Cava leans on tech to free up workers’ time to connect with guests

The company is investing in automated food production for digital orders only, as “technology should enhance, not replace the human experience,” CEO Brett Schulman said.

Noodles & Company accelerates closure of underperforming restaurants

The chain closed 20 company-owned units last year and saw a bump in traffic and sales at nearby restaurants. Now it plans to shutter up to 32 more.

Bojangles signs 20-unit New York franchise deal

With its return to the Big Apple and a 35-store agreement for New Jersey, Bojangles is poised to establish a major foothold in the Northeast.

Maggiano’s president departs as brand turnaround proceeds

Rich Kissel, a longtime Chili’s exec who helped revive the chain, joins Maggiano’s as COO after Dominique Bertolone’s resigned as brand president.

McDonald’s launches first-party delivery channel with DoorDash

Guests using McDonald’s new white-label DoorDash site don’t need an account or an app to place a delivery order.

Cava’s traffic growth slows as consumers show reticence

Fast casual segment leaders fell behind some fast food competitors in sales growth this quarter, with Cava the latest to post flat traffic growth.

Cava joins Chipotle in backing Hyphen with $10M

The automated makeline company will use the money to accelerate the deployment of its technology, but Cava’s CFO says testing at the brand is unlikely until 2026.

Why Coke and Pepsi think dirty soda is a win for restaurants

Consumer demand for premium, customizable beverages is pushing soda makers to add everything from fruit to flavored soft serve ice cream to sodas.

Fat Brands to serve Great American Cookies at Chuck E. Cheese

The delivery-only partnership with Virtual Dining Concepts will bring the cookie brand to 400 Chuck E. Cheese locations initially.

How KFC’s Potato Wedge LTO ties into its comeback strategy

The chain said consumer demand pushed it to revive the side after a five-year hiatus and bring back Hot & Spicy wings, as well.  

Wendy’s wants good experiences to drive frequency as consumers pull back spending

Customer satisfaction for orders placed through employees and made digitally were each up significantly year over year, but it wasn’t enough to offset a negative quarter.

GoTo Foods launches drone delivery in Texas

Through a partnership with DoorDash and Wing, the company will offer fast delivery from select restaurants in Frisco, Fort Worth and Plano.

Zaxbys’ Southwestern growth continues with Phoenix store

The chicken chain is growing far beyond its Southeastern base, putting pressure on larger QSRs that are innovating with poultry menus. 

Unprofitable Sweetgreen cuts workers and fries

With same-store sales down by 7.6% and losses mounting, the salad chain is looking to trim operational complexity and corporate expenses.

Wendy’s adopts McDonald’s chicken tender playbook, boosts beverages

After an unfocused promotional calendar failed to boost sales, CEO Ken Cook said cold brew with cold foam and sparkling energy drinks will play a key role for the brand.

Burger King speeds up refranchising, adds late-night hours

Investments in everything from remodels to operating hours helped the chain’s U.S. stores find some sales strength this quarter.

McDonald’s brings back McDonaldland to unlock consumers’ ‘core memories’

The fast food chain’s latest nostalgic campaign features Ronald McDonald and friends for the first time in more than 20 years.

Updated Aug. 11, 2025

Tips drop as consumer spending stalls

Average tip size has shrunk from 15.5% in 2023 to 14.9% in the second quarter of 2025, leaving workers with less pay, a July report from Square showed.

Jack in the Box posts worst sales quarter in years

The burger brand shed traffic and closed stores. Del Taco did too. Now, executives are banking on real estate sales and reimages at 1,000 stores to strengthen the company.

How Applebee’s turned traffic positive

New entrees and value plays helped the chain hit positive same-store sales for the first time in years, while dual-branding with IHOP promises longer-term positive results.

McDonald’s chicken, loyalty and value end same-store sales slump

A strong combination of value offerings, LTOs and new menu items drove sales growth in the U.S. for Q2, executives said.

Little Caesars offers robotic delivery in LA with Serve

The deal is part of Serve and Uber Eats’ plan to deploy upwards of 2,000 delivery robots by the end of 2025.

Noodles & Company promotes COO to CEO

Joe Christina, who joined the company in February, will replace Drew Madsen, who led the brand’s sweeping menu overhaul.

Qdoba secures $527M fund to support growth

The investment was led by Apollo S3, a subsidiary of the private equity firm that sold Qdoba to Butterfly in 2022.

Yum Brands turns to AI to aggregate social media, third-party reviews

The Byte system of AI technologies is helping power advanced Voice of the Customer tools while improving the drive-thru experience, executives said on a Q2 2025 earnings call.