Restaurant Rewind

`Those who don’t know their history are destined to relive it', to riff on the words of a famed philosopher. For anyone in the restaurant business, that oft-quoted saying may be more of a heartening promise than a dire admonition. The industry’s past is packed with tales of scoundrels and heroes, big thinkers and pinheads, colossal successes and dismal failures, breakthrough moves and self-inflicted destruction. Few soap operas pack as much color and drama. Yet those yellowed snapshots provide insights relevant to the challenges of today. Join Peter Romeo, a 41-year veteran of the business with a penchant for restaurant history, as he explores those pivotal moments from the past. 

Financing

When chains go from sizzle to fizzle

Restaurant Rewind: Dutch Bros’ stock price dropped 37% in a day last week. It’s far from the only public restaurant chain to go from an investor darling to a source of Wall Street consternation in one trading day. This week’s edition looks at two other examples.

Financing

When Wendy’s and McDonald’s went chain shopping

Restaurant Rewind: The burger giants once swelled their portfolios to include everything from pasta concepts to burrito chains. Here's why they ultimately pared back down to burgers.

Restaurant Rewind gets the inside scoop from one of the bovines that made it happen.

Reality Check: There is a model out there of how to stop a store-by-store unionization effort. Starbucks' defender in chief should take a hard look.

Restaurant Rewind: Carl Icahn's battle with McDonald's brings to mind these all-time classic bouts between investors and restaurant companies.

Plus, Restaurant Rewind looks at past efforts by full-service operators to enter the drive-thru business.

Restaurant Rewind: Now a faint echo of what it was, Big Boy once provided the same opportunity to add new customer draws.

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