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Some restaurant chains deal with supply shortages by trying to pivot

Jun 29, 2021
If chicken wings are hard to find, maybe offer thighs?
The chain Wingstop just launched a brand focused on another part of the bird, calling itself "Thighstop."
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Health risks, low pay affecting fast-food workers' appetite for jobs

Apr 29, 2021
Restaurant chains, including Taco Bell, Chipotle and McDonald’s, are going on hiring sprees. Will the labor force respond?
Fast-food restaurants, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and McDonald's, line the streets in South Los Angeles.
David McNew/Getty Images

Fast-food loyalty programs have grown during the pandemic

Apr 28, 2021
Companies are competing with one another — and delivery apps — for your data.
Starbucks costumers who signed up for the loyalty program have bolstered the company's sales in the past year.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Survey finds consumers are concerned about waste from fast-food containers

Apr 27, 2021
That concern won't necessarily translate into a change in consumer behavior.
Young respondents in particular self-reported paying attention to a company’s sustainability practices.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Restaurants struggling to hire, despite high unemployment

Aug 27, 2020
The pandemic is worsening the labor crunch in an industry that's been short-handed for years.
A chef prepares patrons' meals at a restaurant in Tampa, Florida.
Octavio Jones/Getty Images

Most fast-food franchises have bounced back in short order

Aug 5, 2020
Pizza chains and others that allow for social distancing have done especially well. Those that depend on breakfast haven't.
An employee directs drive-thru traffic at a crowded McDonald's in Scotland.
Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images

With commuting down, fast-food breakfast sales have slowed

Jun 11, 2020
Starbucks and other companies are now competing over delivery and takeout convenience.
The largest share of Starbucks sales happen during the morning commute, but competition over breakfast sales has all but evaporated.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Starbucks is winning afternoon customers with cold brew

Jan 29, 2020
It's typically a sleepy time of day for restaurants but snacking is on the rise.
Offering something customers typically don't want in the morning hours, like iced coffee, is one way to draw in customers.
Courtesy of Starbucks

Taco Bell's $100,000 salary offer highlights the pivotal role of managers

Jan 17, 2020
It's a sign of both a tight labor market and the critical role played by managers in operating a restaurant location.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Millennials and avocados are key to Chipotle's comeback

Oct 22, 2019
The fast-casual chain has turned around business since the health scares of years past.
Online orders account for almost a fifth of sales at Chipotle. Above, the restaurant's workers fill orders.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images