Restaurants
Tech startup Hyphen is bringing AI to the lunch line — with help from Cava and Chipotle
At a challenging time for the restaurant industry, major chains like Chipotle and Cava are putting money behind automated makelines from startup Hyphen. The San Jose, Calif.-based company aims to help restaurants achieve two key goals in a hyper-competitive environment: speedy throughput and good customer service. The technology makes for a less chaotic and more […]
Read More
These restaurant chains closed locations in 2025
As the restaurant industry endured another difficult year, many chains opted to close underperforming locations as they try to turn around their businesses. Inflation-weary consumers have pulled back their restaurant spending, choosing to eat at home or chasing deals when they go out for a meal. While some restaurants have won over reluctant diners, the […]
Read More
Restaurants’ hottest menu item in 2025 was ‘value.’ That won’t change next year
McDonald’s restaurant in San Diego, California, U.S., Oct. 31, 2025. Mike Blake | Reuters “Value” was the buzzword du jour for restaurant executives that lasted all year — and it will likely stick around in 2026, too. Over the last year and a half, diners, particularly those who make less than $40,000 a year, have […]
Read More
Olive Garden owner Darden Restaurants hikes revenue outlook for second straight quarter
An Olive Garden restaurant in Milpitas, California, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Darden Restaurants on Thursday reported strong sales growth, fueled by demand at Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. For the second straight quarter, the company hiked its full-year outlook for revenue growth, although it only […]
Read More
Chipotle chases the protein craze with new menu items — including meat in a cup
A Chipotle restaurant in San Francisco, California, US, on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Chipotle Mexican Grill is entering the snack business. The fast-casual giant announced Thursday it will roll out its first-ever “High Protein Menu” later this month, featuring grab-and-go protein cups. Starting Tuesday, customers in the […]
Read More
Kraft Heinz taps former Kellanova CEO Steve Cahillane to lead company ahead of breakup
Kraft Heinz announced plans to split into two separately traded companies, reversing its 2015 megamerger, which was orchestrated by billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Kraft Heinz on Tuesday announced that former Kellanova CEO Steve Cahillane will lead the company ahead of its planned split next year. Cahillane […]
Read More
McDonald’s will assess if franchisees are providing value under new standards
In Lisbon, Portugal, on January 12, 2025, people sit by a McDonald’s storefront. McDonald’s rolls out new value deals, like the McValue Menu, to combat economic challenges and attract budget-conscious customers, as global sales face pressure amid shifting consumer trends. Luis Boza | Nurphoto | Getty Images McDonald’s will soon assess its franchisees on how […]
Read More
Starbucks Workers United holds rally in NYC as strikes continue for a third week
NEW YORK — Starbucks Workers United held a rally outside the Empire State Building on Thursday as its open-ended strike entered its third week and no signs of an impending resolution. Adding to the crunch of holiday shoppers and tourists, several hundred picketers gathered outside of the famous landmark, which is also the site of […]
Read More
Trump claims California’s $20 fast-food minimum wage hurts businesses. The truth is a lot more complicated
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the McDonald’s Impact Summit at the Westin Hotel in Washington, D.C., U.S., Nov. 17, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters President Donald Trump on Monday said that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is “laying siege on the minimum wage.” Trump’s comments at the McDonald’s Impact Summit likely referred to California’s […]
Read More
Starbucks Workers United escalates strike during busy holiday season
Starbucks workers walk a picket line as they go on strike outside a Starbucks store on Nov. 13, 2025 in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images One week into what baristas have threatened to make the “largest, longest” strike in Starbucks’ history, the […]
Read More