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Financing

For many casual chains, growth lies outside the dining room

Nearly every big full-service chain is embracing ghost kitchens, virtual brands and other off-premise channels. Even some historic holdouts have shown signs of cracking.

Technology

After wave of violations, Reef makes some changes

Health and permitting infractions have dogged the fast-growing ghost kitchen company, which says it’s working to improve the problems.

The Bottom Line: Higher rates will increase companies’ borrowing costs, though they will remain historically low. How long it takes to get inflation under control is anybody’s guess.

Almost as soon as the New Year’s Eve confetti was swept up, new menu items started shooting out of the pipeline. Restaurants are jumping on consumers’ resolutions to eat healthier with plenty of plant-based options, vegetable-forward items and dishes targeted at special diets. But there’s action on the flavor front too, as sandwiches get hotter and coffee drinks take on sweet spices.

The Bottom Line: The chain’s Ch’King sandwich was good, but it didn’t generate hoped-for sales and was outperformed by both McDonald’s and KFC.

The company is adding voice-activated ordering this year, among other steps it hopes will improve the job of running its restaurants.

Reality Check: And—surprise, surprise—some of them are good news for an industry that’s taken its lumps.

Reality Check: Any new year brings areas of uncertainty and concern. Here are the big ones confronting the foodservice industry.

The pizza delivery chain has been in the country for years. But executives think now is the right time to make a big push in the fast-growing market.

The Bottom Line: After a major surge in industry filings during the pandemic, they all but stopped last April. Here's why.

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