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By Jonathan Maze on Oct. 30, 2024

The Bottom Line: McDonald’s wants a “more holistic,” permanent, branded value offer next year, suggesting that the value wars of 2024 are unlikely to end when the calendar turns. But many brands would be better off staying on the sidelines.

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Marketing

Here's how a restaurant can harness the trends. No need to thank me

By Peter Romeo on Oct. 29, 2024

Reality Check: Any fool can identify the menu hooks for today's consumers. Only an exceptional one could come up with a name like this to showcase 'em.

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Financing

Let's examine Brian Niccol's comments on what ails Starbucks

By Jonathan Maze on Oct. 28, 2024

The Bottom Line: The coffee shop chain’s new CEO has several ideas for the company, released in multiple formats, including changes to marketing and the menu.

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Leadership

Taco John's new CEO is out to prove you can teach an old restaurant chain new tricks

By Jonathan Maze on Oct. 25, 2024

Heather Neary, named chief executive of the fast-food Mexican chain earlier this year, wants to modernize the brand in and out of the restaurants.

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Operations

Family dining shakes a cane at the segment's setbacks

By Peter Romeo on Oct. 25, 2024

Old-guard brands like Denny's and Cracker Barrel are intensifying their quest for a youth elixir, as once-potent competitors succumb to the sector's trying conditions.

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Financing

McDonald's E. coli outbreak gives the fast-food business indigestion

By Jonathan Maze on Oct. 24, 2024

The Bottom Line: A fast-food industry already struggling with weak traffic due to menu prices now faces food-safety concerns as chains quickly ditched onions from their menus. The timing couldn’t be worse.

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Technology

A robotics company tries its hand at running restaurants

By Joe Guszkowski on Oct. 23, 2024

Richtech has sold foodservice robots for years. Its next act, as a 20-unit franchisee inside Walmarts, will put its tech to the test.

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Food

How Mimi Cheng's created Blue Label Burger Dumplings from seed-to-table

By Patricia Cobe on Oct. 23, 2024

Behind the Menu: Sweet Garleek grown from Dan Barber’s Row 7 Seeds inspired the filling and sauce for a limited-edition dumpling at the NYC restaurant.

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Operations

McDonald's scrambles to avoid a repeat of Chipotle's food-safety beatdown

By Peter Romeo on Oct. 23, 2024

The burger giant is emphasizing that the E. coli outbreak announced Tuesday was traced to an ingredient, not the sort of prep mistakes that set Chipotle back nearly a decade ago.

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Leadership