UNO Pizzeria & Grill

Uno chain putting pizza first again

After trying to recast itself as more of a broad-menu grill and bar, the deep-dish specialist is returning to what delivered its early success.

2016 Top 500: Casual-dining chains

While the Top 500’s casual-dining segment increased sales by 3.5% to almost $58 billion in 2015, it’s losing share as other segments outpace it.

In a recent Technomic survey, customers reveal which restaurant chains offer the most craveable pizzas that they can’t get anywhere else.

This casual chain specializes in Chicago-style deep-dish pizza

Chefs and industry folks aren’t the only ones who blend pleasure and profession over restaurant meals. At Winsight Media, we are constantly tracking trends.

Varied menu chains from the 2016 Top 500 ranking reached $31 billion in sales, an increase of 4.1%. Total units grew by 1.5%.

Overall, the varied menu category is flat, up .3% in sales to $23.9 billion and .5% in units to 7,792.

How low can restaurants sink? Farther than you may have thought, suggested industry observers who set out to find that outer boundary. Here, in a special edition of Restaurant Nightmares, are the absolute worst restaurant dishes, names and demonic collaborations.

The casual-dining giant’s new board has decided its interim chief was the right person to lead the company on a less-tentative basis.

More than half of the restaurant industry’s $491 billion in sales come from the Top 500 chains. And these giants grew at a modestly stronger rate, both in terms of sales and store counts, than the industry overall. Restaurant Business focused on the leading 250 performers to identify trends for our first-ever special report delivering lessons from Technomic’s annual Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report. This special package includes lessons for all operators from the largest chains by segment, menu category and more.

  • Page 2