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Marketing Bites

 

The weekly column from Managing Editor Heather Lalley, looking at the restaurant industry's latest marketing gimmicks, trends and campaigns. 

Marketing

$10 is now the restaurant-pricing sweet spot

 By Heather Lalley on Oct. 01, 2025

Marketing Bites: And fast-casual chains have become a casualty as a value war between fast food and full service intensifies, data shows.

Marketing

Papa Murphy’s tests a cautious return of $10 Tuesdays

 By Heather Lalley on Aug. 06, 2025

Marketing Bites: For years, the take-and-bake pizza chain found success with the deal, until prices crept up. Now, it’s careful not to repeat Subway’s $5 Footlong playbook.

Marketing

For restaurants right now, a value deluge

By Heather Lalley on Jul. 17, 2025

Marketing Bites: It’s a season of marketing creativity as operators from Taco Bell to Planet Hollywood look to position themselves as bastions for budget-minded diners.

Marketing

From Portillo’s to indies, restaurant chains serve up divine marketing to cash in on Chicago-born pope

By Heather Lalley on May 10, 2025

Marketing Bites: With the memes flowing like holy water, restaurants specializing in Italian Beef, pizza and more craft some real-time marketing miracles.

Marketing

Little Caesars spoofs reality TV with ‘Pretzel Crust Island’

By Heather Lalley on Apr. 30, 2025

Marketing Bites: The “Survivor”-esque parody has racked up millions of YouTube views, with contestants vying for one of the fast-food pizza chain’s returning pretzel crust pies.

Marketing

Marketing wisdom from the Chili’s CMO who helped turn the chain around

By Heather Lalley on Apr. 24, 2025

Marketing Bites: Chili’s CMO George Felix dishes on the casual-dining chain’s viral cheese pull and why, sometimes, the worst thing a restaurant can have is good marketing.

Marketing

Restaurant chains get lit for 4/20 with munchie-ready dishes and pot-themed promos

By Heather Lalley on Apr. 17, 2025

Marketing Bites: From toasted subs on frisbees to cocktails called “Liquid Marijuana,” restaurants are embracing cannabis culture like never before—even when 4/20 lands on Easter. Here's a roundup of the high-spirited deals flooding our inbox.

Marketing

Wingstop gets saucy with a pop-up bar called Bar Tender

By Heather Lalley on Apr. 08, 2025

Marketing Bites: The fast-casual wing chain known for bold flavors and bold marketing stunts is opening a two-night-only bar in Brooklyn featuring DJs, a Sauce & Toss station and, of course, plenty of chicken tenders.

Marketing

Restaurants go easy on the fooling this April 1

By Heather Lalley on Apr. 01, 2025

Marketing Bites: With one fast-food chain admitting “trust issues are real,” this year’s April Fools’ Day pranks are on the mild side.

Marketing

Love returns at restaurants this Valentine’s Day

By Heather Lalley on Feb. 05, 2025

Marketing Bites: Last year, restaurants played up the holiday’s heartbreak. This year, it’s all about the romance.

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