Chipotle pushes into smaller US markets: It also announced its first international franchising deal, which could lead to hundreds of Middle Eastern locations.
Restaurants are cutting their virtual brands: Some, like Red Robin and Applebee’s, are looking to save resources as customer behavior shifts, while others have fallen victim to Uber Eats’ crackdown.
Nobody wants to pay $10 billion for Subway: The sandwich chain is seeking more bidders as rising interest rates and the business’ lackluster performance temper prospective buyers’ enthusiasm.
Domino’s will soon list its menus on Uber Eats and Postmates: The pizza company sees the apps as a means to drive incremental revenues.
Chipotle’s latest robotic experiment is a machine that preps avocados for guacamole: The QSR chain expects the Autocado to cut prep time in half, reduce worker injuries, and unlock millions in savings.
Food delivery platforms push back against NYC’s minimum pay law: Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub say the new standard would raise costs for businesses and consumers while limiting worker flexibility.
Darden Restaurants anticipates softer growth as consumers manage spending: Diners are ordering less alcohol and opting for QSRs over full service.
It partnered with FreedomPay and Marriott as part of a wider shift to grow volume by focusing on payments for bigger restaurant and hospitality brands.
Sweetgreen goes all in on automation: The salad chain expects all stores to be automated in five years as it moves to a speedier and more consistent customer experience.
Cava IPOs at a difficult time for the restaurant industry: The fast-casual chain hopes to use the funds to expand aggressively, despite declining traffic and growing competition from grocers.
DoorDash hopes five weeks of promotions will be enough to convince customers to pony up for DashPass: The delivery platform is also highlighting the range of available merchants, from Taco Bell to Dick’s Sporting Goods, to drive signups.
Restaurants see opportunity even as more consumers look for savings: Operators plan to hire over 500,000 workers this summer in anticipation of strong demand, but sales may fall short as diners pull back.
Increasingly cost-conscious consumers pivot away from restaurant delivery: Nearly half of all consumers have picked up their carryout orders themselves rather than have them delivered.
Panera Brands looks to follow Cava Group in filing for an IPO: The restaurant chain appointed José Alberto Dueñas as its new chief executive as it prepares to go public. (This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT.)
QSRs turn to tech to cut costs and boost efficiency: Wendys, Hardee’s, Carl’s Jr., and Sweetgreen are among the chains turning to automation to streamline operations.
Starbucks workers’ unionization drive is beginning to slow: Employees at several stores have petitioned to leave the union as the company’s anti-union tactics and economic uncertainty take their toll. (This article was written with the assistance of ChatGPT.)
Consumers are shifting spending to services as China’s post-lockdown economic recovery continues: But a full rebound is looking increasingly far off as confidence remains low.
Sweetgreen sales beat expectations as workers head back to the office: The fast-casual chain is leaning into loyalty, menu enhancements, and automation to power profitable growth.
DoorDash and Uber Eats deliver solid results: That’s thanks to their strong customer retention, which will prove important if the economy worsens.