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By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 21, 2024

The Bottom Line: The fast-food sandwich chain's new beverage contract is aimed at breathing life into its drink sales as consumers order fewer sodas with their subs at its restaurants.

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Financing

Franchise tension mounts as the restaurant industry changes

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 20, 2024

The Bottom Line: Restaurant brands want traffic. Franchisees want profitability. The current operating environment is making that a tough choice and the result has increased tension at many franchises.

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Operations

Can AI solve the challenge of mass producing a truly artisanal sourdough?

By Lisa Jennings on Mar. 19, 2024

The Croatian food engineers at Boogie Lab are bringing an AI-trained "smart fermenter" to the U.S. in partnership with Delmonico's steakhouse co-owner Dennis Turcinovic. Together they will launch the Boogie Bread bakery brand in North America.

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Technology

For restaurant tech, 'unified commerce' is the new 'omnichannel'

By Joe Guszkowski on Mar. 18, 2024

Tech Check: More restaurants are looking to align their tech stacks from front to back, taking cues from a revolution already underway in retail.

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Financing

Inside the turnaround at Corner Bakery

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 15, 2024

The fast-casual brand was in freefall before it filed for bankruptcy last year. But improved operations and marketing, and a lot of hard work, have helped the chain turn the corner.

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Financing

Winners and losers from the most recent round of earnings

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 15, 2024

The Bottom Line: Wingstop, Burger King franchisees and robots were the big winners. But maybe count out dynamic pricing for a while.

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Financing

They left their jobs at Boston Market. Then the real problems started

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 15, 2024

Longtime former employees exited the company as stores closed or paychecks stopped showing. But they’ve since been hit with surprise medical bills, and they’ve found themselves unable to file taxes or collect unemployment benefits.

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Food

Inside Kernel, where culinary and tech meet in a new fast-casual model

By Patricia Cobe on Mar. 13, 2024

Chipotle founder Steve Ells’ plant-powered concept pairs a chef-driven commissary kitchen with automated onsite prep and a unique brand of hospitality.

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Marketing

The Keith Lee Effect extends way beyond one TikTok restaurant critic

By Lisa Jennings on Mar. 13, 2024

Once the domain of newspapers and magazines, restaurant criticism has spread to social media, where both reviewers and reviewees have the potential to become viral superstars.

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Workforce