Restaurant Business

10 trends emerging from top growth chains

Commonalities among the fastest-growing small chains in America provide a glimpse at some of the patterns disrupting the restaurant industry.

Top 500 2018

Chain restaurants faced another tough year in 2017. Still, well over half of the restaurant industry’s $536.8 billion came from the Top 500 chains, as ranked by Technomic.

Peet’s Coffee nabs Wrigley candy exec as new CEO

How John Schnatter’s problems have damaged Papa John’s

Darden changes leadership of Cheddar’s, Seasons 52

Sandwiches star on summer menus

Cost increases hurt Luby’s Cafeteria

Operations

Casual dining’s other problem: Bad employee hygiene

New research shows that restaurant customers may eat elsewhere because of employees’ dirty fingernails or uniforms.

Leadership

Papa John’s tries divorcing itself from John Schnatter

The company wants its founder to stop doing media appearances after a series of interviews over the weekend.

Workforce

7 franchise chains agree to drop ‘no-poaching’ bans

The agreement with Washington’s attorney general comes as the chief legal officers of 11 other states are pursuing an investigation into the practice.

10 Groundbreaking Concepts

Top 500 Chains

The Power 20

Top 100 Independents

50 Hot Sellers

Future 50

For the Limited-
Service Market

Explore Fast

Upcoming EventRestaurant Directions

The only conference focused on regional and emerging chains.

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Operations

This week’s 4 head-spinning moments: Progress?

Some of the sweeping changes affecting restaurants brought smaller but noteworthy quick alterations in recent days. Here's a chance to catch up on Chick-fil-A's new venture, what's happening in delivery, and an important new twist on straw bans.

Financing