RB Daily

Restaurant Business Online

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Your quick morning dose of the restaurant news you need, every weekday, from the editors of Restaurant Business.

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857 episodes

Bob Evans for sale, McDonald’s prices, Smashburger

Bob Evans is apparently for sale. McDonald’s price increases are not created equally. And what CEO Denise Nelsen plans to do at Smashburger.

3m
Mar 29, 2024
Swipe fees, Benihana, insider trading

Credit card swipe fees are going down, so why are restaurants so unhappy? Benihana is sold for $365 million. And a group of baseball players are accused of illegally trading Del Taco stock.

4m
Mar 28, 2024
McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme, Danny Meyer, marketing fails

McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme are expanding their partnership. Danny Meyer is offering his hospitality expertise to non-restaurant businesses. And a look at some of the biggest marketing flops in restaurant history.

3m
Mar 27, 2024
Panera outage, D.C. tip credit, pizza problems

Panera Bread is dealing with a digital outage. Full-service restaurants in D.C. are slashing jobs. And the pizza business has fallen on hard times.

3m
Mar 26, 2024
Sluggish sales, Red Lobster, Rob Lynch

Restaurant sales are slowing. Red Lobster has a new CEO. And how Shake Shack lured Rob Lynch away from Papa Johns.

3m
Mar 25, 2024
Olive Garden, California wages, Shake Shack CEO

Lower-income diners aren’t going to Olive Garden as often as they used to. California’s fast-food wage-setting process seems to be getting more and more complicated. And Shake Shack just named the second CEO in its history.

3m
Mar 22, 2024
Chipotle’s stock split, Subway’s big switch, AI bread

Chipotle makes New York Stock Exchange history. Why Subway’s switch to Pepsi is such a big deal. And can AI make artisanal bread?

2m
Mar 21, 2024
McDonald’s chairman, Subway’s soda switch, Wonder

McDonald’s CEO is adding a new title to his job description. Subway is switching soda suppliers. And Wonder lands another nine-figure funding round.

3m
Mar 20, 2024
Panera Bread, unified commerce, Virtual Dining Concepts

It looks like Panera Bread is not, in fact, exempt from California’s fast-food wage hike. Get to know unified commerce, the latest tech buzzword. And Virtual Dining Concepts continues to collect concepts.

4m
Mar 19, 2024
Corner Bakery’s comeback, Subway, Boston Market

Corner Bakery is bouncing back from bankruptcy. Subway franchisees just hired a high-powered attorney. And former employees of the struggling Boston Market say they’re having problems filing their taxes.

3m
Mar 18, 2024
Kernel, C3 acquisition, &Pizza CEO

The new concept from Chipotle’s founder is looking to reimagine fast-casual dining. Digital restaurant group C3 has made another acquisition. And &Pizza has a new-ish CEO.

3m
Mar 15, 2024
McDonald's, Five Iron Gold, Pizza Hut

Get ready for bigger burgers at McDonald’s (again). Five Iron Golf gets a high-profile endorsement. And Pizza Hut tries the bagel business.

3m
Mar 14, 2024
Menu prices, fast-casual delivery, Keith Lee Effect

Restaurant menu prices are easing. There’s a new partnership between two delivery-focused fast casuals. And what is the Keith Lee effect?

2m
Mar 13, 2024
Boston Market, restaurant trends, union salters

Boston Market appears to be down to just a couple dozen locations. Is the supermarket the next restaurant bastion? And here’s how to tell if restaurant employees are looking to unionize.

3m
Mar 12, 2024
Starbucks, Noodles, Potbelly

Starbucks passes Subway on the list of biggest restaurant chains. Noodles has a new CEO and a new menu strategy. And Potbelly is seeing good results from a revamped loyalty program.

4m
Mar 11, 2024
Bojangles marketing, Panera IPO, Florida delivery

Bojangles franchisees are taking their franchisor to court over marketing. Will Panera Bread ever go public? And Florida lawmakers are changing the way restaurants can communicate with delivery customers.

4m
Mar 08, 2024
Charter Foods lawsuit, loyalty programs, Ken Pendery

A Taco Bell operator is facing sexual harassment claims. Many restaurants want more from their loyalty programs. And First Watch co-founder Ken Pendery dies at 70.

4m
Mar 07, 2024
Starbucks’ board, First Watch earnings, DoorDash-NYC

The activists lobbying for seats on Starbucks board have withdrawn their nominations. First Watch opened a significant number of new stores during its fourth quarter. And DoorDash said New York City’s wage boost for couriers is hurting its sales.

5m
Mar 06, 2024
California wages, Neon Greens, Whole Foods

The members of California’s Fast Food Council have been named. Whole Foods has a scaled-down new store design. And a look at a salad concept that grows all of its lettuce on site.

3m
Mar 05, 2024
Sweetgreen, Starbucks, Papa Johns

Sweetgreen is going all in on its digital kitchens. Starbucks received some key endorsements in its board fight with a union-backed group. And expect to see a lot more from Papa Johns.

5m
Mar 04, 2024
Papa Johns, Red Robin, Subway

Delivery apps are beating Papa Johns at its own game. Red Robin wants you to know about its free refills. And Subway pressures franchisees on remodels.

3m
Mar 01, 2024
Wendy’s dynamic pricing, Panera Bread, Applebee’s and IHOP

Wendy’s isn’t testing dynamic pricing after all. Panera Bread is revamping its menu. And Applebee’s and IHOP could soon co-brand in the U.S.

6m
Feb 29, 2024
Wendy’s-dynamic pricing, Golden Corral data breach, Cava

Wendy’s recent mention of a surge-pricing test is going viral. A buffet chain is in the midst of a data breach. And Cava had an impressive first year as a public company.

4m
Feb 28, 2024
Domino’s Pizza, Smashed Jack burgers, Wonder-Walmart

Emergency pizza has been a hit for Domino’s. Here’s the inside scoop on the latest Jack in the Box burger. And Walmart has a new delivery-focused food hall.

3m
Feb 27, 2024
Bloomin’ Brands closures, Starbucks labor, restaurant success

Bloomin’ Brands is doing some pruning of its older restaurants. Starbucks’ board is getting some attention from labor activists. And reports of the restaurant industry’s demise are, apparently, greatly exaggerated.

4m
Feb 26, 2024
Jack in the Box, Cheesecake Factory, Burgerim

Jack in the Box is cooking up a bigger burger. No news is good news at The Cheesecake Factory. And an update on the federal case against the founder of Burgerim.

5m
Feb 23, 2024
Wingstop, CosMc’s, energy drinks

Wingstop is seeing double-digit same-store sales growth, but investors aren’t impressed. Some McDonald’s franchisees want to get in on the CosMc’s action. And yet another QSR is putting energy drinks on the menu.

4m
Feb 22, 2024
Focus re-Brands, Andy Wiederhorn, Starbucks

Focus Brands is rebranding. Andy Wiederhorn is facing charges from the SEC. And a record number of Starbucks stores filed to form unions.

5m
Feb 21, 2024
Toast, BJ’s-weather, Texas Roadhouse

Another restaurant tech supplier is in the midst of a major restructuring. Bad weather had a bad effect on the earnings of at least one casual-dining chain. And Texas Roadhouse appears to be grabbing customers from some of its competitors.

3m
Feb 20, 2024
Inspire IPO, Wendy’s, 7 Brew

Inspire Brands is reportedly considering an IPO. Wendy’s is planning big investments in digital and marketing. And 7 Brew coffee has a high-profile new investor.

4m
Feb 16, 2024