Ed Nelson will retire from his position as CEO of Whataburger at the end of 2024. Debbie Stroud, currently Whataburger’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, will step into the president and CEO roles effective January 1, 2025. Whataburger Nelson StroudA veteran of the restaurant and retail industries with more than 30 years of… read more

Restaurant company says longtime leader named chairman emeritus to recognize service The Wendy’s Co. has named Arthur Winkleblack as chairman of the board, succeeding longtime chair Nelson Peltz, the company said Friday. The Dublin, Ohio-based burger chain said Peltz has been named chairman emeritus to recognize his long-time leadership, counsel, guidance, and contributions to the… read more

The latest federal job report shows the creation of jobs by eating and drinking places continued at a stable clip while hiring across the economy dropped by about 30%. Despite the recent wave of chain bankruptcies and other signs of worsening conditions within the restaurant business, eating and drinking places continued to outpace almost every… read more

Stalking-horse bidder Main Street Capital has made a $27 million credit bid for the casual-dining chain’s assets. Bankrupt Italian chain Buca di Beppo has a potential buyer. The Orlando-based casual-dining brand has selected an existing lender, private-equity firm Main Street Capital, as the stalking-horse bidder in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, meaning Main Street was… read more

The departure of CEO Brian Niccol is speeding previously announced C-suite moves. The planned retirement of CFO Jack Hartung is now on hold indefinitely. With Chipotle’s CEO off to a new job at Starbucks, the fast-casual chain is awarding big retention bonuses to keep top executives at the helm. The company on Wednesday said CFO… read more

Mina Haque steps up from her role as interim CEO at the full-service brand. This week, casual dining concept Tony Roma’s announced the appointment of its first female CEO, Mohaimina “Mina” Haque. Haque has served as interim CEO and under her leadership, the brand says in a release it has embraced a renewed focus and… read more

The Chicago-based fast-casual Mediterranean chain, which has been closing locations in recent years, says it will use the process to find new investors or a buyer. Roti, the Mediterranean fast-casual chain, on Friday said it had declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, joining a parade of summertime restaurant chain restructurings. The Chicago-based chain said it plans to… read more

The building features a kitchen on the second floor, with a conveyor belt that delivers orders to team members on the ground. Chick-fil-A is taking its drive-thru to new heights with its latest digital-focused concept. The company is set to open its first two-story, four-lane “elevated drive-thru” on Thursday in McDonough, Georgia, near its home… read more

Alimentation Couche-Tard has made an offer to buy Seven & i Holdings, the owner of 7-Eleven, in a deal that would merge the two largest convenience store chains in the country. Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., (ACT), the parent company of the Circle K convenience-store brand, has submitted a “friendly,” nonbinding proposal to Seven & i Holdings… read more

Laxman Narasimhan is stepping down from the coffee shop chain effective immediately. Niccol, the CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, will take over on Sept. 9. Starbucks named Brian Niccol chairman and CEO on Tuesday amid mounting sales concern and growing interest from activist investors. Laxman Narasimhan, who has only been in the job for 16… read more