Dunkin' brings back 48-ounce iced beverage buckets for summer

July 29, 2026

Dunkin' is bringing back its 48-ounce Iced Beverage Buckets to participating locations nationwide beginning Aug. 7 for a limited time, according to company…

Church's Texas Chicken secures Golub Capital investment to accelerate global expansion

July 29, 2026

Church's Texas Chicken has received a strategic growth equity investment from Golub Capital to accelerate its expansion and build upon recent operational…

Bankruptcy claims loom over QSR brands

July 29, 2026

Two major franchisee bankruptcies are highlighting the financial strain facing quick-service restaurant operators in 2026, according to an article in L'Express…

Report: QSRs lead 2026 restaurant closures

July 28, 2026

An estimated 8,171 restaurant locations closed across the United States and Canada during the first half of 2026, according to the latest RestaurantData…

Why Taco Cabana is expanding its franchise beyond the Lone Star State

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

In this episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, host Mandy Detwiler chats with Taco Cabana's director of franchise sales and development, John Ramsay…

Before Zaxby’s and Cane’s, there was Guthrie’s: Now, the pioneer is scaling.

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Guthrie’s, the pioneering 1965 brand that originated the quick-service chicken finger category, is leveraging its streamlined menu, highly guarded proprietary…

Maria Cacciapuoti to join KFC Global as COO

July 24, 2026

Maria Cacciapuoti will join KFC Global as chief operations officer, reporting directly to Scott Mezvinsky, KFC Global CEO, effective Sept. 1, according to a…

The Hidden Driver of Order Accuracy

How label technology powers speed, accuracy, and operational efficiency in a digital-first world.

Presented by Iconex

HTeaO opens 10 locations in Texas, Oklahoma in Q2 2026

July 23, 2026

Iced tea franchise HTeaO opened 10 new locations in the second quarter of 2026, expanding its footprint primarily within Texas, according to a press release.

Hungry Howie’s partners with DoorDash for massive digital overhaul

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Hungry Howie’s has partnered with the DoorDash Commerce Platform to completely overhaul its digital ecosystem — including a rebuilt app, unified customer…

Krispy Kreme celebrates summer with original glazed blueberry-flavored doughnut

July 23, 2026

Krispy Kreme is celebrating peak blueberry season with its new, limited-time Original Glazed Blueberry Flavored Doughnut, the company said in a news release.

Del Taco ranks No. 1 in USA Today's 2026 10Best

July 22, 2026

Del Taco has received top honors in USA Today's 2026 10Best Reader's Choice Awards, earning a spot as the No. 1 Fast Food Restaurant and No. 1 Fast Food Fries…

Layne's Chicken Fingers celebrates 50 restaurants; rapid Q2 growth

July 22, 2026

Layne's Chicken Fingers awarded two dozen new franchise deals in the first half of 2026, expanding its operating footprint to more than 50 restaurants through…

The next generation of QSRs Part 2: How AI, personalization are turning loyalty into a growth engine

by Valerie Gritton

Following Part 1’s look at how rising costs and changing consumer expectations are reshaping value, Part 2 examines how QSR brands are using loyalty data, AI…

What the data says about restaurant catering today

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

As corporate catering transforms into a critical growth engine for the restaurant industry, top brands will share their battle-tested, data-driven playbooks…

Toastique Founder Brianna Keefe details growth from single toast bar to national franchise

Toastique founder Brianna Keefe opened her first location at 24 with no investors, a personal guarantee, and a vision for a concept that didn't yet exist. In…

Burger King introduces new manager role, Whopper guarantee policy

July 20, 2026

Burger King is launching two customer service initiatives based on feedback received during a recent listening initiative led by the company's leadership. The…

McDonald's kiosk update closes rewards loophole

July 20, 2026

McDonald's customers claim the company has closed a loophole that allowed diners to redeem multiple app deals during a single restaurant visit by placing…

Irv's Burgers to host 'I-Scream Carnival' ahead of Eli Roth horror film release

July 17, 2026

Irv's Burgers is partnering with filmmaker Eli Roth for a limited-time promotional collaboration ahead of the theatrical release of his upcoming horror movie…

Build your leadership team: The team that reports directly to you

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

True organizational growth and scalability require distinguishing between mere managers and genuine leaders.