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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 provides a do-over after ordering glitch

By Alicia Kelso on Apr. 28, 2026

Marketing Bites: A third-party tech issue disrupted Friday night business, but the chain is extending the promotion to make up for it.

Marketing

Restaurant chains meet the high-protein demand with light lifting

By Alicia Kelso on Apr. 24, 2026

Marketing Bites: Brands like Chipotle, El Pollo Loco and Shake Shack are simply reconfiguring already existing items, while McDonald’s has added menu callouts.

Marketing

Chili’s tries to catch lightning in a bottle again with chicken sandwich campaign

By Alicia Kelso on Apr. 16, 2026

Marketing Bites: Like it did with its Big QP burger launch last year, the casual-dining chain is once again going after fast food’s value perception.

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.

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