June’s Record Bankruptcy Wave Signals Tough Times Ahead for Businesses

In June there were 75 major U.S. business bankruptcies. Some financial experts predict the pace could accelerate over the second half of the year.

Top 5 Casual-dining Restaurant Chains by Sales

Olive Garden’s sales have bloomed even as the economy has wilted, topping the list of U.S. casual-dining chains in terms of systemwide sales.

Seafood Restaurant Outlook: Lessons Learned from Red Lobster’s Demise

What can seafood restaurant operators learn from the demise of Red Lobster? Andy Diamond, president of seafood franchise Angry Crab Shack, recently noted how operators can stay ahead of volatile market pricing to deliver value.

Consumers Have Forced the Value Wars

Food prices are up; consumer confidence is down. Many QSRs and retail outlets reported losses in the last quarter. The Value Wars are here.

Opinion: Why Casual-Dining Restaurant Chains are in Crisis

Casual dining is about to implode. It has already started. Full-service restaurants that were popular in the 1980s and ‘90s – old brands – I think they’re going to be cut in half. TGI Friday’s …

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.

Can Fine Dining Survive Without Weekends? Canlis Will Find Out

The restaurant is an outlier in another way: no tipping. Instead, staff are paid what Canlis said is a high hourly wage. The change in schedules will not affect salaries.

Scottish Cuisine Has Burst onto the American Scene

Not only is Scotland home to world-famous cattle breeds and celebrated wild-caught game, but the neighboring North Sea and Atlantic Ocean ensure that the country of roughly 5.5 million residents boasts stellar oysters and mussels. 

Column: Loyalty Apps Becoming a Boon for Fast-Food Restaurants 

One great benefit of loyalty programs is that they help businesses, like restaurant chains, build a relationship with a customer. To inspire consumers to join your program you can use price or other incentives.

Fast-Food Kiosks Will be Prevalent by 2025

The annual State of Digital Report by Qu revealed that food kiosks are the top priority this year for QSRs and fast-casual restaurants.

Texas Roadhouse Shows Good Restaurant Operators Can Still Succeed — Even Now

Texas Roadhouse has built itself into one of the two best operators in casual dining, and one of the best operators in its entire industry.

How the Pandemic Reshaped Restaurant Real Estate

There has been a sizable population shift to America’s Sun Belt as well as its suburbs and rural areas in recent years. That fact has reshaped the nation’s commercial real estate, experts say.

Crisp & Green CEO Sees ‘Amazing Runway’ for Salad Chain

WAYZATA, Minnesota – Crisp & Green isn’t the first fast-casual restaurant to focus on salads. Yet, founder Steele Smiley promises an unrivaled focus on freshness and healthiness. He feels competitors “have left this amazing runway …

Report: QR Code Usage on the Rise for Young Consumers

One of the lasting pandemic-related changes in consumer behavior could be the adoption of the QR code, according to a new FoodBytes report from Datassential. A year ago, just a quarter of consumers had encountered …

As Masks Come Off, Restaurant Industry Outlook Tempered by Labor Shortage

With masks coming off, restaurants are bracing for a surge in business, evidenced by increased job posting for servers, bartenders and a host of other rolls, reports PeopleReady, an on-demand labor company. Unfortunately, many of …

Drive-Thrus Could Give Full-Service Chains New Opportunities for Growth

The drive-thru lane is no longer exclusive to fast-food chains. Applebee’s recently revealed it would be “aggressively” leaning into drive-thrus as it gets back to new unit growth, reported Forbes (March 3). The chain will …

Restaurant Sales Improve Following January Slump

After ten consecutive months of traffic gains, the U.S. restaurant industry’s recovery slowed in January, according to The NPD Group. However, things are looking up. OMICRON-INDUCED SLOW DOWN IN JANUARY The surge of the COVID-19 …

As Covid Restrictions Ease, What Should Restaurants Expect?

As states ease mask mandates, consumers remain wary of omicron and future variants. At the same, experts say businesses need to brace for an expected surge in demand in the second quarter. With that, the …

Restaurant Sales Expected to Exceed Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2022

Things are looking up in the world of foodservice. Restaurant industry sales are expected to hit $898 billion this year, up from $864 billion in 2019, according to the National Restaurant Association’s State of the …

Breakfast, Brunch Making Big Comebacks

Here’s an eye-opener: even as the pandemic continues, breakfast visits to restaurants have increased significantly. In the three months ending in November, online and physical visits to restaurants for breakfast increased 11% year over year, …

Which Technologies Will Push the Food Industry Forward?

Propelled by the pandemic, robotic innovations are still making food-industry headlines. A few of the latest developments include: 7-Eleven partnered with Nuro to pilot a commercial delivery service using autonomous vehicles in the Silicon Valley …

Industry Expert: Consumer Trends Evolving in Chain Restaurant Space

The lingering effects of COVID-19, inflationary pressures, and a desire among consumers for new types of cuisines will impact the chain restaurant space for years to come. That’s according to The NPD Group’s Stephanie Epperson, …

NPD Exec: Restaurant Operators Must Lean Into Off-Premises Opportunities

Prior to last year, David Portalatin noticed it all the time. In his hometown of Houston, restaurant customers sought “Instagrammable moments,” in which they snapped photos of tasty-looking food and friends with whom they were …

Subway Continues Brand Refresh with Unique New Bread

Subway is getting back to the diet business, becoming the first quick-serve restaurant to offer a 1-net-carb bread. The sandwich chain, which has nearly 40,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries operated by franchisees, always …

COVID-19 May Have Changed Restaurant Dining Forever

The latest National Restaurant Association overview of the industry indicates the pandemic may have changed dining forever, and experts say many of the changes implemented as a survival tool are here to stay. “These external …

Analysts: Food Delivery Apps Face Uncertain Future

Food delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats became an essential service during the pandemic, when consumers were mostly confined to home and restaurants were closed to indoor patrons. But now that life is returning …

Like the Flavoring in that Dish? Order it Right Off Menus with New Marketing Tactic

There’s a new wrinkle in the restaurant experience – and a new revenue stream: direct-to-consumer products featured on menus. The overall idea is not new. Lawry’s Prime Rib began marketing its signature seasoned salt in …

Restaurants Pushing to Accommodate Gluten-Sensitive Customers

Eighty-five million Americans are impacted by food allergies and intolerances, according to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), an organization engaged in food allergy advocacy. These days, an increasingly common allergy relates to gluten. Celiac …

A Look at Pizza Chains’ Big Post-Pandemic Plans

Pizza has been in high demand throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But, as indoor dining resumes and competition between food pick-up and delivery services heats up, how will major pizza chains maintain sales momentum?   Major …

Restaurant Chain Bankruptcies Amid Pandemic Pressure

Food Institute Focus – Restaurant Chain Bankruptcies Amid Pressure from Pandemic

Foodservice Struggles, Packaged Food Sales Up

Food Institute Focus – Foodservice Struggles, Packaged Food Sales Up