Executive of the Year: Kevin Johnson, Starbucks

Johnson emerged from former CEO Howard Schultz's shadow, identifying the coffee chain's pain points and using his tech background to boost innovation and sales.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 9, 2019

The Restaurant Dive Awards for 2019

From McDonald's purchase of Dynamic Yield to Chick-fil-A's operational edge, these are the companies and executives that shaped the restaurant industry this year.

Dec. 9, 2019

Emerging Brand of the Year: MOD Pizza

The top-your-own pizza chain is leveraging savvy tech investments and off-premise optimization to win a hefty — and growing — slice of market share from legacy brands and nimble newcomers. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Dec. 9, 2019

Burger King to expand its Canadian footprint by 25% in 5 years

Burger King plans to open more than 100 restaurants in Ontario and Manitoba in the next five years. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 6, 2019

Ford will upcycle McDonald's coffee waste into car parts

The fast food chain's latest partnership is part of its long-standing sustainability initiatives, which includes reducing plastic packaging waste and its 2020 goal of sourcing coffee from 100% sustainable sources.  

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 6, 2019

Dave & Buster's cashes in on contactless commerce app

The restaurant chain's app uses NFC technology to let customers play games with a phone tap and manage rewards points.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 5, 2019

KFC brings back its fried chicken-scented Firelogs

The logs, made from recycled materials via a partnership with Enviro-Log, will be available exclusively on Walmart's website.

By Barry Levine • Dec. 5, 2019

Chipotle enforces sick policy, reports no food safety issues since 2017

Following a norovirus incident in 2017 that sickened several customers, the fast casual chain has enforced its sick policy and new food safety standards, resulting in no incidents within the last two years.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 5, 2019

Chipotle agrees to $95K payout in sexual harassment suit

A former employee claims he was locked in a walk-in freezer for reporting a sexual harassment incident, adding to a slew of sexual harassment lawsuits hitting the QSR space. 

By Alicia Kelso • Dec. 4, 2019

On the Border settles race claim for $100K and a letter from its chief people officer

EEOC alleged the employer failed to act when employees at the restaurant repeatedly subjected a co-worker to racial slurs.

By Lisa Burden • Dec. 4, 2019

Deliveroo CFO departs before funding round investigation

Raif Jacobs is one of five executives to leave Deliveroo this year, including its COO, chief technology officer, chief people officer and chief legal officer. 

By Jane Thier • Dec. 3, 2019

Pizza Hut tests in-store kiosks with Brookshire

As the pizza chain explores more avenues to grow sales, it entered into a partnership with a grocery retailer and could expand it to other stores in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. 

By Lauren Manning • Dec. 3, 2019

Subway to start the year with pricing discounts despite previous protests

Under new CEO John Chidsey, the chain eyes price cuts to at least two sandwiches, according to the New York Post, despite complaints from franchisees.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 2, 2019

Group criticizes McDonald's for fired CEO's $42M severance package

Investors and New York City's comptroller told the fast food chain that they were "distressed" by the substantial severance Steve Easterbrook received and urged it to adopt a stronger clawback policy. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 27, 2019

Shift Change: Starbucks hires exec focused on diversity; Carrols brings on new CFO

This week's Shift Change also highlights new executives at Roy Rogers and Another Broken Egg Cafe. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 27, 2019

Pay by the numbers: How much top restaurant execs make compared to their employees

Compensation for the CEOs of public companies averaged over $5 million in 2018 while average pay was just over $10 per hour for workers.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 27, 2019

Burger King's largest operator taps new CFO after $8.3M flub

After a major discounting error by Carrols Restaurant Group' over the summer, Realogy Holdings Corp. strategist and former CFO Anthony Hull is stepping in to restore order. 

By Jane Thier • Nov. 27, 2019

Golden Corral steps up franchisee incentives in remodel push

The buffet chain is offering $10,000 to $140,000 credits toward the remodel, marketing costs or retraining for franchisees that complete its new redesign. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 26, 2019

McDonald's Thanksgiving Twitter contest gifts a year of Uber Eats delivery

Uber Eats is also waiving delivery fees for late-night McDonald's orders from Nov. 27 through Cyber Monday.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 26, 2019

Starbucks hires global diversity and inclusion officer

Nzinga Shaw, who starts in January, joins Starbucks in the wake of a recent racial controversy.

By Lauren Manning • Nov. 26, 2019

KFC hides 11 holiday gifts in limited-edition bucket illustrations

Customers can snap pictures of the drawings by Nicholas John Frith and post them to Instagram for a chance to win their real-world counterparts.

By Barry Levine , Peter Adams • Nov. 26, 2019

California McDonald's workers win $26M settlement over wage theft

The agreement ends seven years of litigation over pay and hour violations at corporate stores, but this isn't the only class action lawsuit involving the chain.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 25, 2019

Blaze Pizza uses digital, drive-thrus to slice up market competition, says CEO Mandy Shaw

The brand's new leader believes its franchise model and focus on multiple off-premise touch points threaten fast casuals and legacy pizza chains slow to engage with third-party delivery.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 25, 2019

Shift Change: CPK's new EVP to oversee international expansion

This week's Shift Change also highlights executive news from Wingstop, Your Pizza, RAVE Restaurant Group and Kura Sushi. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 22, 2019

ADA lawsuits target physical gift cards

Starbucks appears to be the only major restaurant retailer that provides gift cards with Braille, according to a growing number of ADA-based lawsuits.

By Lauren Manning • Nov. 22, 2019