Outside Insights

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

Why Most Restaurant AI Investments Fail to Deliver ROI

AI adoption in foodservice is accelerating. Operators are evaluating AI chatbots, predictive tools, recommendation engines, and automated ordering systems. The problem is not a lack of innovation. It is a lack of operational clarity. Many restaurants invest in AI. Fewer see consistent ROI. The reason is straightforward: AI layered on top of fragmented systems rarely […]

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

How Restaurants Can Use AI to Engage Guests and Control Costs

The fast-food industry has been described as “one of the most fiercely contested business landscapes in the world.” With customers increasingly searching for value, franchise owners are always on the lookout for tools to control costs and increase customer engagement. Artificial intelligence (AI) is already providing ways to accomplish those aims, and its impact is […]

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

How Neighborhood Presence Creates Loyal Restaurant Customers

There’s a taco stand that sets up at the same farmers’ market every Saturday morning. No app, no loyalty program, and no digital ad spend to speak of. Just a familiar tent, a handwritten menu on a sandwich board, and staff wearing the same green aprons week after week. The line is reliably long because […]

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

Why Smart QSR Brands Are Turning Food Safety into a Growth Strategy

The quick-service restaurant industry continues to move at an unprecedented pace. Digital ordering, delivery platforms, labor challenges, and rising consumer expectations are reshaping how brands operate. At the same time, operators are managing increasingly complex, multi-unit environments. In this high-pressure landscape, every operational weakness is amplified. Yet one of the most critical areas of restaurant […]

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News, Outside Insights, Story

Stop Throwing Profits in the Trash: 7 Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Food waste costs restaurants a lot of money. Modern quick-service restaurants (QSRs) need to adopt a comprehensive food waste reduction strategy to enhance efficiency, brand reputation and financial health. However, professionals face unique challenges, involving speed and volume of orders. Solutions should be simple to avoid operational slowdowns. Controlling discarded food requires complete commitment from […]

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News, Outside Insights, Story, Technology

Why Unified Commerce is Essential for QSR Success

the restaurant world, speed has always been a primary currency. The QSR—quick-service restaurant—industry is special in that it operates at extreme volume and high velocity, where every second of delay at the kiosk or drive-thru is a direct hit to the bottom line. However, as consumer behavior changes, the concept of “speed” has transformed to […]

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

How the Ozempic Era will Reshape QSR

Since the launch of Ozempic in 2017, use of GLP-1 drugs – whether for health or weight loss reasons – has increasingly gained social acceptance.  These drugs have entered mainstream consciousness, with celebrities openly endorsing them and demand steadily rising. According to a recent study, one in eight adults says they are currently taking a […]

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Marketing & Promotions, News, Outside Insights, Story

QSR Ad of the Month: Wendy’s Finds the Sweet Spot with a March Madness Dunk Pun

Fries and Frostys. Two great Wendy’s tastes that millions of Americans already know go great together. Dunking hot, salty fries into a cold, creamy Frosty has long been one of fast food’s most iconic and proudly unofficial rituals. For March Madness, Wendy’s and agency VML took that grassroots behavior and elevated it to prime-time status […]

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

Insuring your QSR for Today’s Risk Environment

Risk can be a nightmare, but insuring a quick-service restaurant in 2026 doesn’t have to keep owners and operators awake at night.  Insurance has always been a cost of doing business in the quick-service restaurant world. In 2026, it’s also a strategic decision. Between inflation, supply chain volatility, tariffs on imported equipment and ingredients, labor […]

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

Which Restaurant Chains Won the 2025 Earnings Season, and Why?

The 2025 earnings season offered a clear verdict on the state of the restaurant industry. Consumers remained value-sensitive, labor and commodity pressures persisted, and competitive discounting intensified across quick service and casual dining. At the same time, digital engagement deepened, loyalty ecosystems matured, and operational complexity increased. Analyzing Growth Performance In this year-end review, we […]

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