Weekly Roundup – Week of 10.19.26

October 23, 2026

This week’s top foodservice stories share one question: who keeps the margin? Franchisees, delivery apps, grocers and importers are all fighting for their share. Here are five stories showing how, all curated by our team of strategists and food enthusiasts:

 

Meritage Sells 42 Wendy’s to Pay Down the Past

Meritage Hospitality Group wants to sell 42 Wendy’s restaurants in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri for $18.6 million. The buyer is Divine Infinity Operations, according to a court filing. Meritage filed for Chapter 11 on September 17 with 314 restaurants. That was a day after Wendy’s terminated its franchise agreements over more than $27 million in unpaid royalties. Sale proceeds could help cover those past-due royalties. Meritage also asked the court to reject leases on 13 units and could close up to 60 stores. For franchisors, the takeaway is to watch royalty arrears early, because a large operator can fail before the brand sees it coming. Read More

 

Landry’s Picks Up Café Fiorello Out of Bankruptcy

Landry’s is set to acquire most of Fireman Hospitality Group’s concepts out of Chapter 11. Fireman filed in August, about a year after founder Shelly Fireman died at 93. FHG Acquisitions, an affiliate of Fertitta Entertainment, was the stalking horse bidder. It offered $22 million in cash and other considerations for essentially all assets. The prize is the flagship trio of Café Fiorello, Trattoria Dell’Arte and Bond 45. A second bidder, Ciao Hospitality, led by former Famous Dave’s CEO Jeff Crivello, takes Paris Bar and some Brooklyn Diner units. For founder-led restaurant groups, succession planning is now a balance sheet issue, because well-capitalized buyers are waiting. Read Article

 

Olo Wants Delivery Commissions Gone

Olo is launching a consumer app for delivery and takeout, pitched as a cheaper path than third-party marketplaces. CEO Noah Glass says commissions can run as high as 30% per order. Restaurants offset that with higher menu prices on the aggregators. Olo charges guests a 5% network fee instead. The app starts with about 20,000 locations across 250 brands, out of roughly 90,000 Olo locations. Glass wants it to reach a billion orders a year by about 2030. For operators, the open question is whether guests will download one more app, but even partial adoption gives brands leverage in aggregator talks. Read On

 

Kroger Treats Private Label Like a $40 Billion Profit Engine

Kroger’s private label business generates about $40 billion in sales and is backed by 35 manufacturing sites. At the company’s October 20 investor day, chief merchant Mary Adcock called it a margin-accretive business. Private Selection brought in about $2.9 billion in 2025, and Kroger set a $5 billion target over three years. Simple Truth reaches 30 million households. Simple Truth Protein has grown from more than 80 products to more than 110 this year. Kroger also plans to add 1,000 Smart Way items over the next three years. For foodservice brands and suppliers, competing for the dinner occasion now means competing with a grocer’s house label that owns its own production. Learn More

 

A Cheese Importer Takes Trump’s 50% Canada Tariff to Court

Food importer Gellert Global Group has sued over the 50% tariff on about $20 billion of Canadian goods. The suit was filed October 20 at the U.S. Court of International Trade. It argues that Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930, unused for 96 years, does not support the tariffs. Gellert relies on cross-border trade for certain cheeses, and specialty cheeses were added to the tariff list in September. The plaintiff wants the levies struck down, collection blocked and refunds ordered. One trade lawyer called it a steeper climb, since the statute expressly authorizes tariffs. For operators and distributors, plan costs as if the tariff stays, because any refund is a long way off. Read Story

 

Find more of this week’s top foodservice stories every Friday on the Omnivore blog.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are this week’s top foodservice stories?

This week’s top foodservice stories center on who keeps the margin. Meritage is selling 42 Wendy’s restaurants for $18.6 million. Landry’s is buying Fireman Hospitality Group’s concepts out of bankruptcy. Olo launched a delivery app to undercut commissions of up to 30%. Kroger is pushing private label past $40 billion. Importer Gellert Global Group is suing over a 50% Canada tariff.

Why is Meritage selling 42 Wendy’s restaurants?

Meritage Hospitality Group filed for Chapter 11 on September 17. Wendy’s had terminated its franchise agreements a day earlier over more than $27 million in unpaid royalties. The $18.6 million sale to Divine Infinity Operations could help pay down those past-due royalties.

How does Olo’s new app differ from DoorDash and Uber Eats?

Olo says commissions on third-party marketplaces can reach 30% per order. Its consumer app charges guests a 5% network fee instead. It starts with about 20,000 locations across 250 brands.