prices

Financing

First Watch's traffic slides in Q1, but don't expect price-off specials to follow

Management at the daytime dining chain said it will focus instead on bringing back strong customer lures from the past.

Food

Chili's takes shot at the Big Mac with new Big Smasher burger

The burger mirrors McDonald’s signature sandwich in almost every way and continues Chili’s efforts to steal share from fast-food chains.

Reality Check: The FTC wants the business to change several longstanding operating conventions. Has it heard why that's a bad idea?

Consumers say they’re getting less bang for their buck at sit-down places. Operators are working to change that while still protecting their margins.

The Bottom Line: Diners are paying high prices to eat out at all kinds of restaurants these days. And they’re picking winners and losers.

Prices at restaurants increased slower than the overall rate of inflation in March. But they still increased faster than they did at the grocery store.

The company uses AI and historical sales data to adjust restaurants' menu prices in real time.

A value proposition is core to this metro Washington, D.C.-based casual-dining concept, and the new menu builds guest volume with affordable, chef-inspired food.

The Bottom Line: The restaurant industry has a traffic problem and consumers are fretting about prices. But the $20 fast-food wage in California makes it difficult to market any kind of value.

While the focus on restaurant menu price inflation has centered on premium items like the Big Mac, it’s in the smaller items, with fewer deals available, where prices have increased most.

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