Outside Insights

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

The Hidden Cost of Inventory Blind Spots and How Operators Can Fix Them

For restaurant owners, food costs have always been one of the most closely watched lines on the Profit and Loss (P&L) statement. But managing those costs effectively requires more than monitoring prices from suppliers. Operators must know, with confidence, what is actually happening to food once it arrives. That clarity starts with inventory, and for […]

The post The Hidden Cost of Inventory Blind Spots and How Operators Can Fix Them appeared first on QSR Magazine.

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 […]

The post Minimum Wage Hikes: How QSR Can Take a Proactive Approach appeared first on QSR Magazine.

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

The Hidden Labor Trap Holding Restaurant Operators Back

There was a point where my house was in foreclosure and the power had been shut off. My wife was using solar lights from outside just so we could see inside at night. Before that, I had been in the United States Marine Corps, working with high-level clearance. I was told my experience would open […]

The post The Hidden Labor Trap Holding Restaurant Operators Back appeared first on QSR Magazine.

Fast Food, Franchising, News, Outside Insights, Story

The Hidden Cost of the Third-Party Delivery Boom and How to Win

Over the years, the typical QSR customer has changed. One of the biggest changes is that 30–40 percent of dine-in customers have moved toward the drive-thru. This shift originally driven by COVID caused the customers to visit their favorite restaurants a different way. Consumers have pivoted yet again, ordering food remotely through delivery partners like DoorDash […]

The post The Hidden Cost of the Third-Party Delivery Boom and How to Win appeared first on QSR Magazine.

News, Outside Insights, Story, Technology

How Technology Can Help QSRs Overcome Cost and Experience Challenges

For QSRs, speed is a primary driver of business success. Speed means productive employees, satisfied customers, and increased profitability. In addition, findings from recent QSR reports suggest accuracy, friendliness, and innovation are fast becoming table stakes for customers—who are defining “value” by the totality of the overall experience. Two critical—and variable—cost factors that come with […]

The post How Technology Can Help QSRs Overcome Cost and Experience Challenges appeared first on QSR Magazine.

Fast Casual, Fast Food, Menu Innovations, News, Outside Insights, Story

Is Your Restaurant Ready to Optimize Menu Communications?

Whether your menu communications are menuboards, kiosks, web-based, or mobile app, we all know that menu communications should be well-executed (attractively designed, easy to read, informative). That’s a given. And while these basics are very important, they don’t make the difference between getting improved results and getting superior business results. It’s critical that you first […]

The post Is Your Restaurant Ready to Optimize Menu Communications? appeared first on QSR Magazine.

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

How Restaurant Automation Turns Drama into Calm

Chaos in hospitality is expensive. Not just in rising labour costs or wasted hours, but in missed revenue, reputational damage and the silent loss of loyalty that operators never fully measure. Across hospitality, pressure is rising from every direction. Staff shortages remain persistent, costs continue to climb and guests now expect instant responses as standard. […]

The post How Restaurant Automation Turns Drama into Calm appeared first on QSR Magazine.

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

PAR Technology CEO Savneet Singh Makes 5 Bold, Measurable Predictions for Restaurant Tech

Prediction markets do not allow for hedged bets. On Kalshi or Polymarket, you cannot say “AI will transform the restaurant industry” and call it a prediction. Predictions should be direct, measurable, and a bit spicy. That kind of accountability has been on my mind, and it changed how I approached this piece, including when I […]

The post PAR Technology CEO Savneet Singh Makes 5 Bold, Measurable Predictions for Restaurant Tech appeared first on QSR Magazine.

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

How Chipotle Turned Protein Into a PR Strategy

Being healthy and fit is having a moment, and the fast-food industry has noticed. Nobody is letting this cultural trend pass them by, least of all the brand that has long positioned itself as the healthier option. CARMA has been monitoring Chipotle’s media strategy, and over the past several months, one theme has dominated: protein. […]

The post How Chipotle Turned Protein Into a PR Strategy appeared first on QSR Magazine.

Fast Casual, Menu Innovations, News, Outside Insights, Story

Why Food Should Give You Life: A Call to Action from gusto! CEO Nate Hybl

Atlanta knows how to eat. From Buford Highway to Buckhead, this city has built a food culture that rivals any in the country. We celebrate our chefs, export our cuisine, and take genuine pride in what comes out of our kitchens. But there is something we are not talking about honestly. The food most Atlantans […]

The post Why Food Should Give You Life: A Call to Action from gusto! CEO Nate Hybl appeared first on QSR Magazine.

Scroll to Top