Restaurants & Dining

‘Sectoral bargaining’ is making a comeback: The tactic in which workers from different companies band together could upend the fast-food industry in California and elsewhere.

A flurry of forces is changing how consumers eat and drink: Rising grocery costs, shifting work patterns, and practical considerations are causing people to adjust their dining habits.

Consumers prioritize dining out: They are more likely to pull back on other purchases such as new clothes, travel, and gym memberships before they reduce their restaurant spending.

Chipotle pays the price for violating workers’ rights: The fast-food chain will pay NYC workers $20 million in the largest fair workweek settlement in the US.

Advertiser pullback weighs on Nextdoor: Neighborhood platform projects sales for current quarter that trail analysts’ estimates.

Rising labor costs cause retailers and restaurants to pause hiring: Fifty-seven percent of retailers and 38% of small restaurants have implemented hiring freezes because of inflationary pressures.

Consumers aren’t willing to cut back on coffee: Their caffeine addiction helped Starbucks and Tim Hortons avoid the pullback in spending that hurt McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Yum Brands.

Lackluster demand causes McDonald’s to pull back on plant-based burgers: But customers remain enthusiastic about meat alternatives in the grocery aisle.

McDonald’s takes a personalized approach to value to drive sales: The fast-food company is relying on targeted promotions to soften the blow of higher prices.

Worker shortages show no signs of easing this summer: Travel and an uptick in COVID-19 cases are straining businesses’ already slim operations.

It’s a challenging time for small retailers: Many are struggling with raging inflation and declining consumer buying power.

DoorDash is capitalizing on diners’ affinity for food delivery: The platform is running a weeks-long promotion to boost revenues for its membership service.

Domino’s can’t hire enough drivers and its costs are rising: That led the pizza chain to fall short of expectations in Q2.

Sling helps restaurants manage employee scheduling, internal communications, and payroll—features Toast can use to build out its platform.

Investors still have a strong appetite for plant-based foods: Plant-based dairy startup Eclipse Foods raised $40 million to fuel growth and brand awareness.

Industries focus on savings and comfort as inflation bites: Marketers design messaging to help consumers cope with higher prices.

Inflation puts high-end restaurant boom on the line: Diners flocked to restaurants like Darden Restaurants’ The Capital Grille in its fiscal Q4, but inflation-fueled down-trading could erode those gains.

Retail sales in May show a weakening demand for goods: Rising prices and interest rates are starting to have an impact on consumers’ willingness to spend.

Wonder shows there’s still venture capital money to be had: Marc Lore’s food delivery startup last month closed a $350 million funding round at a $3.5 billion valuation.