OPINIONConsumer Trends

Can casual chains hold onto their off-premise gains?

Darden Restaurants, the segment's biggest player, doesn’t have the answer, but CEO Gene Lee admits his first assessment was off-target.
Photo courtesy of Darden Restaurants

This Premium Content is only available to rb+ Subscribers

Continue reading with one of the options below

or Subscribe

Restaurant Business Exclusive Content

Operations

Hitting resistance elsewhere, ghost kitchens and virtual concepts find a happy home in family dining

Reality Check: Old-guard chains are finding the alternative operations to be persistently effective side hustles.

Financing

The Tijuana Flats bankruptcy highlights the dangers of menu miscues

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain’s problems following new menu debuts in 2021 and 2022 show that adding new items isn’t always the right idea.

Financing

For Papa Johns, the CEO departure came at the wrong time

The Bottom Line: The pizza chain worked to convince franchisees to buy into a massive marketing shift. And then the brand’s CEO left.