Restaurant Business

Restaurant Business is tracking the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry. Please check back often for round-the-clock updates.

Velvet Taco is opening a seatless restaurant

An 800-sq.-ft. unit will open without a dining room.

NY seeks millions in direct restaurant relief, paid leave for vaccinations

The aid, including a $50 million rehiring plan just for restaurants, are included in the budget Gov. Cuomo aired Tuesday.

Financing

Why Subway is no easy fix

Too many locations and low unit volumes make the chain's challenges difficult. But they're not insurmountable, says RB's The Bottom Line.

RB editors summarize the day’s most important stories.

▶ LISTEN

How the pandemic impacted restaurants’ spending

Why Subway is no easy fix

Steak ‘n Shake reportedly hires restructuring advisors

Velvet Taco is opening a seatless restaurant

Tijuana Flats debuts a new, tech-enabled prototype

States start closing dining rooms again

With coronavirus spiking throughout the country, several states have started closing dine-in service again.

Register for the all-digital Innovation in Foodservice Summit

Recovery and Rebuild: Getting your restaurant back on track

Join the "Coronavirus in the Food & Beverage Industry" private Facebook group

Financing

NY seeks millions in direct restaurant relief, paid leave for vaccinations

The aid, including a $50 million rehiring plan just for restaurants, are included in the budget Gov. Cuomo aired Tuesday.

Financing

How Bartaco adapted to the pandemic

Scott Lawton, CEO of the 20-unit chain, joins the RB podcast “A Deeper Dive” to discuss the chain’s active few years.

Beverage

Dry January inspires bartenders to craft spirited zero-proof drinks

Restaurants are mixing up creative cocktails without alcohol to help drinkers get through Dryuary.

Evolving Kitchens

Top 500 Chains

Coronavirus and Restaurant Technology

Future 50 (2020)

50 Great Ideas (2020)

Top 100 Independents 2020

Operations

Boston Market’s new owner is on pace to open two restaurants per week

Jay Pandya said he is well aware of the chain’s past troubles but this time, new units are being opened “strategically.”

Food

IHOP adds burritos and bowls to expand off-premise and all-day options

The new line includes six items in popular, portable formats that fit the to-go trend.

Leadership

Don Tober, industry supporter for 52 years, dies at age 89

The CEO of Sugar Foods also made the pink packets of Sweet ‘n Low ubiquitous in restaurants.

Food

Menu favorites get tweaked and seasonal specials return

Taste Tracker: Boston Market launches a chicken sandwich, Panda Express brings back a Chinese New Year signature, Panera adds two new flatbreads and wings take off in new flavors and formats.

Financing

Subway continued closing locations last year

Sources say as many as 10% of the chain’s units closed, though the company says some were temporary, as the coronavirus accelerated its pullback.

Operations

Restaurant resilience in the pandemic age

How the industry has innovated in response to the challenges presented by COVID-19

Financing

Group including Red Mango's parent closes on Friendly's acquisition

Amici Partners Group said it intends to keep all 130 surviving locations open.

Future 50 2019

These emerging chains are the growth vehicles to watch—the ones poised to be major industry players in the coming years.

Recipedia

Food trends and recipes to keep menus fresh

Concepts to Watch

New restaurants and soon-to-open concepts worth monitoring

Top 100 Independents

RB’s exclusive ranking of the highest-grossing independent restaurants

Headspinners & Nightmares

Peter Romeo highlights the moments restaurateurs miss at their own peril

50 Great Ideas

Ideas from the field you may want to borrow

Restaurant Business