sales and profits

Financing

Winners and losers from a weird quarter

The Bottom Line: Burger King operator Carrols, Cava and Wingstop were the big winners. But there were plenty of concepts that would rather have that one back.

Financing

Restaurant chains have to work harder to get sales this year

The Bottom Line: After “pent-up demand” kept customers coming back in 2022, restaurants have to work harder in 2023 to get customers coming in the door.

Steering more customers toward self-ordering will be a major strategic objective through 2024, executives say. The chain will also strive to cut its development and construction costs by 10%.

The drop-off pushed traffic into negative territory, but executives say a simultaneous rise in on-site business is better for the concept.

Both companies say market conditions are complicated by the particulars.

A Deeper Dive: Jim Balis, managing director with CapitalSpring, joins the podcast to talk about the state of the restaurant industry and mergers and acquisitions.

A new survey found that 63% were hit with an increase in 2023, leaving 45% unable to cover their June fee.

The fast-growing Japanese brand wants to bring sushi to the American masses by outsourcing much of the work to machines.

Earnings roundup: Results from smaller operators and several industry suppliers also cast light on the industry’s performance, particularly by independents.

Earnings roundup: Inflation eased, but so did traffic—at least for some. Weather, meanwhile, was a wallop for at least one, a non-issue for the rest.

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