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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

Domino’s new campaign has us asking what belongs on fast-food’s Mount Rushmore

 By Alicia Kelso on Sep. 09, 2026

Marketing Bites: The pizza chain raises questions about what truly defines an iconic menu item and whether encouraging visits to competitors is brilliant or risky.

Marketing

Why fast food's promotional blitz couldn't sustain value perceptions

 By Alicia Kelso on Sep. 02, 2026

Marketing Bites: New data shows saturation and economic uncertainty eroded gains from 2024's deal-heavy environment, forcing some chains to rethink their strategies.

Marketing

McDonald's and Taco Bell battle it out for the afternoon pick-me-up

By Alicia Kelso on Aug. 27, 2026

Marketing Bites: With beverage specialists growing at a staggering rate, these chains are fortressing themselves with energy drinks and refreshers. But will it be enough?

Marketing

Restaurant chains rush to meet the back-to-school crowd

By Alicia Kelso on Aug. 20, 2026

Marketing Bites: Several brands are offering value promotions as spending for the season is expected to reach a record high this year.

Marketing

Restaurant marketers embrace the 10-year nostalgia cycle

By Alicia Kelso on Aug. 19, 2026

Marketing Bites: Taco Bell, Panera, and Starbucks have capitalized on consumers' longing for simpler times.

Marketing

Have restaurant marketing collaborations lost some luster?

By Alicia Kelso on Aug. 12, 2026

Marketing Bites: It has been a busy year for chains embracing cultural tie-ins, but we’re no longer seeing the needle move that much.

Marketing

Taco Bell said too little too late about its food safety crisis

By Alicia Kelso on Aug. 05, 2026

Marketing Bites: Amid a cyclospora outbreak that put the chain's lettuce supply in the spotlight, Taco Bell's delay in sharing its actions eroded trust.

Marketing

Club Wingstop shows promise, but loyalty fatigue looms in a crowded restaurant space

By Alicia Kelso on Jul. 29, 2026

Marketing Bites: Enrollments have exceeded expectations by 22%, but the chain enters a saturated market where personalization and exclusivity are no longer differentiators — they're table stakes.

Financing

Restaurant operating expenses have jumped by 36% in 6 years

By Alicia Kelso on Jul. 16, 2026

According to new data from the National Restaurant Association, increases have impacted the entire P&L, from food and labor to utilities and swipe fees.

Leadership

Representation in restaurant leadership can’t wait 100 years

By Alicia Kelso on Jul. 09, 2026

Marketing Bites: Through the end of June, there have been 24 new CEOs named in the industry. Just two have been women.

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