Corporate Operations

  • A photograph of a burger, drink and fries from Fatburger.
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    Permission granted by Fat Brands
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    DOJ drops charges against Fat Brands, Andy Wiederhorn

    The original indictment alleged misconduct over a loan scheme involving $47 million transferred from Fat and Fog Cutter Capital to Wiederhorn.

    By • July 30, 2025
  • The Starbucks company logo on a glass door.
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    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Starbucks pledges $500M in additional labor as sales slide continues

    The coffee chain’s same-store sales dropped for the sixth consecutive quarter, but CEO Brian Niccol said the brand is seeing positive indicators in its operational metrics.

    By • July 30, 2025
  • A photograph of chefs in a kitchen. Explore the Trendline➔
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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
  • A photograph of Shipley Do-Nuts
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    Permission granted by Shipley Do-Nuts
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    Shipley Do-Nuts sold to Levine Leichtman

    The chain’s new owners grew Tropical Smoothie Cafe into a brand valued at $2 billion. Now they want to repeat that success with the doughnut maker.

    By • July 28, 2025
  • A smiling person stands in front of a green background with a yellow "Subway" logo visible.
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    Courtesy of Subway
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    Subway taps Burger King vet as CEO

    Jonathan Fitzpatrick will take the sandwich chain’s top spot on July 28, and inherits AUV struggles and an ongoing push to modernize its menu.

    By , • Updated July 21, 2025
  • Jack in the Box restaurant location
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Why Jack in the Box’s poison pill was the right move

    The chain wants to protect itself from a hostile takeover, and the limited-duration act is unlikely to impact shareholders, lawyer Keith Gottfried said.

    By • July 9, 2025
  • An image of a black wall inside an office with different dates on a timeline highlighting Bojangles history. In front of the wall there are three chairs.
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    Permission granted by Bojangles
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    Bojangles debuts new support center in North Carolina

    The headquarters in Charlotte brings all of its corporate employees under one roof and will include a full-scale test kitchen.

    By • Updated June 25, 2025
  • A photograph of a person wearing a suit and smiling.
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    Courtesy of Yum Brands
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    Yum Brands appoints Chris Turner CEO

    Turner, current chief financial and franchise officer, will succeed David Gibbs on Oct. 1. Gibbs will serve the chain in an advisory role through 2026.

    By • Updated June 17, 2025
  • A corporate headquarters in a flat landscape dotted with lakes.
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    TW Farlow via Getty Images
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    Darden closes one-third of Bahama Breeze restaurants

    The company closed 15 Bahama Breeze locations across eight states in May, as part of a push for its smaller brands to focus on high-performing units. 

    By • May 27, 2025
  • El Pollo Loco logo and tagline
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    Courtesy of El Pollo Loco
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    Why El Pollo Loco’s rebrand invites diners to ‘Get Loco’

    CMO Jill Adams shares how a new tagline serves as a “call to action” and a play to engage with consumers around their passions.

    By Chris Kelly • May 22, 2025
  • An exterior shot of a beige restaurant on a rainy day.
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    Aneurin Canham-Clyne/Restaurant Dive
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    Vegan full-service chain Planta goes bankrupt

    Rising costs, falling consumer demand and structural changes in the restaurant industry left the brand with insufficient cash flow.

    By • May 14, 2025
  • An image of a gray building with a white logo that says "Shake Shack"
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Shake Shack to open new support center, flagship restaurant in Atlanta

    The new support center and flagship location, equipped with a full bar, represent an evolution for the brand and could signal an increased reliance on menu innovation and LTOs as growth drivers.

    By • May 9, 2025
  • An image of three Krispy Kreme doughnuts and six in a box.
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    Permission granted by McDonald's/Krispy Kreme
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    Krispy Kreme pauses McDonald’s rollout as sales drop

    The doughnut chain said it has stopped expanding its McDonald’s presence while it works to assess the profitability of the business model.

    By • May 8, 2025
  • Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman
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    Courtesy of Shift4. Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman
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    Shift4 turns to restaurants for future growth

    The payment processor has signed thousands of restaurants in Europe and plans to expand that business.

    By Patrick Cooley • May 6, 2025
  • A beige building with a green sign and white lettering that says "Panera Bread."
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Panera is shuttering its dough facilities to speed up innovation

    The closures and transition to par-baked bread are part of a brand turnaround effort under its new CEO. 

    By • May 1, 2025
  • People sit in a coffee shop.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Starbucks suffers 5th quarter of falling comps

    The coffee chain will start cafe remodels to improve its coffeehouse feel in New York and Southern California later this year as its brand turnaround continues.

    By • April 30, 2025
  • An image of a pink sign that says "Saucy"
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    Permission granted by Saucy by KFC
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    Taco Bell sales surge, KFC will expand Saucy concept

    As Taco Bell succeeds in the U.S., KFC’s spinoff could replicate the Cantina strategy that Taco Bell has used to power its menu innovation.

    By • April 30, 2025
  • A smiling man in a blue windowpane check suit coat with a white dress shirt
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    Courtesy of Sweetgreen
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    Sweetgreen hires Chipotle vet as COO

    Jason Cochran, who served as vice president of operations at Chipotle under Brian Niccol, could help Sweetgreen as it looks to establish itself as a clear segment leader.

    By • April 29, 2025
  • A photograph of a brick building with a red sign and white letters that says Chipotle.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Chipotle wants its workers to smile for customers

    The restaurant chain plans to improve CX through friendliness. “The fact is smiles down the line don't slow us down,” CEO Scott Boatwright said.

    By Bryan Wassel • April 25, 2025
  • An image of two pizzas in front of a pizza oven.
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    Courtesy of Bertucci's
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    Bertucci’s goes bankrupt for 3rd time in 7 years

    The ailing brand, which closed 7 of its 22 stores, may lean on its fast casual spinoff to weather the rising costs and waning consumer confidence hurting casual restaurants.

    By • April 25, 2025
  • Jack in the Box restaurant location
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Jack in the Box will shutter up to 200 stores, mulls Del Taco sale

    The brand will also scale back its company-owned development starting next year and sell off real estate to pay down debt.

    By • April 24, 2025
  • Chairs and tables outside a restaurant beneath a rectangular "Kitchen 1883" sign.
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    Screenshot: Google Maps

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    Kroger to close 2 restaurants

    The grocer is shuttering Kitchen 1883 eateries in Union, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, but plans to continue operating a third location in a supermarket next to its headquarters.

    By Sam Silverstein • April 24, 2025
  • A white man in gray pants, a polo, a blue windowpane checked sportcoat and a baseball cap stands in front of a salad restaurant.
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    Courtesy of Salad and Go
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    Salad and Go hires former Krispy Kreme head as CEO

    The salad chain’s central kitchen operating model bears a resemblance to the doughnut maker’s hub-and-spoke structure, which Mike Tattersfield has seven years of experience leading.

    By • April 22, 2025
  • 7-Eleven
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    Courtesy of 7-Eleven
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    7-Eleven to open 1,300 new stores through 2030

    The retailer also expects to roughly double the number of stores that include a QSR, from 1,080 to 2,100, as it gears up for a 2026 IPO.

    By Jessica Loder • April 16, 2025
  • Customer spending rising due to inflation
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Here’s what 7 major restaurants pay their CEOs — and their store-level workers

    The top brass at fast food chains like Starbucks, Chipotle and Yum Brands make tens of millions a year, while their hourly workers’ earnings hover near the poverty line.

    By • April 15, 2025
  • Gavel sitting on cash
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    Avosb via Getty Images
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    Just Salad ex-CFO missed out on $1.2M, lawsuit claims

    The former finance chief is seeking funds he claims he’s owed relating to a separation agreement, as well as $5 million in damages.

    By Grace Noto • April 3, 2025