Restaurants & Dining

Restaurant aggregators successfully woo convenience-oriented consumers: DoorDash, Uber Eats, and others are targeting gamers, Gen Zs, and other audiences with higher order frequencies to boost sales.

Chipotle, Pizza Hut turn to late-night dining to attract Gen Z customers: Both QSRs are experimenting with later hours to help satisfy diners’ midnight cravings.

Sweetgreen has big expectations for its salad-making robots: The restaurant chain sees automation as the key to shorter lines, consistent offerings, and higher profits.

Netflix sees an opportunity to build its brand offline: The company plans to open destinations called Netflix House that mix retail, dining, and live experiences.

Domino’s sales slid in Q3: The company’s core customer base is feeling pinched and becoming more selective about splurging on a restaurant meal.

Chipotle raises prices for the fourth time in past few years: The chain says the increases will be “modest” and will help it “offset inflation.”

Spanish ads outperforming English: Brands experience growth, underlining the effectiveness of targeting Hispanic viewers.

Restaurants look for ways to incentivize dining out: As customers cut spending, DoorDash and Blackbird Labs are offering credit and other perks to encourage more frequent visits.

Krispy Kreme doubles down on doughnuts: The company aims to seize the moment by selling Insomnia Cookies at a time when consumer appetite for snacks shows no sign of abating.

Fast food chains’ drive-thrus have room for improvement: A new report suggests there’s a prime opportunity for brands with efficient drive-thru operations to stand out from the competition.

It’s getting more expensive to deliver a good customer experience: New York City delivery drivers, California fast food workers, and store associates everywhere are getting raises.

Darden Restaurants calls out uneven dining demand: While the restaurant chain’s casual brands are thriving, fine-dining sales fell as customers trade down or avoid eating out.

Subway hops aboard the multi-tiered rewards program trend: The MVP Rewards program offers additional incentives for consumers who spend $200 and $400 annually.

Sweetgreen is in a very different position than it was prepandemic: Both its menu and physical footprint are evolving as it looks to widen its potential customer base.

QSRs see opportunity in late-night dining: Easing labor pressures and growing delivery demand are helping increase visits and sales during off-peak hours.

Peacock expands its reach beyond the home: Exclusive live sports to be shown in commercial venues, diversifying audience and increasing brand visibility.

DoorDash’s grocery business is booming, and Instacart is leaning on advertising to tide it over as its delivery volumes are down. Perhaps taking a cue from both, Uber Eats continues to add non-restaurant delivery partners while also building out its advertising platform.

Burger King gains market share as its turnaround gathers steam: But it will have to stay attuned to changes in customer behavior, including a shift toward takeout and digital ordering.

Over half of consumers aren’t interested in ghost kitchens: The survey results come at the same time that many restaurants are sunsetting their virtual brands.

Yum Brands benefits as cost-conscious customers trade down: The QSR chain’s Q3 comp sales beat expectations thanks to strong demand for KFC.