Finance

Fast Casual, Fast Food, Finance, News, Outside Insights, Story

Minimum Wage Hikes: How QSR Can Take a Proactive Approach

If you’re operating in one of the 19 states that increased their minimum wage as of January 1, 2026, chances are you’ve felt a gradual tightening of the budget over the past few months. You should also be aware that three additional states have plans to increase the minimum wage later this year, while eight […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, Growth, News, Story

Why CAVA Keeps Winning Traffic While Much of Restaurant Industry Slows

CAVA isn’t leaning on discounts to drive traffic. It isn’t flooding the market with value bundles or chasing short-term spikes through heavy promotions. Yet the Mediterranean fast casual is posting some of the strongest results in the restaurant industry, even as many chains face a more pressured consumer environment. The company reported first-quarter same-store sales […]

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Beverage, Fast Casual, Finance, News, Story

The Race Between 7 Brew and Dutch Bros is Officially On

There aren’t any visible signs the QSR beverage space is cooling. Rather, it’s become a race to grab sites, adjust menus, and leverage what’s become one of the more-attractive margin and demographic opportunities in recent memory, especially as inflation narrows restaurant usage. Setting the challenger pace is Dutch Bros and 7 Brew, the latter of […]

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Fast Casual, Fast Food, Finance, Legal, News, Story

FAT Brands Split Up in Nearly $1 Billion Bankruptcy Sales Process

FAT Brands’ sprawling bankruptcy process appears to have been finalized. A Texas court approved Tuesday the sale of more than a dozen concepts in the portfolio, with a total value of nearly $1 billion. READ MORE ON FAT BRANDS’ BANKRUPTCY CASE: FAT Brands Breakup Begins as Buyers Emerge for Twin Peaks, Elevation Burger, and More […]

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Emerging Concepts, Fast Casual, Finance, News, Story, Women in Restaurant Leadership

Stefanie Lee Wants to Build Starbird’s Future

Starbird just announced Stefanie Lee as its newest CFO— and she is ready to build out the infrastructure to fuel the brand’s growth as it expands beyond its California home market.  Lee spent 18 years building financial infrastructure at massive brands like Dine Brands, Krispy Kreme, and TITLE Boxing Club. Now she’s coming back home […]

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Beverage, Fast Casual, Finance, Franchising, News, Story

7 Brew is On a Growth Run for the Record Books

7 Brew didn’t merely outpace its own rapid growth from a year ago—it opened as many locations in 2025 as it did the previous two years combined. The chain expanded by a net of 281 restaurants, according its just-released FDD. That after lifting by 141 net in 2024 and 140 in 2023. For some perspective […]

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Fast Casual, Fast Food, Finance, News, Special Reports, Story

The State of Mobile Ordering in QSR: Which Brands are Winning, and Where Opportunity Still Lies

Last year’s Emerging Experiences Report—the third iteration in partnership with Intouch Insight—took us across the QSR landscape to visit next-generation designs. Were these elevated, tech-enabled builds satisfying their premise? Had AI infiltrated the guest experience? The answers were a bit mixed, as you’d imagine. What it revealed, among other things, though, was the layered reality […]

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Fast Casual, Fast Food, Finance, Franchising, News, Story

Restaurant Financing: What Owners Need to Know Before Starting, Buying, or Expanding a Restaurant

Opening or growing a restaurant takes more than a great menu and strong customer service. It takes capital. Whether an operator is launching a new concept, purchasing an existing restaurant, remodeling a location, adding equipment, or expanding into multiple units, access to the right financing can often determine how quickly the business grows and how […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, News, Story

El Pollo Loco’s Multi-Faceted Growth Strategy Takes Hold

El Pollo Loco isn’t pitching a turnaround anymore. It’s trying to prove it can sustain one. Coming out of the first quarter, the fire-grilled chicken chain is leaning into a playbook covering menu innovation, operational discipline, and digital engagement. It’s also shifting attention toward long-term traffic growth and national expansion. Leadership believes the brand has […]

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Burgers, Fast Food, Finance, Marketing & Promotions, News, Story

After CEO Steps Down, Jack in the Box Stays Focused on Turnaround Plan

Where has Jack in the Box struggled the most? Interim CEO Mark King doesn’t have a single answer. He pointed to operations and marketing as two concerns, but was quick to defend Jack in the Box’s menu. “We do not have a food problem,” King said. “We have all kinds of innovation that we can […]

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