Operations

Why ICE raids will get worse before they get better

Working Lunch: This week's political podcast looks at the Trump Administration's "herky jerky" immigration enforcement and how restaurant operators should prepare. And the President reacts to a Republican-based federal minimum wage hike.

In this week’s Working Lunch, Joe Kefauver and Franklin Coley of Align Public Strategies discuss Trump’s apparent flip-flop on immigration enforcement. At one point, the President said raids at restaurants and hotels would be paused, but the next week they continued with aggressive force. How should operators prepare for what’s ahead?

In addition, the President responded to a Republican proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. Is there any “there” there?

 

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

KFC U.S. same-store sales disappear from Yum Brands’ earnings report

The Bottom Line: The restaurant chain operator has increasingly kept its attention focused on Taco Bell and KFC international. But its most recent report stopped breaking out U.S. same-store sales results.

Operations

The number of independent restaurants declined by 2.3% in 2025

That drop reflected a net loss of about 9,500 restaurant locations due to an increasingly challenging operating environment. Chain restaurants, however, fared a bit better.

Food

Farmer J bucks the bowl trend with chef-driven Fieldtrays

Behind the Menu: The fast-casual British import is generating a following in New York City with curated dishes that customers build into well-balanced, flavorful meals where each component has its own space.

Trending

More from our partners