Beyond the remodel: Subway's Blueprint signals a new era of restaurant design

by Valerie Gritton

As brands rethink their restaurant designs and layouts, smaller footprints and increased access to digital ordering reflect a push for greater convenience and…

Dunkin’ teams with Marvel for Avengers: Doomsday-inspired menu

October 9, 2026

Dunkin' is teaming up with Marvel Studios to launch a limited-time menu and collectible merchandise inspired by the upcoming film "Avengers: Doomsday," the…

Sunfly debuts tropical-inspired drive-thru beverage concept in Texas

October 9, 2026

Sunfly has opened its first location in The Colony, Texas, introducing a drive-thru beverage concept that combines craft cocktail-inspired drinks, functional…

Taco Bell, Milk Bar reunite for Birthday Cake Empanada

October 9, 2026

Taco Bell and Milk Bar are teaming up for their third collaboration with the launch of the Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada, available nationwide Oct. 15 for a…

Deliverect, Yext syncing live operational data across digital channels

October 9, 2026

Deliverect, a global restaurant technology platform serving more than 80,000 locations across 70-plus countries, has partnered with enterprise agentic…

Believe, belong and remember: One last lesson from Ted Lasso

I have just spent the last several days at our Fast Casual Executive Summit where I was able to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and lean into what…

Chester’s Chicken launches Express model for smaller-footprint locations

October 8, 2026

Chester's Chicken has introduced Chester's Express, a new grab-and-go format designed to help operators with limited kitchen space serve the brand's signature…

Hardee's names Alisa Gmelich president

October 8, 2026

CKE Restaurants Holdings has appointed Alisa Gmelich president of Hardee's, effective immediately. Reporting to CEO Joe Guith, Gmelich will oversee more than…

KFC introduces snack-size Go Buckets starting at $3.49

October 7, 2026

KFC has introduced Go Buckets, a smaller version of its chicken bucket aimed at customers seeking snacks between meals. Starting at $3.49, each bucket pairs…

Bojangles adds cinnamon cereal iced coffee, doughnut bites to fall menu

October 7, 2026

Bojangles has introduced Cinnamon Toast Crunch Iced Coffee and Donut Bites alongside the return of its Pork Chop Griller sandwich, according to a press…

Who's the MVP of your restaurant? Nominate them for Workforce Warriors

Nominations are open through Nov. 10.

Uber’s ezCater deal puts catering growth, margins and customer loyalty in focus

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

Uber's agreement to buy ezCater could put workplace catering in front of a much larger audience. For restaurant operators, however, the announcement raises a…

McDonald’s sued over AI-powered menu pricing system

October 6, 2026

McDonald's is facing a proposed nationwide class-action lawsuit alleging the fast-food giant violated U.S. antitrust law by using an AI-powered system to…

Uber to purchase ezCater in $2.3B deal

October 6, 2026

Uber has agreed to acquire workplace catering platform ezCater in an all-cash transaction valued at $2.3 billion, a move that will expand Uber Eats deeper into…

Five Ways Multi-Unit Operators Can Cut Kitchen Equipment Costs

by Vijay Sood — Executive Vice President of Corporate Accounts, TriMark USA

As restaurant margins tighten, operators are looking for every opportunity to control costs. Food and labor get the most scrutiny – and for good reason, since…

Bloomin’ leadership lessons with Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Outback Steakhouse co-Founder Tim Gannon shares how with only $37, a ripped-up $1 million check and two great partners, a legendary brand was built and the…

Glazed & Amused maps 1,800 independent donut shops, 17 donut trails

October 6, 2026

A new digital platform is giving independent donut shops across the U.S. another way to get discovered.

McDonald’s bottles pickle juice for Chicago Marathon weekend

October 6, 2026

McDonald's is leaning into marathon season — and athletes' love of pickle juice — with the launch of "Pickle Boost," bottled brine from the chain's signature…

FCES keynote: To go far, go together

by Valerie Gritton

Chicken Salad Chick’s story shows that scaling successfully isn’t necessarily about moving faster or constantly reinventing the brand. It’s about knowing what…

Rita’s resurrects Zombie’s Blood Italian Ice for Halloween

October 5, 2026

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard has announced the return of its fan-favorite Zombie's Blood Italian Ice.