At a time of softening traffic, consumers say the old draws may not be what pulls them into one restaurant versus another. Here are the features they cite as actually turning their heads today.
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The Bottom Line: A combination of rising costs and weakening sales, and more expensive debt, has caused real problems for restaurant chains. But the industry is also really difficult.
The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.
Reality Check: Old-guard chains are finding the alternative operations to be persistently effective side hustles.