Democratic National Convention not the pick-me-up hoped for by Chicago area businesses

Aug 21, 2024
Restaurants near the DNC taking place in downtown Chicago were hoping for a shot in the arm from the event, but some are discouraged.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Why is the price of an airport sandwich sky-high?

Aug 8, 2024
"The cost of running a business in the airport is actually really high," says Lora Kelley at The Atlantic.
Food prices at airports typically cost about 10% more than street prices. Above, a restaurant at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport.
George Rose/Getty Images

How one startup is reinventing the restaurant

Jul 31, 2024
The restaurant business has been struggling, but an innovative multicuisine operation called Wonder is capitalizing on efficiencies.
At Wonder, customers can get food from multiple restaurants in one order.
Sabri Ben-Achour/Marketplace

The restaurant reservation resale game is on the rise in New York City

May 20, 2024
Ivy Leaguers and industry insiders are grabbing appointments for trendy places and selling them on the online secondary market.
How much would you spend to nab the perfect table at the perfect time at the perfect restaurant?
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Could migrants be the answer to New York's restaurant labor shortage?

Apr 19, 2024
Hospitality businesses say they want working visas for migrants to be fast-tracked as they struggle to fill job vacancies.
Hundreds of asylum seekers lined up outside the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York City in June. Restaurants want to put them to work.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

How fast casual restaurants pick new locations

Apr 16, 2024
"There's a lot of science and a little bit of art" involved in finding the perfect place, a Chipotle executive says.
Shake Shack has cracked the code on scouting locations, says hospitality consultant Talia Berman.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Casual restaurant chains like Olive Garden see declining sales

Mar 26, 2024
Darden Restaurants, which owns chains like Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, had its first same-store sales decline since the pandemic.
Casual chains like Olive Garden don't typically lure in higher-income customers, but also aren't the most affordable option for lower-income households.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Good luck booking that big birthday dinner

Mar 13, 2024
Alina Dizik wrote in The Wall Street Journal about why some restaurants don't want parties of six or more people.
Bigger tables are harder on kitchens and servers, and they're not always welcomed. You may have better luck at less trendy eateries or at off-hours.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The fees war between retailers and credit card companies is heating up

Feb 26, 2024
Merchants paid $126 billion in credit card fees in 2022, up 20% from the year before. The pushback is playing out in lobbying campaigns and Congress.
Merchants from gas stations to ice cream shops to Amazon have complained about credit card fees and contracts, and many are lobbying for credit card regulation.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Diners aren't going to steakhouses just for the steak anymore

Feb 19, 2024
Some steakhouses are changing their menus and venues to accommodate new consumer preferences.
Some people like going to steakhouses for the vibe or ambiance, not just the steaks, says journalist Alina Dizik.
Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Harv