Finance

Consumer Trends, Fast Casual, Fast Food, Finance, News, Story

Higher Gas Prices are Challenging the Restaurant Industry Further

Rising gas prices (up 21.2 percent) led to a 0.9 percent jump in consumer price in March, a steeper result than February’s 0.3 percent, and the largest monthly increase since June 2022. Food prices didn’t change, but menu figures climbed 0.2 percent. Headline inflation hiked 3.3 percent, year-over-year, in March. That, too, was a sharp […]

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Customer Experience, Drive Thru, Emerging Concepts, Fast Casual, Finance, Franchising, News, Restaurant Operations, Story

Submit for the 2026 QSR 50

It’s the industry’s biggest report: The QSR 50, your annual run-down of the best-performing U.S. quick-service brands. The top 50 companies ranked by U.S. system-wide sales, along with additional brands contending for the list, will appear in the August 2025 issue of QSR—our most-read edition of the year. Think your brand will make the cut this year? Fill out the […]

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Fast Food, Finance, Franchising, News, Story

Chick-fil-A Wants to Transition Licensed Locations. Here’s How They’re Performing

Chick-fil-A shared in December it had been “shifting incrementally a bit” over recent years from licensed development toward owner-operator-led non-traditional restaurants. Essentially, the brand wants to transition “as many as possible” of these college campus, hospital, and theme park restaurants into the more typical, community driven, franchise approach that’s defined its footprint for decades. Currently, […]

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Fast Food, Finance, News, Story

Chick-fil-A Dials Up Expansion as Sales Near $24 Billion

Chick-fil-A is in the process of shifting its licensed strategy and eyeing international acceleration. But stateside, growth is ramping up as well. According to its Monday-released FDD, the company expanded by a net of 179 franchised and company-operated stores in 2025 to reach 2,863 total outlets. That was a material lift from 2024’s 132 net openings and […]

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Finance, News

Starbucks Closes Joint Venture Deal with Boyu Capital

Starbucks Coffee Company announced the official closing of its previously announced joint venture with Boyu Capital, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term strategy to unlock sustainable, disciplined growth in China. The transaction finalizes the intent Starbucks shared in November of 2025 and reflects the company’s continued confidence in China as a critical growth […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, News, Story

Clover Food Lab Could Shut Down All Locations Without Buyer

Clover Food Lab, an 11-unit plant-based chain, could close all of its locations if it doesn’t find a buyer, according to multiple media reports. On Monday, the brand filed a WARN notice with the State of Massachusetts, stating that it may lay off 182 workers by May 26 if it is not financially rescued. The […]

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Fast Food, Finance, Franchising, News, Story

Culver’s Remains One of Fast Food’s Most Consistent Growth Stories

This past year, unsurprisingly, was another steady growth stretch for Culver’s, which lifted by a net of 44 locations, per its latest FDD. That took the 1984-founded brand to 1,041 restaurants as 2026 arrived. Culver’s projects 59 new franchised outlets this year as well. Impressively, and also par for the recent course, Culver’s began 2025 […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, Franchising, Growth, News

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill Reports Strong 2025 Growth

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in the U.S., announced today its year-over-year performance in 2025 – a year that marked significant growth across the system and at the unit level. The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill opened 20 new restaurants in 2025, expanding its nationwide presence in key states like Florida, California, and Texas as well as entering new markets including New Mexico and Wisconsin. The brand also reported […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, News, Story

Noodles & Company Finds Momentum After Year of Reset

Noodles & Company used 2025 to reset much of its business, from the menu to operations to its restaurant base. Those changes began to show results in the back half of the year and have carried into 2026, with the chain seeing some of its strongest results in its 31-year history even as broader fast-casual […]

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Fast Casual, Finance, Legal, News, Sandwiches, Story

11-Unit Firehouse Subs Franchisee Files for Bankruptcy

A multi-unit Firehouse Subs franchisee filed for bankruptcy on Monday after a failed expansion strategy, rising costs, and mounting debt. CN Holdings, owned by Chris Morris and Natalie Bosworth, operates 11 Firehouse locations in Utah and Idaho. The company intends to restructure operations by shedding underperforming stores and focusing on core profitable units. According to […]

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