Already an integral customer base for restaurants, Latino consumers are poised to become even more influential in driving trends and market growth. According to the Pew Research Center, Hispanic Americans accounted for more than half (52 percent) of the U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2021—surpassing any other ethnic or racial group. In a recent… read more

Chili’s Eyes Increased Profits with New Menu Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman, with just a few months under his belt, identified excessive deep discounting as one of Chili’s most concerning issues. In the chain’s fiscal fourth quarter, discounted items mixed 37 percent, and that was simply too high for his blood. In response, the chain… read more

Applebee’s is in its “glory years,” says brand president John Cywinski. He argues the chain is in a better position now than it’s ever been across 42 years of history. No one is likely to challenge him on that take. Same-store sales grew 3.8 percent in Q3 year-over-year and 16.9 percent against 2019—the best three-year… read more

A technology supply chain company operating a wholesale food and restaurant supplies marketplace, Cheetah has maintained a relatively low profile since its founding in 2015. That, however, is now changing with the company’s rapid growth and increased market presence. Earlier this year, the Pleasanton, California-based company closed a Series C round of financing totaling $60… read more

Josh Luger and James Marcus had big ambitions to find a restaurant concept and do something “truly special” with it. Rather than start their own business, the two decided to buy an existing concept and expand it. That concept was a hole-in-the-wall taco shop in Tampa, Fla. that didn’t even have a sign on the… read more

Ghost kitchens and virtual brands in a post-pandemic world will favor more flexible, transparent business models from industry veterans like Reef and Nextbite, to newcomers like Oomi and Meal Outpost At the height of the pandemic when dining rooms were closed, the phrase “ghost kitchen” entered the public lexicon and new “hot” delivery-only concepts opened… read more

When it could not find enough drivers to deliver its pizzas earlier this year, Pizza Hut decided to embrace a perceived competitor, third-party delivery companies like DoorDash. The move appears to have worked. The Plano, Tex.-based chain’s U.S. same-store sales rose 1% in the third quarter, parent company Yum Brands announced on Wednesday. That was… read more

As the digital revolution continues to reshape how consumers interact with their favorite brands, restaurants are increasingly finding ways to collect data points that help them drive business from both loyal customers and new ones. Just look at Noodles & Co. The Denver-based fast casual has evolved its digital storefront and rolled out a customer… read more

While working full-time for the chain, Malave completed two years of community college with annual stipends of $5,250 from Chipotle. After that, she enrolled in the company’s free online college program, through which she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Wilmington University in 2020. “I didn’t have to pay for my education,” said… read more