Financing

How your restaurant sales and profits compare to competitors' and what you can do to improve financial performance

Financing

What is the future of Red Lobster?

A Deeper Dive: This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast features Victor Fernandez, VP of insights and knowledge for GuestXM, to talk about full-service restaurants.

Financing

If you think the operating environment is bad here, try China

Several restaurant chains, notably Starbucks, are navigating weak spending and increasing competition in the fast-growing market. But they remain bullish on its future.

The Bottom Line: McDonald’s, Starbucks and Chipotle, chains that have historically benefitted from social media love, are learning the hard way that it can have the opposite effect. Brands should take heed.

The fast-casual pizza chain, which was “born” in California more than a decade ago, believes the cross-country move will further growth.

The Bottom Line: Bankruptcy filings, closures, strategic alternatives and a sudden value messaging all suggest the industry is in a tough spot. But many brands are still thriving.

From the editor: This year’s ranking of the largest U.S. restaurant chains by system sales reveals winners and losers and a few warning signs. Here’s an early look at RB’s coverage of the report.

The fast-casual taco chain, which declared bankruptcy in 2020, cited the state’s operating environment for the restaurant closures.

Rather than try to cater to everybody, quick-service restaurant chains are increasingly specializing based on menu and service style. The result is a crop of innovative chains serving drive-thru salads or just chicken fingers.

The 570-unit seafood chain already closed nearly 100 locations before filing for bankruptcy in May. But it may have to close others if it can't get better terms on lease payments.

Pay for CEOs at publicly traded restaurants took off last year, but remains lower than average among public companies, even as tenure for the position remains volatile.

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