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retail

Food

The Trader Joe's effect: How the grocery chain is a gateway to global flavors for restaurant customers

 By Patricia Cobe on Jan. 12, 2024

With its accessible and affordable array of international products, Trader Joe’s opens consumers’ palates to unfamiliar cuisines. But it can work both ways, say operators—restaurants also provide taste experiences that benefit retail sales.

Emerging Brands

7-Eleven broadens its restaurant footprint with a $1B acquisition

 By Peter Romeo on Jan. 12, 2024

The c-store chain is buying the Laredo Taco Co. fast-food units it doesn't currently own, along with the Stripes c-stores that house them.

Operations

Should Cracker Barrel get out of the gift shop business?

By Peter Romeo on Dec. 01, 2023

Reality Check: The retail component of the family dining concept drew off sales and profits during the brand's most recent quarter. Maybe it's time to leave the shops out of future Cracker Barrels.

Technology

Kitchen United shuts down its Kroger food halls

By Heather Lalley on Nov. 28, 2023

The unexpected move comes about a year after Kroger was part of a $100 million investment round in the ghost kitchen operator, which said it is shifting its focus to software.

Emerging Brands

A pair of retail-restaurant hybrids join forces in Chicago

By Joe Guszkowski on Nov. 27, 2023

Foxtrot Market and Dom's Kitchen & Market, which offer both freshly made meals and groceries, are merging to create Outfox Hospitality.

Consumer Trends

Lower grocery inflation is pulling consumers away from restaurants, study finds

By Timothy Inklebarger on Nov. 20, 2023

About 25% of shoppers cooked for themselves or purchased ready-to-eat supermarket items during 2023, compared with a 17% rate last year.

Financing

The best-performing malls have this restaurant in common

By Joe Guszkowski on Oct. 13, 2023

Malls with a Cheesecake Factory are more likely to be current on their loans, according to a Moody’s analysis. But the chain may not be retail's white knight.

Technology

Why restaurants should keep an eye on Instacart

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 19, 2023

Tech Check: Grocery is one of the few industries that may be even less techy than foodservice. Instacart wants to help it catch up, and could get a boost from its IPO.

Technology

Kitchen United to lean into retail and catering under new CEO

By Joe Guszkowski on Sep. 18, 2023

Atul Sood sees a lot of opportunity in the company's partnerships with Kroger and Circle K, but not so much in its stand-alone ghost kitchens. “You’ll probably see less of those,” he said.

Operations

A c-store foodservice trailblazer shuts one of its restaurant-like venues

By Peter Romeo on Aug. 08, 2023

Sheetz closed the college-adjacent unit, which differed from most of the chain's stores by forgoing gas pumps.

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