earnings

Operations

Inflation eases for The Cheesecake Factory, but so does customer spending

By Joe Guszkowski on Nov. 02, 2023

The chain said business is returning to its pre-pandemic rhythms: "It feels like a relatively normal year."

Operations

Red Robin expects to save $5M a year by hand-breading its chicken

By Joe Guszkowski on Nov. 02, 2023

The move will help offset some of the $8 million per quarter the chain is spending on better food and staffing.

Operations

Portillo's rides out traffic declines with 'transaction arbitrage'

By Lisa Jennings on Nov. 02, 2023

Moves into high-population-growth states are driving revenue growth that company officials say will help the Chicago-based chain manage through ebbs and flows of consumer behavior.

Operations

El Pollo Loco president and CEO Larry Roberts steps down

By Lisa Jennings on Nov. 02, 2023

He will stay on as consultant through Dec. 28 as the company searches for a replacement. COO Maria Hollandsworth will take leadership in the interim.

Financing

Third-party delivery has become a huge sales driver at Papa Johns

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 02, 2023

The pizza chain, which outperformed its largest competitors last quarter, now gets 15% of its sales from companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats.

Financing

Record demand drove strong Starbucks sales last quarter

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 02, 2023

The chain’s U.S. same-store sales rose 8% as more customers ordered more products and more add-ons and its loyalty membership hit a record.

Operations

Sweetgreen plans to open more automated restaurants next year

By Lisa Jennings on Nov. 02, 2023

The salad chain expects to open as many as nine of its Infinite Kitchen locations in 2024 while two to four existing units will be retrofitted with the robotic make lines. More are planned for 2025.

Operations