Food

A new generation of upgraded kids' menus plays to parents, but they're getting Gen Alpha to hit the 'like' button

While many fast-food chains stick to old-school kids’ fare, there’s a recent surge among fast-casual and full-service restaurants to offer healthier, more grownup menus that appeal to the whole family.
Illustration by Midjourney/Nico Heins

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Financing

Despite their complaints, customers keep flocking to Chipotle

The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.

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.