International Dairy Queen marks return to Puerto Rico

July 1, 2026

International Dairy Queen Inc., through its subsidiary American Dairy Queen Corporation, has announced a deal to open 20 DQ Grill & Chill restaurants in…

Papa Johns appoints interim CFO as Ravi Thanawala departs

July 1, 2026

Papa John's International Inc. has restructured its executive team after the departure of chief financial officer Ravi Thanawala, who is resigning to assume a…

Church's Texas Chicken launches catering program

July 1, 2026

Church's Texas Chicken has launched a nationwide catering program designed to streamline large-group dining for family gatherings, office lunches and community…

Why Your Restaurant Staff Can Never Truly Clock Out From the Work Chat

When work and personal messages land in the same messaging app, your restaurant staff can never truly clock out. Here's what that costs you.

Rita’s Italian Ice opens 1st of 4 planned DFW drive-thru locations

June 30, 2026

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will open its doors July 1 in North Richland Hills, marking the beginning of an expansion across North Texas, according…

KFC, Jackass partner to make sure you don’t blow your finger lickin' fingers off this 4th of July

June 30, 2026

KFC has teamed up with the "Jackass: Best and Last" film for an irreverent PSA to remind fans to keep their fingers safe this 4th of July holiday, according to…

How Velvet Taco CEO Chris Schultz scales a cult brand without losing its soul

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

During his keynote at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Texas, Chris Schultz will discuss restaurant growth, brand culture, leadership, international…

Krispy Kreme entering Estonia

June 29, 2026

Krispy Kreme has signed a five-year development and franchise agreement to open up to 25 units across the Baltic States between 2026 and 2030, expanding its…

Taco Bell operator Southpaw expands Midwest footprint with Columbus acquisition

June 29, 2026

Southpaw, a quick-service restaurant operator, has acquired 43 Taco Bell locations in the Columbus, Ohio, area, according to a press release.

Paytronix, Qu launch upgraded menu, order integration for restaurants

June 29, 2026

Paytronix, a guest engagement and digital ordering solutions provider, announced an upgraded integration with commerce platform Qu to automatically sync online…

The Power of the Rearview Mirror and the Windshield: An activity of reflection and projection

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Using the metaphor of a vehicle's small rearview mirror and large windshield, columnist Kathleen Wood shares a structured framework designed to briefly…

The Frictionless Frontier: Why Grocery, Convenience, and QSR Need a Reset

In today’s QSR environment, small gains in speed and convenience can drive meaningful impact. This playbook explores where friction occurs in across systems…

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Flippy maker Miso Robotics buys Zume IP to launch pizza automation

June 26, 2026

Miso Robotics has acquired the technology and intellectual property of former pizza robotics startup Zume, three years after the company shut down completely…

Arby’s partners with Malin Akerman, Harry Jowsey for $1.99 slider campaign

June 25, 2026

Arby's is introducing a nationwide, limited-time promotion featuring its line of sliders for $1.99 each, according to a press release.

How Church’s Texas Chicken uses real estate discipline to drive franchise growth

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Church’s Texas Chicken is bucking the fast-food trend of large, expensive experiential builds by pivoting to a "simplify and amplify" strategy, utilizing…

Hardee’s partners with NASCAR's Bubba Wallace for limited-edition combo meal

June 25, 2026

Hardee's has launched "Bubba's Full Throttle Meal," a special limited-edition combo celebrating its partnership with 23XI Racing and NASCAR driver Bubba…

Carl's Jr. offers free burgers to road trippers who bypass Jack in the Box

June 25, 2026

As Americans prepare for one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer, Carl's Jr. is issuing a playful challenge to road trippers to bypass a competitor…

The Cost of Running Your Restaurant's Internal Communication on Personal Messaging Apps

Using personal messaging apps for work communication creates hidden costs for restaurant teams, from privacy risks and blurred workdays to missed tasks and…

The KFC Foundation awards $2M in scholarships to restaurant employees

June 24, 2026

The KFC Foundation has awarded a total of $2 million in scholarships to more than 300 restaurant employees across the country to assist with their education…

Rita’s Italian Ice brings back patriotic 4th of Gelati for summer

June 24, 2026

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard has brought back its 4th of Gelati treat for a limited time to celebrate the Fourth of July and the start of summer…