Plant-based concept Clover Food Lab will officially close its doors on Thursday. In an email to customers, CEO Julia Wrin Piper said the 11-unit brand has been navigating the lingering effects of COVID and inflation throughout its supply chain, although it still managed to source ingredients from local farms. But the constant macroeconomic pressures were […]
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We live in a golden age of merch. From the McDonald’s limited-edition Susan Alexandra-designed beaded drinks carrier to Starbucks’ days out-inspired collection of road trip accessories, the evidence is everywhere. What’s Going On For years, branded merch was little more than logo-slapped, mass produced giveaways—cheap, disposable and quickly forgotten. Today, that has fundamentally shifted. Across […]
The post Why QSR Operators See Merch as the Next Loyalty Frontier appeared first on QSR Magazine.
The fast-casual burger segment, like many other categories, finds itself in a difficult period amid inflation, a rough economy, and discerning consumers. Quality and premium cues are still the hallmark of these chains. But the growing importance of value has pushed operators to rethink everyday affordability, menu news, digital engagement, and site selection to capture […]
The post Better Burger Race Heats Up as Consumers Demand More for Their Dollars appeared first on QSR Magazine.
Nothing Bundt Cakes’ $2 billion sale to private equity firm KKR could turn out to be one of the largest restaurant moves of the year. On the surface, it feels a remarkable turn for a 1997-founded bakery chain that specializes in frosted desserts. But expansion has been mounting for a while as it chases ambitions […]
The post Recently Sold Nothing Bundt Cakes Steadily Approaches 1,000 Units appeared first on QSR Magazine.
It’s that time of the year again: QSR is looking for the quick-service industry’s best franchise deals. Weighing investment figures, sales trends, corporate support, and franchisee satisfaction, among other things, we’ve produced one of the industry’s annual can’t-miss franchise reports for the last 15 years. Think your brand should be considered one of the industry’s top deals and […]
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.
Guzman y Gomez has exited the U.S. market after concluding its Chicago restaurants were unlikely to deliver the level of performance needed to justify continued investment. The Australia-based fast casual announced May 22 that it would immediately cease operating its U.S. restaurants, ending a yearslong attempt to establish a foothold in one of the world’s […]
The post Global Fast Casual Guzman y Gomez Pulls Out of U.S. After Struggling to Gain Sales Momentum appeared first on QSR Magazine.
Like last year, I headed to the National Restaurant Association Show with three questions. I prefer taking this umbrella approach over crafting different interviews because I begin to see trends develop over the course of conversations. You’ll notice in the stories ahead, it became apparent what’s on operators’ minds (AI) and how there’s not a […]
The post Savory Fund CEO Clay Dover on AI, Emotional Connections, and Keeping the Human Element Alive appeared first on QSR Magazine.
Growing up one of my first jobs was parking cars as a valet at a friend of mine’s family-owned restaurant and catering hall. That’s what got me interested in the restaurant business to start, and it hasn’t ended. Seeing people coming into the restaurant with friends and family excited to have a great meal and […]
The post 6 Questions with Wayback President Patrick Conlin appeared first on QSR Magazine.
Fluffy Fluffy Cafe has a growth story to write, but it won’t be defined by speed. Instead, the Japanese souffle pancake concept is betting on operational discipline, infrastructure, and consistency as it works toward an ambitious target of 300 U.S. locations by 2030. The brand has 16 domestic locations and more than 70 globally in […]
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