OPINIONFinancing

How the once-mighty are falling in casual dining

Restaurant Rewind: Dominance within the full-service sector has shifted appreciably during the last 20 years. Here’s a look at how the balance of power has changed, humbling two powerhouses in particular.

Casual dining roared back as pandemic conditions lifted and dining rooms reopened, dispelling assertions the segment was cooked. But that doesn’t mean the full-service chain market has been on cruise control, as this week’s episode of Restaurant Rewind attests.

The retro-focused podcast looks back during the installment to what the casual market looked like 10 and 20 years ago, and how that compares with the state of play today. Among the brands that have clearly aged are TGI Fridays and Red Lobster, the brands that virtually midwifed the whole sector.

Join us as we look at how the market has changed, and what propelled those granddads of the segment to prominence in the first place.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Leadership

Meet the restaurant fixer who now owns Etta

Tech entrepreneur Johann Moonesinghe suddenly finds himself leading a growing group of restaurants. His secret? He doesn't expect to make a profit.

Financing

Looking for the next Chipotle? These 3 chains are already there

The Bottom Line: Wingstop, Raising Cane’s and Jersey Mike’s have broken free from the pack of well-established growth chains. Here’s why this trio stands out.

Financing

For Starbucks, 2 years of change hasn't yielded promised results

The Bottom Line: The coffee shop giant’s sales struggles worsened earlier this year, despite a flurry of efforts to improve operations and employee satisfaction.

Trending

More from our partners