casual_dining

MTY Food Group completes purchase of Famous Dave's owner

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 28, 2022

Montreal-based MTY adds BBQ Holdings' nine concepts to its collection in a deal valued at $200 million.

Sardar Biglari and Cracker Barrel call a truce

By Jonathan Maze on Sep. 28, 2022

The activist investor and the family-dining chain, which have been at odds for 11 years, reached a cooperation agreement on Wednesday.

Financing

Younger consumers are warming up to Cracker Barrel

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 27, 2022

Millennials, lured by build-your-own breakfast and fried pickles, are visiting more often. But the chain’s important 65-and-over demographic remains slow to return.

Marketing

Texas Roadhouse is selling candles that smell like honey cinnamon butter

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 23, 2022

The candles are part of the steakhouse chain’s new online merch store, where superfans can buy shirts, hats and other items.

Financing

Lower-income guests are pulling back at Olive Garden

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 22, 2022

Inflation is pinching people earning less than $50,000, but higher-income customers have held strong, executives said Thursday.

Technology

Kevin Hochman reveals what’s on Chili’s tech wish list

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 21, 2022

The new Brinker International CEO wants to invest in tools that can help the business today, not in five years.

Operations

TGI Fridays plans major expansion in Asia

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 19, 2022

The casual-dining chain will open 75 restaurants in South and Southeast Asia over the next 10 years under what it said was its largest development agreement ever.

Financing