RB Daily

Wendy's has a new CEO, Cava had a great first quarter, and KFC is continuing its comeback plan with fried pickles.

Kura Sushi gets a notable investor. Rotary phones are big. And here comes the protein.

FAT Brands has a path to a sale out of bankruptcy. The industry needs to keep talking about immigration. And limited-time offers continue to pick up momentum.

What the first quarter tells us about consumer behavior. Subway is shaking up its marketing strategy. And the National Restaurant Show is underway in Chicago.

Taco Bell is launching a new Mexican Pizza and Salsa.  Wingstop is bringing its immersive House of Flavor experience to North America for the first time. And Legal Sea Foods' new gluten-free fish and chips already has a big following.

Chuck E. Cheese is watching you. McDonald's has named its first soccer stadium. And Black Rock Coffee's traffic was down, but sales were up.

Papa Johns is taking to the skies. Pizza Hut is being sued by a franchisee over AI. And El Pollo Loco's turnaround effort is showing results.

Texas Roadhouse has been quietly adding more tech.  FAT Brands franchisees are making their own claims in the ongoing bankruptcy case. And El Pollo Loco's momentum accelerated in the first quarter.

The Extra Value Meal platform is really working for McDonald's. Wendy's is losing lower-income consumers. And Texas Roadhouse is seeing beef costs ease a bit.

Papa Johns' recent struggles continued in the first quarter. Noodles & Company is feeling pretty good about its turnaround. And Applebee's is feeling a pinch from high gas prices.

Burger King's listening tour could reverberate for years. Sibling brand Popeyes just turned in its worst quarter in almost two decades. And BJ's Restaurants is on a roll.

First Watch got a boost from a redesigned menu. Portillo's drove traffic in the right direction. And KFC gives us this day and every weekday our daily $10 bucket.

The chicken category's sales decelerated for the second year in a row. Popeyes has made its wraps a permanent menu item. And Miller's Ale House promoted its COO to CEO.

Huey Magoo's has a new prototype. Chipotle has two promotions this week. And the fine-dining Mexican concept Rosa Mexicano has a new CEO.

The K-shaped economy is working for Cheesecake Factory. Chipotle's same-store sales were up in the first quarter. And look at Yum Brands' spinoffs Live Mas Cafe and Kwench go!

Chili's chicken sandwiches were a hit. Taco Bell is firing on all cylinders. And Wingstop had a rough winter.

Subway has launched its first-ever value menu. McDonald's is adding more drinks. And Chipotle has a new CMO.

Domino's is dealing with a lot of discounting from competitors. A Jack in the Box franchisee is suing the franchisor. And 2025 was not kind to fast-casual restaurant chain sales growth.

An Applebee's franchisee is not happy about the growth of dual-branded units with sister-brand IHOP. The Deparment of Labor has a new proposed rule on joint employer status. And it's tough to be a franchise brand in this market.

Little Caesars is taking its family meals to the skies, Starbucks is now enabling customers to schedule their orders, and a look inside the making of Wendy's new spicy chicken sandwich.

Chipotle is bringing back its hardest hitting LTO. Jeni's has a new CEO who knows a bit about ice cream. And which restaurant chains grew the most last year?

Starbucks is spending $100 million on its Nashville support center. Steak n Shake has a new chief maha officer. And P.F. Chang's and El Pollo Loco announced big plans at RLC.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Jersey Mike's is heading for an IPO. Endless shrimp is back at Red Lobster. And this year's Top 500 Restaurant chain report is out. It was a rough 2025.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

We can continue to expect menu innovation at El Pollo Loco. Bread Zeppelin wants the world to know they stuffed salad into bread long before Panera. And a breakfast and brunch chain is expanding into lunch.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Little Caesars is on ChatGPT. Dairy Queen is bringing AI to the drive thru. And the slow demise of the tip credit will continue in Chicago.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

AI can now help pick your Starbucks based on your outfit. CAVA is officially launching its first seafood item. And Hardee's is going big with the prime rib. Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Taco Bell is turning up the heat on its Nacho Fries. Chili's unveiled its new chicken sandwich. Jack in the Box is trying to keep a franchisee from closing 38 restaurants. Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

McDonald's has some new drinks. Denny's has a new CEO, and Jersey Mike's had a pretty solid year under its new private equity owner.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

We have new intel as to what motivates quick-service consumers to eat out. Crumbl continues to ride a bit of a roller coaster. And Saucy by KFC is set to make its debut in the Lone Star State.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

The Power List is out. Chili's is the new No. 2 in casual dining. And 7-Eleven's IPO has been delayed.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Landlords think the FAT Brands sale process is moving too quickly. A bankrupt franchisee is blaming California's $20 fast food wage for its problems. And Panera has a new menu line.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Restaurants will feel the pain of higher gas prices. It's sauce time at Domino's. And KFC is breaking into song.Learn more about Menu Masters: https://menumastersevent.com/?utm_source=skot&utm_medium=radio&utm_campaign=mm26&utm_content=podcast

Chick-fil-A's unit volumes have hit a ceiling. IHOP has trademarked an interesting acronym to promote its newest value offering. And Huey Magoo's is pushing big into Texas.

Burger King wants to take the crown from McDonald's. Taco Bell is giving U.S. customers a taste of the world. And the restaurant industry has clawed back some of the jobs lost earlier this year.

Starbucks is giving out bonuses. Red Lobster is still waiting for its post-bankruptcy comeback. And we now know more about McDonald's $3 menu.

Independent restaurants don't like the Sysco merger. Chagee is pumping the brakes on expansion. And Shake Shack unveiled big tech upgrades.

Firehouse Subs is sweetening the pot on its franchise development incentives. Restaurants want to help consumers who are feeling the pinch at gas pumps. And KFC is pulling a page from Taco Bell with its latest value play. 

Sysco is buying Restaurant Depot. Wendy's is upgrading its chicken sandwich. And Papa Johns has some new sandwiches and sauces.

Wonder is adding a new Indian concept. Dos Toros is trying it again in Chicago. And women are dropping out of the restaurant industry.

Taco Bell is letting its Rewards members choose which global item to bring to the U.S. Noodles & Company's turnaround seems to be going well. And Sweetgreen has launched three new chicken dishes.

McDonald's is teaming up with KPop Demon Hunters. A large Applebee's franchisee has filed for bankruptcy. And Krispy Kreme has sold a majority stake in a joint venture.

Starbucks wants shorter lines at airports for coffee. Domino's is updating its pizza tracker. And OpenTable is demanding exclusivity.

The McDonald's Big Arch has provided a modest traffic bump. DoorDash has launched an emergency relief program to ease the impact of gas prices. And Little Caesars is answering consumers' increasing demand for shareable offerings.

FAT Brands has bankruptcy financing. CloudKitchens CEO has something new in the works. And Wonder appears to be making IPO preparations.

Andy Wiederhorn is out at FAT Brands. Darden continues to outperform the casual-dining segment. And a Midwest buffet chain is shrinking its footprint.

Maggiano's is looking for big eaters. Chipotle has another new sauce. And El Pollo Loco is upgrading its rewards program.

Small businesses affected by ICE crackdowns could get relief, Applebee's is shifting its marketing strategy, and agentic AI is cropping up more in restaurants

Burger King wins the Oscars, Fat Brands is headed toward a sale, and a Popeyes franchisee is closing more restaurants.

Some Kona Grills will soon be converted to other brands. El Pollo Loco is ready to grow again. And Sweetgreen wants to be a lifestyle brand again.

Papa Johns is staying mum on takeover rumors. The big bite taken by Burger King's president has juiced traffic. And the co-founder of Noma stepped down. 

Papa Johns is apparently weighing yet another offer. McDonald's is introducing a new value offer.  And rising gas prices are likely to impact restaurant spending.