Taco Bell

Yum!’s Q4 comps rise across all brands

Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut saw gains as their parent pushes forward with unit growth.

This week's restaurant nightmares: Not thinking first

The past week abounded in examples of why contemplation is a good thing for restaurants, employees and even guests.

Customers want brands to connect with them personally, both inside the four walls of a restaurant and out. The challenge now is how to figure out the ‘where’ and ‘how’ that creates an impact.

Acquisitions have made KBP Foods one of the largest and fastest-growing franchises in the restaurant business. But the key to absorbing the expansion has been a notion that harkens back to the earliest days of KFC.

Used to be that quesadillas, salsa and guacamole only showed up in Mexican and Latin-style restaurants.

This week we have thieves caught on camera; a restaurant making money off some unfortunate publicity; a new term is coined for late-night diners; and, as always, mountain lion urine.

Among the slew of items in the chain’s new-product development pipeline is a bargain version of the hot seller. There’s also a Rolled Chicken Taco and something called the Breakfast Quesarito.

A second Super Chix appears to be planned for elsewhere in Dallas, scene of the initial experimental outlet, according to Janney Capital Markets restaurant analyst Mark Kalinowski.

A deep dive into the segment revealed some surprises, concerns and shifts in the competitive scene.

The closure enables the chain to focus on its new urban “Cantina” units.

  • Page 43