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Jonathan Maze

Editor-in-Chief

Articles by
Jonathan Maze

Page 138
Financing

Starbucks took a step back, and made a giant leap

RB’s The Bottom Line examines a key decision in the coffee giant’s 50-year history: Its decision to close hundreds of stores during the Great Recession.

Marketing

How Culver’s turned its April Fool’s joke into a big marketing win

The Midwest burger chain, not known for taking risks, quickly developed its cheese curd topped Curderburger after its prank led to a push for a real one. The result was a social media win and, perhaps, a regular menu offering.

Operations

Restaurant chains play ‘Whack-A-Mole’ on their supply chains

Operators have created committees, called in favors and put their general managers on speed dial as they’ve sought to get everything from crackers to glass bottles amid epic sourcing challenges.

Financing

The pandemic has overhauled attitudes on drive-thrus

With dine-in still a long way from recovering and heavy demand for takeout, the controversies surrounding the lanes have faded away, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Operations

In-N-Out takes a stand on diner vaccination mandates

The burger chain’s one location in San Francisco was temporarily closed after it refused to check dine-in customers for their vaccination status. It has since reopened for takeout.

Financing

Checkers has the upper hand in a drive-thru future

Frances Allen, CEO of the drive-thru burger chain, joins this week’s episode of the RB podcast “A Deeper Dive” to talk about the industry’s challenges and the chain’s growth strategies.

Operations

Wendy’s will start using more easily recycled cups

The burger chain said it plans to start serving clear plastic drink cups in early 2022.

Financing

Creditors accuse Old Country Buffet’s former owners of misusing PPP funds

Fresh Acquisitions, whose assets were just sold to Famous Dave’s owner, is being accused of misappropriating $20 million before it filed for bankruptcy, including $4 million in Paycheck Protection Program funds.

Financing

Caribou Coffee trusts its operators and finds a new prototype

The Minneapolis-based coffee chain is making a big bet on its drive-thru concept, one it designed with some assistance from its top operators.

Marketing

McDonald’s says it has largely achieved pay equality

The burger giant says it has achieved pay equality for company employees in underrepresented groups. Women are on track to achieve equal pay for equal work next year.

Financing

As costs increase, so do questions about Domino’s value offers

The pizza chain has had the same $5.99/$7.99 offers for years. Higher labor and food prices have some analysts wondering if the company will change it, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Technology

Krystal works on an A.I. that can understand y'all

The burger chain has a compact new prototype and is about to test artificial intelligence that will take orders from customers with Southern accents.

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