A New Beginning As businesses were forced to navigate a new type of economic downturn in 2020, profound changes unfolded and have reinvigorated the quick-service and fast-casual industry. In particular, the industry pivoted to more… Double Down on Digital: How Restaurant Brands are Planning for the Future

When Mountain Mike’s Pizza was first acquired by franchise industry leaders Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme in 2017, the business already had a lot of staying power. It had operated for nearly 40 years,… Mountain Mike's Growth Isn't Peaking Anytime Soon

Recent conditions, at times, have made it difficult to picture life after COVID-19. Instead of a “new normal,” it’s more fitting to call the coming era a “next normal,” given how many layers and stages… Predicting Post-COVID Restaurant Behaviors: Where to Begin

Chick-fil-A CEO Dan T. Cathy will step down on November 1, ending an eight-year run that saw the chicken chain grow into a more than 2,600-unit empire. Andrew T. Cathy, Dan Cathy’s son, will take… Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy Stepping Aside in November

When Hopdoddy Burger Bar announced its 512 employee program at a leadership conference a few years ago, four managers broke down with emotion. Suddenly, bucket list items seemed in reach. A motorcycle trip to Alaska… Hopdoddy's 'Audacious' Strategy to Win the Labor Wars

From operational necessity to strategic imperatives, it’s time to pay more than lip-service to payment innovation. As the battle to rebuild custom commences, the quick-service restaurant industry is arming up with new commerce tools as a… Payment Innovation Takes Center Stage for Restaurants

The Future of Fast-Food Drive-Thru Arrives Early The Environment and Drive-Thrus: Not an Idle Concern Anymore The Charts: Speed of Service Order Accuracy Customer Service Vehicles in Line Digital Menuboard With Digital Menuboard Without Digital… The Environment and Drive-Thrus: Not an Idle Concern Anymore

Menu prices continue to grow as the industry grapples with rising commodity costs and labor shortages.  The index for food away from home rose 4.7 percent year-over-year in August and 0.4 percent versus July, according… Menu Prices Keep Rising Across the Industry

As the economy rebounds, supply chains are squeezed, labor costs are skyrocketing, and the food industry is facing the steepest rise in inflation since the Great Recession. The price rises we’re all noticing at the… Restaurants Can Beat Inflation with a Generous Helping of Data

We were all minding our business here at QSR one October morning in 2019. Then, Fox News opened the floodgates. The company ran with a headline calling Chick-fil-A, the “slowest drive-thru in America,” crediting us,… Opinion: With Chick-fil-A and the Drive-Thru, Don’t Race to Conclusions