FI Fast Break audio news: Nov. 19, 2025
The latest FI Fast Break news podcast touches on the growing list of restaurant chains and operating groups that have filed for bankruptcy.
Tag: foodservice trends
Hispanic Shoppers’ Health Priorities Shake Up Industry
Hispanic consumers are reshaping the food industry with health-driven choices, flavor curiosity, and rising purchasing power. Brands ignoring this shift risk falling behind as authenticity and wellness become the new growth frontier.
Plant-Based Dairy Defies Category Trends
Plant-based dairy is driving the next generation of plant-based growth through innovations in milk, yogurt, and cheese, eclipsing plant-based meat’s claim on the market. Despite yogurt and cheese’s modest menu penetration, they represent the fastest growers in the category.
Forces Shaping Foodservice: Attracting Discerning Shoppers
Economic headwinds are shaping consumer shopping behaviors, with looming tariffs affecting consumers’ perceptions of imported foods…
Foodservice Focus: Consumers Can’t Get Enough of Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A
Legacy chains like Chick-fil-A are seeing customer satisfaction scores hold even as growth slows, opening doors for challenger QSRs. Meanwhile, full-service dining has largely stumbled amid rising prices.
Solutions to Today’s Biggest Restaurant Challenges
IFMA Introduces Rebranded Identity at 2024 Presidents Conference
The 72-year-old organization recently unveiled a rebrand in a new video that retraces its history and reflects the changes seen in the food-away-from-home category since the pandemic.
Plant-based Consumers’ Favorite QSRs
U.S. consumers love fast food and those who follow a plant-forward diet are no exception. Which quick service restaurants (QSRs) are plant-based consumers seeking out this year?
Market Signals: Unpacking the Veggie Grill Acquisition
Plant-based chain Next Level Burger has acquired Veggie Grill from vegan investment fund VegInvest. The Food Institute spoke with industry analysts to unpack the potential ramifications of this transaction amidst ongoing financial challenges for plant-based and the restaurant industry at large.
Boosting the Better-for-You Beverage Offer in Foodservice
Better-for-you beverages are booming, but major foodservice players have been slow to diversify their fountain offerings. Can consumer demand for healthier alternatives turn the tides?
Restaurateur Stephen Schrutt on What Makes Gen-Z Tick
Every generation brings change, but Generation Z has an important distinction: It’s the first generation to have grown up in the digital era and members have high standards for how to spend their time online. …
Restaurant Show Puts Plant-Based in Spotlight
CHICAGO – Plant-based protein options were plentiful at the recent National Restaurant Association show, with old timers Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Kellogg’s Morningstar Farms joined by newer companies – such as Daring, Next Gen …
Automation, Marketing to Gen Z Key Themes at Restaurant Show
CHICAGO – Members of the restaurant industry gathered in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show between in late May to taste the latest in culinary trends. Major themes at the show included automation, marketing …
Mexican Food Hotter than Ever
Even a lingering pandemic has done little to slow the momentum of Merkado, an independent restaurant serving Mexican comfort food in San Francisco. The establishment, which features a menu inspired by Yucatán and Jaliscan cuisine, …
Are Consumers Ready for the Return of ‘Eatertainment’?
As the pandemic appears to subside, at least one major chain is banking on the return of experiential dining that includes entertainment options such as arcade games. Dave & Buster’s opened eyes in April when …
IFMA CEO: 3 Key Issues Likely to Drive Foodservice Forward
Phil Kafarakis knows the pandemic has created dire situations for many restaurants. At the same time, he’s also encouraged by the resilience displayed by many operators. “I think this pandemic gave people an opportunity to …