sales and profits

Financing

McDonald’s stock soars on better-than-expected sales

The company’s stock rose 5% Monday even though traffic fell in the first quarter.

Operations

Restaurants play the blame game

Bad financial results have restaurant chain executives citing all kinds of factors for their top- and bottom-line difficulties, from an unexciting football season to high legal fees. Do they have a case? It depends.

Growth-minded restaurateurs know the importance of keeping an eye on the competitors entering and expanding in their markets.

The Latin chicken chain is pulling out of two core markets as part of a sweeping new turnaround plan by Fiesta Restaurant Group, which also owns the Taco Cabana brand.

Guest counts rose because of a high-low pricing strategy, the quick-service giant said.

The filing could come as early as next week, according to one report.

China is poised to eclipse the U.S. as a hotbed of activity.

Cheesecake Factory says it has a second fast-casual venture in the works, Dunkin' convenes a workforce Woodstock, Noodles clears the table and McDonald's touts its merits as a first job.

Competitors say they've not felt the football fallout Papa John's cites as the main reason for a sales slowdown.

The restaurant industry's annual gathering yielded some unconventional approaches to common problems, from sky-high delivery fees to lowering labor costs.

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