From the addition of plant-based menu options to local sourcing and sustainable takeout packaging, restaurants have been tackling sustainability issues with gusto — and the industry as a whole is taking its role as steward of sustainability seriously. “Faced with constantly evolving challenges including production methods, sourcing and waste management, chefs are striving to improve… read more

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers CEO Paul Murphy cracked open the casual chain’s playbook Tuesday to reveal the next steps in the burger concept’s turnaround plan, including the rollout of Donatos-brand pizza to its 550 units within three years. The introduction will cost the company and its franchisees about $91 million all told, or roughly $165,000… read more

Executives of Papa John’s International, Inc. in fiscal 2020 expect strong earnings per share companywide and continued improvement in North American comparable store sales growth, but in late February the coronavirus appeared to have affected the company’s stock price negatively. The coronavirus has affected 210 restaurants in China, which has the company anticipating a negative… read more

Jeremy Biser recalls growing up in Western Maryland, where going to Roy Rogers was a treat. Biser is now executive vice president of the 52-year-old Western-themed brand, which oversaw nearly 650 restaurants at its peak back in the late 1980s. The company began 2020 with 48 units—24 company-owned and 24 franchised—but Biser believes there’s an… read more

Operators across the country know recruiting employees is a challenge, especially in this tight labor market. With the right training, underserved young adults — unemployed, not in school — can be set up to succeed in front- and back-of-house positions in everything from quickservice to tableservice operations. How do we connect employers with these potential… read more

With Wendy’s launching breakfast nationwide, McDonald’s is sending its top breakfast player, the Egg McMuffin, into battle. In a clear move to disrupt Wendy’s March 2 national breakfast launch, the Chicago-based quick service chain announced plans to give away the iconic breakfast sandwich on Monday. The company is declaring March 2 “National Egg McMuffin Day.”  “While we’re giving… read more

7-Eleven is trying a new way of competing with traditional quick-service restaurants: shoehorning a Mexican restaurant inside its stores. The convenience store giant started installing units of Laredo Taco Company inside its retail outlets about a year ago. It’s now tinkering with a new c-store format known internally as the Evolution concept, which prominently features Laredo… read more