The Sauces Star at KFC’s Saucy

KFC’s Saucy spinoff flips fast food on its head, making sauce the star with various flavor combos and a vibe-forward experience. Gen Z diners, after all, are chasing chicken these days.

Beef Prices Hit Record High, Restaurants Rethink Menus

Facing record-high beef prices, restaurants are reworking menus and investing in vertical supply chains to stay afloat. Some are rebranding leaner protein choices as “wellness-driven,” while giants like Walmart cut out the middleman entirely.

A US Foods-PFG Tie-Up is Surprising, Logical, and Far From Guaranteed

US Foods is eyeing a blockbuster merger with Performance Food Group, aiming to dominate the independent restaurant channel and outpace Sysco. But with steep costs and FTC hurdles, the deal’s anything but a sure thing.

Cracker Barrel Straddles the Fence Between the Past and Future

Cracker Barrel is attempting to modernize its brand with sleeker decor, streamlined retail, and booze on the menu. CEO Julie Felss Masino faces the challenge of evolution without eroding identity.

Peeling Back the Layers of the Banana Coffee Trend

Banana milk is swinging into the coffee scene, turning nostalgic flavor into a retail phenomenon. Fueled by K-pop, global influence, and social media buzz, it’s reshaping what “comfort coffee” means for consumers.

Minimum Wage Rising; Employers Fret Over Impact

Minimum wage hikes took effect starting today across the U.S., leaving restaurants and grocers bracing for ripple effects. Business leaders warn of closures, while advocates say fair pay is overdue in a shifting labor landscape.

US Treasury Cuts Costs by Axing the Penny: What it Means for Retailers

The penny’s swan song – likely to occur next year – may save millions, but it won’t shake 99-cent psychology in retail pricing.

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.

Tariff Tactics: How Food Brands Are Battling Rising Costs

Food and beverage businesses have begun to feel the impact of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Some have absorbed the blow. Others were left staggering. When the U.S. raised steel and aluminum tariffs to …

The Bear in the Room: Addressing the Foodservice Mental Health Crisis

The restaurant industry’s mental health crisis is finally in the spotlight, and Chef Chris Aquilino is leading the charge for change. Through advocacy, he’s helping kitchens shift from burnout to balance, one step at a time.

Baby Boomers: A Restaurant’s Reliable Friend

Baby Boomers offer restaurants a loyal customer who tends to be more resilient compared to younger cohorts. Contrary to popular belief, data suggests that this cohort is excited by innovative dishes, particularly those that invoke nostalgia, comfort, or function.

Wrap It Up: Fast-Food Chains Bet Big on Boneless Chicken

McDonald’s is bringing back its Snack Wrap after a nine-year hiatus, tapping into the booming demand for portable, boneless chicken options. With major chains embracing the wrap resurgence, savvy restaurant operators will leverage the trend for easy, profitable menu innovation.

Feeling Peachy: Summer Darling Leads Beverage Innovation

Peach-enhanced menu items are growing in popularity, now on 19.8% of foodservice menus, according to one report. The fruit has found its stride in beverage innovation, with legacy brands experimenting with the flavor.

5 Thriving Fast-Food Chains in 2025

Despite rising costs, 2025 is shaping up to be a fairly strong year for many restaurant chains, with top players like Cava and Chick-fil-A thriving by mastering efficiency, marketing, and customer experience. The smartest brands are pricing strategically and leveraging technology to drive success.

Roark Capital’s Aggressive Buyout Strategy May Not Be Working

Roark Capital has built a restaurant empire rivaling McDonald’s in system-wide sales, yet questions linger over its investment strategy. With limited financial transparency and stalled IPOs, has Roark’s aggressive approach truly paid off for investors?

Hot, Crispy, Conquering: The Chicken Chains Outpacing Competitors

Chicken QSRs are dominating, with chains like Dave’s Hot Chicken expanding rapidly to meet surging demand. The secret? Bold flavors, strong branding, and a winning suburban strategy that keeps customers flocking in droves.

Third-Party Delivery Giants Instacart, DoorDash Enter a Virtuous Circle

Despite consumer cost-consciousness in 2025, third-party delivery giants Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart have defied expectations with double-digit order growth. Now, investors are betting big on a future in which streamlined logistics keep customers engaged.

Winner, Loser Disparity Widens Among Casual Dining Eateries

Casual-dining stocks have significantly outperformed the market over the past three years, with Brinker International especially posting eye-opening returns, while chains such as Applebee’s continue to struggle. Clearly, consumers are rewarding brands that offer differentiated experiences.

The Future of Fast Food: How Top QSRs Are Using AI Tech to Get Ahead

QSRs are revolutionizing the dining experience by integrating AI, mobile ordering, and kiosks, but success depends on balancing efficiency with human connection. Intouch Insight’s 2025 Emerging Experiences study highlights how industry leaders are using innovative tech to streamline operations.

Canadian Cuisine is Gaining Acclaim, from Top Chef to Award-Winning Restaurants

Canadian cuisine is gaining international acclaim, with chefs showcasing The Great White North’s diverse food culture – from Indigenous influences to locally sourced seafood. As culinary innovators tap into Canada’s vast, untapped gastronomic potential, the world is finally taking note.

7-Eleven, Live Nation Partnership Exemplifies Experiential Marketing

7-Eleven is redefining experiential marketing by embedding its brand into live music culture as it works to appeal to to younger consumers.

Sysco Needs to Play Catch-Up with Foodservice Distributor Peers

Sysco, once a force in foodservice distribution, is now struggling to keep pace with rivals as missed sales expectations raise concerns about its strategies. Competitive weaknesses suggest that, without meaningful change, Sysco’s lackluster stock performance could continue.

Food Delivery Showdown: Mergers, Acquisitions, Repositions

Food delivery giants like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, and Grubhub are making bold strategic moves – from acquisitions to service diversification – to capture both consumer loyalty and merchant partnerships. As competition heats up, these platforms are doubling down on technology, international expansion, and grocery delivery integration.

Starbucks Bets on a European Aperitivo Menu – Will Gen Z Bite?

Starbucks is betting big on European-style aperitivo culture, launching an afternoon menu of small plates and drinks to boost sluggish post-morning sales. CEO Brian Niccol aims to rekindle the coffee chain’s social ambiance.

What Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day in 2025

This year, moms are wishing for a “timeout” on Mother’s Day, with 44% of participants wanting someone else to plan the big meal in an OpenTable survey. The research also revealed that nearly a third of moms are considering dining out solo on Mother’s Day in 2025, reflecting an increased desire for “me time.”

Despite a Rough Q1, Investors Believe Fast Food Will Rebound

Despite sluggish sales and weak traffic in Q1, fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Wendy’s have seen their stocks rebound, reflecting investors’ confidence in pricing adjustments to revitalize the sector. QSRs are positioning themselves for a more efficient, profitable future.

Industry Shaken: Indie Cafés Outbrew the Big Guys

Independent cafés and mid-sized coffee chains are chipping away at the dominance of Starbucks and Dunkin’, leveraging bold menu experimentation to capture customers. Challenger brands are expanding aggressively, too.

Brinker’s Spectacular Turnaround Isn’t Over Yet

Brinker International’s unexpected turnaround has propelled Chili’s to stunning same-store sales growth of nearly 26% in fiscal 2025, defying industry trends and revitalizing a brand that seemed stagnant for decades. Chili’s transformation is rewriting the playbook for restaurant chains.

SeoulSpice Korean Kitchen: From Family Recipes to Fast-Casual Success

SeoulSpice Korean Kitchen recently expanded into Chicago, opening its first location on March 31. Founded by Eric Shin, principal percussionist of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., the chain known for its fresh rice and noodle bowls has grown to a total of eight locations across D.C. and Chicago.

Hot is Hot: Spicy Beverage Flavors Taking Center Stage

The spicy flavor trend is setting the F&B world ablaze, with bold innovations such as hot honey sausage for pizzas and chili-infused ice cream captivating adventurous consumers. These days, the innovation even extends into drink aisles.

Top 5 Dealbreakers for Modern Diners

The 2025 American Diner Trends Report uncovered the top dealbreakers that deter diners, such as negative word-of-mouth, health inspection warnings, and long wait times. With distinct preferences emerging among Gen Z and older cohorts, the report illustrated how restaurants can win over consumers.

Grubhub Resuscitates Seamless, Bets Big on NYC

Grubhub recently announced it is bringing Seamless back as a standalone brand specifically for the NYC community. The strategy endeavors to target the market as part of the “next chapter” in its partnership with Wonder.

Airlines Look to F&B to Up Their Customer Experience

If you’ve flown in the past few years, you’ve likely run into a poor customer experience on an airline: albeit from overworked staff trying their best, delayed and canceled flights, more turbulence, and smaller seats. …

Death of the Doggie Bag: Why Restaurant Leftovers Are Being Left Behind

As food delivery apps make fresh meals just a tap away and younger diners prioritize experiences over portion sizes, the once-revered doggie bag is fading into obscurity. Experts feel shifting social norms and portion fatigue are driving the trend.

Brands Tap National Burrito Day to Enhance Loyalty Programs

With food-related holidays happening almost daily, brands are capitalizing on events like National Burrito Day (April 3) to drive sales, boost loyalty program engagement, and introduce gamified promotions. Restaurants from Chipotle to Taco Bell are taking advantage, rolling out limited-time deals.

The 10 Most Innovative Restaurants, Dining, Food Services

A list of the most innovative food businesses for 2025 highlights companies reshaping the restaurant and foodservice landscape. Mediterranean chain Cava topped the list for its focus on in-person experiences, proving that hospitality and human connection are just as vital as efficiency in the evolving food industry.