sales and profits

Operations

Independent restaurants contend with a new inflationary problem: Climbing rents

A new survey found that 63% were hit with an increase in 2023, leaving 45% unable to cover their June fee.

Emerging Brands

All aboard: Kura's high-tech sushi train picks up speed

The fast-growing Japanese brand wants to bring sushi to the American masses by outsourcing much of the work to machines.

Earnings roundup: Results from smaller operators and several industry suppliers also cast light on the industry’s performance, particularly by independents.

Earnings roundup: Inflation eased, but so did traffic—at least for some. Weather, meanwhile, was a wallop for at least one, a non-issue for the rest.

Chain officials say the high prices of third-party services are driving patrons to dine on-site.

The fast-food sandwich giant slowed its rate of closures in 2022 but still shuttered 571 U.S. restaurants. It has the lowest number of restaurants since 2005.

The diner chain is trying a number of initiatives to keep its core business fresh and growing. Meanwhile, its parent is getting ready to expand Keke's.

The fast-food sandwich chain wants to add 24,000 international restaurants to catch up with other quick-service brands. But the company is also pushing big changes to grow its U.S. business.

Average unit volumes are higher than they’ve been in a decade and the sandwich chain says the number of closures has slowed, too. And more changes are coming.

Inflation is driving up the cost of operating a restaurant, making efficiency more important than ever. So chains are shrinking the size of their restaurants and reorganizing their kitchens.

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