients can protect restaurant margins against rising costs.

Wendy’s is launching a seven-item spring lineup featuring watermelon-flavored beverages, jalapeño-spiced offerings, and a new Cookie Dough Frosty Fusion for loyalty members.

The founders of Salt & Straw and Postino shared insights on navigating the isolation of leadership and building collaborative industry relationships during a panel discussion.

Major Hardee’s franchisee ARC Burger has filed for Chapter 7 liquidation following a legal dispute with the franchisor regarding marketing and technology support issues.

Fast-casual brands are shifting growth strategies to focus on digital integration and operational speed to meet modern consumer demands for instant gratification.

Texas-based Layne’s Chicken Fingers is planning to double its footprint to 80 locations this year with an ultimate goal of reaching 500 units by 2029.

Restaurant executives are monitoring sales closely as rising gas prices threaten to reduce consumer discretionary spending by an estimated $125 billion this year.

Dog Haus is launching a regional development model that grants area directors equity stakes and corporate board representation to better align franchisor and franchisee interests.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has introduced a value-focused, seasonal menu featuring shrimp tacos, carnitas tacos, and elote bowls to capture traffic during upcoming sporting events and holidays.

Starbucks is rolling out a new mobile feature in North America that allows customers to schedule pick-up times up to one hour in advance for better precision.

Little Caesars is pilot testing a high-capacity drone delivery service in Texas capable of carrying two large pizzas and drinks in a single 4.5-minute flight.