What's cooking: An inside look at Cava's new innovation kitchen

The restaurant's redesigned downtown Washington, D.C. location features a digital menu board, new ingredients and dedicated pickup shelves.

By Emma Liem Beckett , Julie Littman • Sept. 17, 2019

Noodles & Company introduces financial wellness benefits to attract and retain talent

When organizations provide their workers financial assistance, they not only help their staff, but they also help their bottom lines, multiple reports have shown.

By Riia O'Donnell • Sept. 16, 2019

Huddle House buys Perkins for $51.5M

This latest acquisition tops off a particularly active M&A environment for casual brands in 2019, driven by slow-to-grow sales trends. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 13, 2019

Shift Change: Bojangles' hires first chief development officer; Starbucks adds 3 board members

This week's Shift Change also highlights execs at Which Wich, Salata Salad Kitchen, Fiesta Restaurant Group, Garden Fresh Restaurants and Wingstop. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 13, 2019

Just Salad cuts steak in favor of Beyond Meat

The fast casual chain will now serve Beyond Beef Meatballs instead of grilled steak as part of its sustainability push. 

By Lauren Manning • Sept. 13, 2019

Throwing pies at potholes

Domino's cooked up a way to fix cities' infrastructure, and it has been wildly successful.

By Chris Teale • Sept. 13, 2019

Additional labor complaints filed against Chipotle in NYC

Two weeks after New York sued the fast casual chain over Fair Workweek violations, employees from five more locations are filing complaints that the chain failed to provide 14 days notice of schedules. 

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Sept. 24, 2019

KFC cooks up dating simulator game for Colonel Sanders

The anime-style "I Love You, Colonel Sanders! A Finger Lickin' Good Dating Simulator" was revealed on Steam and will feature "cute miniature food."

By Dianna Christe • Sept. 11, 2019

McDonald's Germany served edible packaging in 10-day pilot

The experiment, which also collected diner feedback on burger wrappers made from grass and wooden McFlurry spoons, was launched ahead of the European Union's impending 2021 ban on many single-use plastics. 

By Lauren Manning • Sept. 11, 2019

Starbucks to roll out 'enhanced' mental health benefits

The chain's aim to boost these offerings includes mental health training for store managers, employee subscriptions to meditation and sleep app Headspace.

By Riia O'Donnell • Sept. 9, 2019

Burger King's #EscapeTheClown campaign in Germany geotargets McDonald's customers

An AR-powered effort inspired by the movie "It" urges people to flee rival restaurants and find the nearest Burger King.

By Robert Williams • Sept. 6, 2019

Shift Change: Red Robin hires new CEO

This week's Shift Change also highlights executives at Smoothie King, Fazoli's, Moe's Southwest Grill and Bojangles'.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 6, 2019

Red Robin hires Noodles & Company exec as CEO, rejects investor offer

Paul J.B. Murphy III, executive chairman at Noodles & Company, will join the troubled casual chain in October.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 5, 2019

Papa John's 1st Shaquille O'Neal TV spot insists 'a better day' is dawning

The basketball star-turned-board member and franchisee personally delivers pizza in the ad following scandals that ousted the brand's founder.

By Shane Schick • Sept. 5, 2019

Bojangles' taps Carl's Jr., Hardee's parent company executive for CFO

Reese Stewart, former executive at CKE Restaurants, is the third new addition to the chicken chain's C-suite since January.

By Jane Thier • Sept. 4, 2019

Bloomin' Brands faces more activist pressure to break itself up

Hedge fund Jana Partners is asking the casual dining operator to sell itself entirely or divest brands that aren't Outback Steakhouse.

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 4, 2019

DoorDash launches in Australia

The food delivery company has chosen Melbourne for its first overseas expansion, a market already swimming with major third-party competitors. 

By Lauren Manning • Sept. 4, 2019

Shift Change: Papa John's hires new CEO; Blaze Pizza CEO retires

This week's Shift Change also highlights new leadership at Arby's, Tender Greens and Pie Five. 

By Julie Littman • Aug. 30, 2019

Zero-waste chef Joel Gamoran shares his secret to the perfect beignet

Sur La Table’s National Chef Joel Gamoran explains why soy is his cooking oil of choice.

Aug. 30, 2019

Taco Bell revamps menu, cuts 9 items

The fast food chain, which is eliminating items like two Doritos Locos Tacos flavors and the Power Menu Burrito, will roll out a shorter menu on Sept. 12 with fewer combo options.

By Julie Littman • Aug. 29, 2019

McDonald's urged by local governments to bolster anti-sexual harassment training

More than 100 local officials from 31 states urged the chain to create more stringent workplace policies, and claim that McDonald's workers have filed 50-plus sexual harassment complaints, Reuters reports. 

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Sept. 27, 2019

Jersey Mike's swaps free food for app downloads on fall tailgate tour

Each of the 16 pop-ups at college football games will offer custom Snapchat geofilters, mobile charging stations, lawn games and branded giveaways.

By Robert Williams • Aug. 29, 2019

Postmates follows rivals' leads with group ordering feature

Users can place orders on their own phones and pay separately through the new service, an option that echoes previous initiatives from DoorDash, Grubhub and UberEats.

By Lauren Manning • Aug. 28, 2019

WeWork enters restaurant space with Spacious acquisition

Spacious turns high-end restaurants into coworking spaces during off-peak hours, and has converted dozens of New York and San Francisco restaurants since its launch in 2016. 

By Alicia Kelso • Aug. 28, 2019

Panera launches hybrid delivery model with DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub

A "bring your own courier model" will let diners order through the third-party platforms, but Panera's in-house fleet will deliver their meals.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Aug. 27, 2019