RB Daily

Restaurant hiring is slowing. A chain that just filed for bankruptcy is blaming discounting by its competitors for some of its woes. And 93-year-old Krystal is finally introducing a loyalty program.

The Starbucks union has won negotiations for baristas affected by last week's closures. Big Chicken is working out some post-acquisition challenges. And Habit Burger is extending its meal deal.

DoorDash wants to do more for restaurants than just deliver. There's a new chicken tender player in town. And Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs retires this week.

Bots played a big role in the Cracker Barrel logo backlash. A Chinese restaurant tech giant is looking to make inroads in the U.S. And Burger King is really leaning into Halloween.

We tried some of McDonald's new CosMc's-inspired beverages. Five restaurants are among the most magnetic brands in America. And Starbucks' traffic remains a challenge.

Starbucks is planning dozens of store closures and hundreds of layoffs as it looks to reverse sliding sales. A brewery chain has suddenly closed all of its locations. And Popeyes is accusing a former franchisee of trademark violations.

It remains to be seen if Portillo's will continue to expand outside Chicago. Dine Brands uses one simple criterion to prioritize tech investments. And Panera is welcoming fall with two Gilmore Girls stars.

Portillo's has ousted its CEO. Subway franchisees are fighting back against store remodels. And Bojangles' largest franchisee has been acquired by private equity.

Yum Brands has acquired 13 PDQ restaurant leases in a quest for expansion. Starbucks is bringing back apple crisp after all. And Chick-fil-A has opened a delivery-only kitchen in Boston.

Cracker Barrel foresees a long road to recovery from its logo debacle. Chain restaurant sales are expected to cool even more than previously anticipated. And BJ's is facing a union push in California.

Olive Garden is seeing whether diners enjoy smaller portions. Uber is testing drone delivery. And Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is shrinking.

A potential merger would form the nation's largest broadline food distributor. A drive-thru chain is closing more than 40 locations. And a value item at Pizza Hut has evolved into a platform for innovation.

There's activist investor interest in Denny's. McDonald's is adding more muscle to its global impact team. And here are some of the big takeaways from the FSTEC technology conference.

McDonald's is investing in regenerative agriculture. Popeyes is turning up the heat with a new partnership. And IHOP is doubling down on value.

There's a new publicly traded restaurant chain for the first time in three years. Can Portillo's get its groove back? And speed wins, when it comes to delivery.

The value wars are being fought on third-party delivery apps, restaurant chains might want to focus marketing on younger consumers, and menu pricing at full-service restaurants ticked up to its highest level in two years.

Potbelly was sold to a big name in the convenience store sector. Portillo's has ended its test of breakfast, and Outback is hopping on the appetizer trio trend.

Cracker Barrel is walking back even more of its planned brand revamp. A food-and-games chain has filed for bankruptcy protection. And Taco Bell's parent company is shaking up its leadership ranks.

Freddy's is going global. Red Lobster is poking fun at its own bankruptcy. And Waffle House is jumping fully into delivery.

Freddy's officially has a new owner. McDonald's is pushing back on the tip credit. And it was a very slow jobs report for August.

Noodles & Company is pondering a sale that would likely take the fast-casual chain private. Raising Cane's is bringing chicken fingers to London. And CAVA is bringing Chicken Shawarma to its system for a limited time.

Starbucks has a new AI assistant for inventory tracking. Andy Wiederhorn is back at the helm of Fat Brands. And a casual-dining Mexican chain declared bankruptcy.

It was a big Pumpkin Spice Latte debut for Starbucks. Black Rock Coffee is looking for a big IPO. And one BBQ chain continues to close stores

Restaurant profitability has worsened since before the pandemic.  White Castle is defending its turf as a longtime leader in late-night. And one market-research firm has Logan's Roadhouse as the top casual-dining chain for customer experience.

Taco Bell continues to win with marketing. The Crunchwrap is the latest source of menu innovation. And a new law in Texas will make it easier on restaurant operators there.

Cracker Barrel is scrapping its new logo. A Bloomin' Brands director is taking the lead on addressing mental health in the industry. And restaurant brands are ready to celebrate the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Donald Trump is weighing in on Cracker Barrel's new logo. Chili's shook up the casual-dining curve last quarter. And one smoothie chain is adding food for the first time.

Concerned guests can now scoop their own Chipotle protein. Pumpkin Spice is back at Starbucks. And there's an underrated element to casual-dining's comeback.

Chili's corporate workers are getting some big bonuses after a big year. What will McDonald's freshly discounted bundles mean for the bottom line? And diners aren't drinking like they used to.

Cracker Barrel has drawn the ire of conservatives, a lot of cars are adding their own drive-thrus to restaurants and here comes Zipotle.

McDonald's is discounting its combo meals. A coffee company took a key step toward becoming public. And restaurants aren't all that profitable.

Another casual-dining company has filed for bankruptcy. Starbucks is giving out some modest raises. And sweetgreen is bringing in baby goats.

Taylor Swift is inspiring creative restaurant marketing ploys. Operators are encouraging franchisee growth with cash incentives. And Applebee's is launching an appetizer value ploy.

Texas Roadhouse appears ready to gear up for even more growth. An AI drive-thru firm has a new hire from Wendy's. And Blue Apron's new owner is shaking up meal kits.

Noodles is shrinking, food costs are rising and a tech supplier is laying off staff.

Chili's had another eye-popping quarter. That's in stark contrast to the broader restaurant industry, which is struggling. And a federal labor judge has ruled against Starbucks.

Cava and Chipotle are joining forces to support automated makeline technology. You may have noticed, but consumers are pulling back on their restaurant spending. And everybody wants to sell chicken right now. But can they?

Sweetgreen mulls the return of frozen yogurt. The co-owner of a Trump-themed burger concept is facing deportation. And value meals are working well for IHOP.

The Frosty couldn't save Wendy's last quarter. There were layoffs at Sweetgreen. And Texas Roadhouse is ramping up development of its smaller concepts.

Dutch Bros keeps growing and growing. Burger King is speeding up its refranchising plans. And Jack in the Box reported its weakest performance in 15 years.

McDonald's turned positive once again in Q2. Applebee's might be making a comeback. Lip service was big in July restaurant marketing.

Portillo's had a rough quarter. McDonald's is leaning into nostalgia. And third-party delivery gave First Watch a boost.

Domino's is going after McDonald's. A Texas-based Panera franchisee has filed for bankruptcy. And another restaurant chain is under pressure over DEI.

The Pizookie continues to be a big traffic driver for BJ's. El Pollo Loco is focusing on value. And expect to see a lot more delivery robots on the sidewalk.

Wendy's is trying to get executives to stick around. Dubai chocolate shakes and $1 sodas are goosing traffic trends at Shake Shack. And Fat Brands keeps growing even though its financials say otherwise.

Cold foam sales have been a bright spot for Starbucks. Wingstop is struggling as consumers pull back. And a coffee chain appears to be making plans to go public.

Full-service restaurants are making a comeback. Wraps have skyrocketed in popularity. And Washington D.C. is restoring the tip credit.

Shipley Do-Nuts has a new owner. The 24-hour Tesla Diner has arrived. And an office catering company is seeing an uptick in business.

McDonald's underestimated early sales projections on its Snack Wrap by 70%. Pumpkin Spice is back… yes, already. And there was a lot of beverage innovation among chains this week.

Chipotle is looking to make consumers think it's a better value. McDonald's is testing some creative new drinks. And a legacy POS provider wants to act like the new kid on the block.

The gap in restaurant performance is widening. Smalls Sliders' former CEO has landed at another emerging chain. And Cracker Barrel is under pressure for its DEI policies.