Who keeps the margin? This week, a bankrupt Wendy’s franchisee sold off 42 units, Landry’s bought into a Manhattan restaurant group, Olo took aim at delivery commissions, Kroger leaned on a $40 billion private label business, and a cheese importer challenged the Canada tariffs. Here is what each means for operators and brands.
Size was the story this week. Starbucks reportedly explored a $39 billion Chipotle takeover, and Uber Eats paid $2.3 billion for ezCater. Toast put AI agents on the schedule, KFC shrank the bucket to $3.49, and diesel climbed to $6.38 a gallon.
Everyone crossed a line this week. Toast brought restaurant software to the gas pump, El Pollo Loco signed for Queens, and Grubhub started rewarding diners who eat in. Cava hired its marketing chief from personal care, and Congress set rounding rules for the cash drawer.
Walmart just made Dunkin' the second chain on its delivery app, going straight after DoorDash and Uber Eats. Pizza Hut has new owners, Uber is cutting a tenth of its staff, and Chick-fil-A is closing out a five-year kitchen experiment. Here's what each move means for foodservice operators watching who's really in control this week.
The June jobs report wiped out the industry’s summer hiring, and fast-food traffic kept sliding. So what did the smart operators do? They automated the drive-thru, hired a tech chief, cut store-build costs, and let a perfect peach do the upselling.
This week’s roundup covers a restaurant industry in full restructuring mode. McDonald’s revealed a sweeping global strategy built around AI and drive-thru renovation. Fat Brands’ portfolio was split into four deals after a $1.5 billion bankruptcy. And a new Dinova report shows business dining quietly outperforming the broader market — a $250 billion opportunity that flows heavily to independent restaurants.
The foodservice industry walks into the NRA Show this week with 80 million Mother’s Day diners in the rearview and tariff costs finally hitting invoices. Five stories, four lanes, everything operators need heading into show week.
The brands that are winning aren’t just selling products. They’re building preference through clarity, consistency, and connection. Explore why B2B food brands need to think more like B2C, and what it takes to stand out in a crowded, commoditized market.
From tournament-driven traffic spikes to the rise of frozen innovation, this week’s roundup breaks down five shifts shaping how consumers spend—and how brands stay relevant.
This week’s biggest food and beverage headlines reveal a common thread: smarter strategy wins. From overcoming data overload and decoding dining decision windows to reframing plant-based affordability and navigating what’s next in K-12 foodservice, these insights are shaping how operators and suppliers compete.
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