Restaurants & Dining

Coach follows in Ralph Lauren’s footsteps with hospitality launch: The brand joins a growing number of luxury players relying on restaurants to boost business.

Cava and Sweetgreen deliver healthy Q4 growth: Consumers’ appetites for fast, healthful food is driving the two QSR chains to expand.

Wendy’s defends its dynamic pricing plan against criticism: The QSR says it won’t raise prices when demand is higher. But the damage may already be done.

Starbucks softens its anti-union stance: That could help rebuild the company’s tarnished reputation.

Restaurants need to adjust to the shifting landscape: While the industry struggles to attract and retain workers, customers want a deal. We look at how some are innovating to address both challenges.

Domino’s delivery partnership with Uber Eats is paying off: The platform is helping the pizza chain reach new customers, while Domino’s loyalty program revamp boosts order frequency.

Luckin overtakes Starbucks as China’s top coffee chain: The company’s aggressive expansion and ultra-low prices are helping it take market share.

DoorDash takes its show on the road: The company plans to spend big on international expansion while deepening its push into non-restaurant categories.

Starbucks looks to broaden its appeal: Accessibility and inclusion considerations will guide the design of new company-owned stores.

Shake Shack’s revenues grew 20% in Q4: The company expects consumers to maintain a healthy appetite for its premium fast-food offerings, which stand in contrast to some lower-priced chains.

Fast food has gotten too expensive for low-income consumers: High prices are causing some to think twice before venturing to McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or Starbucks.

Uber rides strong mobility, delivery demand to Q4 earnings beat: The company’s flywheel is accelerating as user frequency, transaction size continue to grow.

McDonald’s is seeing a slower start to 2024: Those results stem from challenges related to the Middle East conflict, along with lower-income consumers pulling back on eating out.

Starbucks, Sweetgreen tweak membership programs to boost customer appeal: They’re not alone—54% of retailers plan to enhance their loyalty offerings this year.

Starbucks posts weaker growth as headwinds weigh on sales: The company is facing pressure from cost-conscious consumers in China, as well as stagnating foot traffic in the US.

Nearly 53,800 restaurants opened their doors last year: That was up 10% year-over-year. That growth shows no sign of abating as several chains plot aggressive expansion plans.

Starbucks bets on breakfast while more QSRs get into beverages: The coffee chain is hoping its new menu will encourage customers to buy more and visit more often, as well as hold off the competition.

Restaurants ended 2023 on a high note: Spending was up 7.8% YoY from November 1 to December 24, and that growth should continue as consumer sentiment improves.

Ghost kitchens disappeared as quickly as they came: Quality issues, consumer ambivalence, and shifting dining behaviors contributed to their downfall.