KFC Struggles to Stop Its Multi-Decade U.S. Slide

KFC’s U.S. sales are in free fall, even as chicken sizzles across the industry. Yum! Brands’ bold pivot to “Saucy” signals a reinvention, but is it too late for KFC’s comeback?

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.

Moving Targets: Does Pizza Hut’s New Box Signal a Return of Pandemic Trends?

Pizza Hut launched the Moving Box Table, a pizza box that doubles as a makeshift table for moving-day meals. This unique marketing tactic hints at a potential resurgence of strategies popularized in 2020.

Taco the Town: Del Taco Tops Consumers’ Best Fast-Food List

Del Taco, a restaurant chain nearing its 60th anniversary, has never been hotter, winning top marks in a recent best fast-food list.

Restaurant Chains Dominate Top 10 Fastest-Growing Retail Brands

Yelp has released its first-ever list of the 50 fastest-growing brands in the U.S. Restaurant chains dominate the top ten, half of which are “challenger brands” – businesses that are not market leaders but aim to compete by disrupting their industries.

Fast-Flation: Fast Food Restaurant Prices Surge, Even as Inflation Wanes

Major fast-food restaurants have raised prices by 60% on average between 2014 and 2024. McDonald’s is the worst offender with average menu prices increasing more than three times the national rate of inflation over the past decade.

Dunkin’ and Reese’s Among Super Bowl 58 Ad Winners

What is the alchemy for an effective Super Bowl commercial? According to experts, for an ad to stick in football fans’ memory, it needs to feature a few key elements.

Poultry Power Meets Global Flavor

Chicken listings on restaurant menus have grown 6.4% in the past five years, outpacing the 4.7% of burgers and other beef-based items.

QSRs’ Chicken Sandwich Wars Reignited

Experts are predicting chicken sandwiches will dominate menus in 2023. According to a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association, which polled over 500 industry experts, chicken sandwiches – both classic and new variations – …

Update: Nuggets Taking Center Stage Amid Chicken Wars

Eighty-four percent of consumers globally order chicken from a restaurant at least once a month, according to new research by Technomic. The latest chicken product in high demand appears to be nuggets. POPEYES DEBUTS NUGGETS …

Corporate Diversity Initiatives One Year After George Floyd

George Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests and ultimately served as a catalyst for anti- discrimination efforts. Many companies also responded by releasing statements against racism. And some took action, setting quantifiable goals to increase diversity …

Restaurant Recovery: How Chains are Growing Amid the Pandemic

During the pandemic, restaurants have had to find new ways of winning over consumers. Those who are innovating seem to be recovering well from pandemic-related losses. “300 million people wake up hungry each day, and …

Technomic’s Freier Says Chicken Sandwich War Is Beneficial for All Parties Involved

Lizzy Freier, senior research manager of menu at Technomic, spoke with The Food Institute’s Susan Choi about the so-called chicken sandwich wars in the quick service restaurant segment, the impact of the pandemic on sales, …

Popeyes’ Sandwich Drives Sales at RBI

Food Institute Focus – Popeyes’ Sandwich Drives Sales at RBI