We all know that ultra-processed foods like candy, soda, pre-packaged microwave meals, and hotdogs aren’t healthy. That certainly isn’t breaking news. But, the true extent of their negative impact on the human body and lifespan will likely surprise many readers. It’s one thing to hear that sugary cereals or bags of chips are “bad for… read more
Food & Beverage News
Inspire Brands Chief Information Officer Raghu Sagi on New Technology Innovations at Buffalo Wild Wings, Arby’s
Throughout the pandemic, Inspire Brands began rolling out new technologies to help ease digital customer convenience, from contactless payment which began testing at Buffalo Wild Wings in September, to an order-ahead platform with mobile app capabilities, which will roll out to all Arby’s restaurants in the first quarter of 2021 after a pilot test, which… read more
Leaders Emphasize Importance of Empathy, Flexibility and Safety During COVID
My team spends most of their days designing and deploying next-gen leadership-development tools for multiunit franchisees and above restaurant leaders. Naturally, we pay a lot of attention to the unique challenges facing multiunit leaders and the innovative ways they overcome them, especially in a global pandemic. Since COVID-19 hit, the foodservice industry’s area directors, district… read more
Is The Restaurant of the Future Already Here?
We’re all scrambling to materialize the so-called “restaurant of the future.” What COVID-19 trends are fleeting? Which aren’t? Will customers clamor for the same safety essentials months from now? Have protocols and tech dehumanized the experience? Does it even matter? Picture this environment, outlined by consulting giant Deloitte. A customer strolls into a restaurant with… read more
KFC to Sell Chicken in Replica ‘Holiday Buckets’ from the 60’s/70’s
Fried chicken in an old bucket from the ‘60s? Where do we sign up? In what would seem to be an ongoing global quest to conflate Colonel Sanders with Santa Claus, KFC has announced that restaurants in the U.S. will be serving up fried chicken in replicas of its “iconic” holiday-themed buckets from 1966 and… read more
Pizza Hut partners with Beyond Meat on two new Pizzas
Pizza Hut has joined forces with Beyond Meat, Inc. to develop two new pizzas featuring plant-based sausage. The collaboration will make plant-based meat pizzas “more widely available to the masses,” the Yum! Brands, Inc. subsidiary said. New Beyond Pan Pizzas were co-created by the Pizza Hut and Beyond Meat culinary teams to mimic the taste… read more
Starbucks’ Holiday Menu and Red Cups Return Across the US
Red cups are returning to Starbucks. Starbucks announced that its holiday menu returns on Friday, November 6. That means drinks including the Peppermint Mocha, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, and Eggnog Latte are back on the menu, as well as four new festive “red cup” designs. The chain is also giving away free reusable, collectible holiday… read more
Wendy’s Breakfast Nabs new Customers as Pandemic Pushes Consumers to Break Habits
The coronavirus pandemic has upset consumers’ usual breakfast habits, leading fast-food Wendy’s has become the rare restaurant company to lure customers to its restaurants for breakfast even during the coronavirus pandemic. In the last eight months, consumers broke their old breakfast habits and began eating the early morning meal at home, spurred on by office… read more
Dunkin’ is Going Private in $11.3 Billion Deal
Inspire Brands, a holding company backed by the Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm, is purchasing Dunkin’, which also owns Baskin-Robbins. Inspire already owns 11,000 Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John’s, and other restaurants. Inspire, which will take on Dunkin’s debt in the deal, plans to acquire outstanding Dunkin’ shares at $106.50 apiece…. read more
Starbucks is now Officially Testing Vegan Breakfast Sandwiches
Coffee chain Starbucks has launched a plant-based breakfast sandwich at one test location in Issaquah, WA, a city on the outskirts of Seattle. The new Plant-Powered Breakfast Sandwich, retailing at $5.45, is made with a mung bean-based egg, a plant-based sausage patty, dairy-free cheese, and is served on an English muffin. While Starbucks has not… read more