Corporate Operations

  • An image of Pinstripes
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    Courtesy of Pinstripes
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    Pinstripes CFO departs, company explores strategic alternative

    The eatertainment brand saw same-store sales fall 7.7% last quarter, and failed to maintain a leverage ratio required by a financing covenant.

    By • Feb. 21, 2025
  • An image of Joe Christina, CEO at Tijuana Flats.
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    Permission granted by Tijuana Flats
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    Noodles & Company hires Joe Christina as president and COO

    Christina, formerly CEO at Tijuana Flats, joins the chain as it embarks on a long-term menu overhaul and turns the corner on sales struggles.

    By • Feb. 20, 2025
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    sam edwards via Getty Images
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    Trendline

    Menu development

    Restaurants big and small are experimenting with their menus to align with the preferences of on-the-go diners and mitigate the impact of rising food costs, supply chain disruption and shrinking consumer discretionary funds. 

    By Restaurant Dive staff
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Starbucks’ DEI policies labeled ‘discriminatory’ in Missouri attorney general’s lawsuit

    A spokesperson for the chain denied the claims in an email to HR Dive and said Starbucks’ hiring and benefits programs are “open to everyone and lawful.”

    By Ryan Golden • Feb. 19, 2025
  • An image of a white building with red stripes and KFC branding.
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    Moses Robinson via Getty Images
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    KFC US HQ leaves Kentucky for Texas

    Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs said the move will contribute to the company’s competitive advantage as Yum looks to remake the KFC brand.

    By • Feb. 19, 2025
  • An exterior pink building with Saucy by KFC signage
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    Permission granted by Saucy by KFC
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    KFC US promotes CMO to president

    Catherine Tan-Gillespie will take over from Tarun Lal as U.S. president for the chicken chain on April 1, after a difficult year for sales.

    By • Feb. 13, 2025
  • Dutch Bros Coffee's president, Christine Barone will replace Joth Ricci as CEO. Pictured is a Dutch Bros unit.
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    Dutch Bros’ mobile ordering is booming

    The new digital channel already accounts for 8% of sales just a year after initial testing, executives said, and is available at 96% of stores.

    By • Feb. 13, 2025
  • An image of Burger King's Sizzle remodeled restaurant
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    Courtesy of Burger King
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    Burger King accelerates remodels, refranchising

    The QSR giant will start selling off the restaurants it acquired in its $1 billion Carrols deal two years ahead of schedule.

    By • Feb. 12, 2025
  • Popeyes unveils new brand identity, pilots store redesign
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    Courtesy of Popeyes
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    Popeyes will remodel stores and beef up ad spending

    Restaurant Brands International will add equipment, ranging from a cloud-based point-of-sales system to an automated batter-maker, at the chicken chain’s U.S. stores.

    By • Feb. 12, 2025
  • Taco Bell exterior
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    Courtesy of Taco Bell
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    Yum Brands launches integrated tech platform

    Thousands of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants already use Byte by Yum, which includes kitchen management and point-of-sale tools.

    By • Feb. 6, 2025
  • The side view of a Pizza Hut restaurant can be seen, with promotional posters and banners on the windows and walls.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Pizza Hut buys 18 stores from bankrupt EYM

    The chain paid $720,000 for the units, with five other bidders securing the remaining 77 stores in an auction.

    By • Feb. 3, 2025
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    JazzIRT via Getty Images
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    What’s the restaurant outlook for 2025?

    Price-sensitive diners and rising food and labor costs are pushing chains to refine their value propositions, setting the stage for cutthroat competition.

    By • Jan. 31, 2025
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    Starbucks eyes return to premium identity as traffic slide continues

    A shift away from discounting and a 30% reduction in SKUs could refocus the brand’s identity and premium market positioning in the next several quarters.

    By • Jan. 29, 2025
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Starbucks hires Taco Bell vets to replace departing execs

    Mike Grams and Meredith Sandland will divide responsibilities in newly created roles as part of a refreshed corporate structure.

    By • Jan. 28, 2025
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    Starbucks wants to claw back $830K from former exec

    The coffee giant says a former senior vice president owes the bulk of a pro-rated signing bonus for leaving four months after he was hired.

    By • Jan. 24, 2025
  • An image of a box with 10 burgers and sides next to a pitcher of pink liquid and a large salad. The box has "The Habit Burger" on it.
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    Permission granted by The Habit Burger
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    Back to the Basics: Building catering programs

    A growing number of restaurants are launching catering programs to keep pace with changing consumer behavior. It takes diverse menus, reliable service and the right infrastructure to stand out. 

    By Danielle McLean • Jan. 22, 2025
  • A smiling white man in a suit. He's wearing a jacket with peaked lapels and no tie, for what it's worth.
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    Starbucks warns of corporate layoffs in March

    CEO Brian Niccol framed forthcoming job cuts as a way to increase efficiency and accountability and reduce organizational complexity.

    By • Jan. 21, 2025
  • An image of a building with a sign that says "Sweetgreen."
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen CTO shares the chain’s data-focused approach to CX

    CTO Wouleta Ayele discussed why she designs experiences by working backwards from an ideal outcome at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show conference.

    By Bryan Wassel • Jan. 15, 2025
  • A Papa Johns worker delivers fresh dough and ingredients from a truck.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Papa Johns wants market density, not more territories

    The pizza chain’s biggest growth opportunities lie in markets where it already has a presence, executives told investors in December.

    By • Jan. 13, 2025
  • An image of a Noodles & Company restaurant with outdoor seating
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    Courtesy of Noodles & Company
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    Noodles & Company warned of Nasdaq delisting

    After third-quarter earnings disappointed and its stock price fell under $1, the company has yet to recover.

    By • Jan. 2, 2025
  • Starbucks cup going into a recycling bin
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Inside Starbucks’ very long, very bad 2024

    Traffic declines and labor strife kept the chain mired in trouble despite a CEO switch up and product launches aimed at reviving its fortunes.

    By • Jan. 2, 2025
  • The outside of a LongHorn Steakhouse.
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    Scott Olson / Staff via Getty Images
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    Darden Restaurants begins POS rollout as it pursues speedier service

    The new point-of-sale system will help the company speed up orders and improve its data capabilities at nine restaurant brands, executives said.

    By Bryan Wassel • Dec. 19, 2024
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    DoorDash to require 150K workers to verify IDs weekly

    The delivery platform framed the more stringent verification policies as a way to improve consumer and merchant peace of mind.

    By • Dec. 13, 2024
  • A Papa Johns' employee cuts pizza after preparing it.
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    Courtesy of Papa Johns
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    Why Todd Penegor wants Papa Johns to make more pizzas

    Menu innovation may drive customer trial, but that doesn’t strengthen the brand’s core appeal, the chain’s CEO said during an investor event.

    By • Dec. 12, 2024
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    10 pivotal restaurant CEO changes from 2024

    Starbucks, Chipotle and Shake Shack were among many brands brought in new leaders this year following retirements or a need for a turnaround. 

    By • Dec. 9, 2024
  • An image of Red Loster sign on the outside of a restaurant
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    10 of the restaurant industry’s most impactful bankruptcies of 2024

    While dozens of brands and operators filed for bankruptcy this year, a sample of major filings show a range of problems from rising labor costs to low traffic.

    By • Dec. 5, 2024