QSR Magazine

31/10/2024

The restaurant industry is bouncing back from high quit rates, but financial stress among hourly workers still impacts productivity.

The restaurant industry has turned the corner on the high employee quit rates amidst an overall pandemic-driven worker shortage that plagued it through much of 2023. The improvement has resulted from concerted efforts to make employees’ lives better: think improved benefits like paid time off and ...

31/10/2024

When it comes to tech in hospitality, think of it as another team member—not a replacement.

The key to leveraging technology effectively in hospitality is to play to its strengths. And a good way to operationalize this mindset is to treat any platform decision in the same way you would think about candidate selection, onboarding, and development for staff members. It’s a great way to ide...

31/10/2024

McDonald's recent E. Coli outbreak highlights crucial lessons for supplier relationships and food safety standards across the industry.

The E. coli outbreak is an unusual situation for McDonald’s. The last serious public health issue in the U.S. associated with the burger giant happened more than 40 years ago. However, thanks to collaboration with its suppliers and health agencies, the chain narrowed the source to slivered onions ...

31/10/2024

Chipotle is reworking strategies and adding technology to streamline the back of house.

In August, former Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol made the surprising jump to Starbucks after more than six and a half years leading the fast casual to soaring unit expansion and consistent sales and traffic growth. He was replaced on an interim basis by Scott Boatwright, who has led operations for the pa...

30/10/2024

McDonald’s recent E. coli outbreak hasn’t been good for business, but the burger giant is cooking up a new value offering to reel back customers next year.

McDonald’s recent E. coli outbreak hasn’t been good for business, but the burger giant is cooking up a new value offering to reel back customers next year. The brand has seen daily negative sales and guest count results since the beginning of the food safety incident, which has left at least 75 ...

30/10/2024

Subway is the latest chain to step into the value wars.

In a bid to offer more value to sandwich lovers, Subway is introducing a new $6.99 Meal Deal starting on National Sandwich Day, November 3. The promotion will run through December 26. It offers customers a six-inch sub, a choice of chips or two cookies, and a small fountain drink. The deal applies t...

29/10/2024

Smoothie King debuts the first menu crafted for GLP-1 weight loss users—making it the first national QSR to step into this space.

Smoothie King, the world’s leading smoothie brand, announced the launch of its GLP-1 Support Menu for guests using GLP-1 agonists to help them achieve their weight loss or weight management goals. As a brand on a mission to support healthy and active lifestyles, this dedicated menu will be availab...

29/10/2024

Jacqueline Hawthorne-Robinson is ready to bring her family’s restaurant nationwide.

Jacqueline Hawthorne-Robinson has been preparing for her role as CEO of Golden Krust her entire life. Her parents Mavis and Ephraim Hawthorne operated Hawthorne & Sons Bakery in St. Mary, Jamaica, for more than 50 years with the support of their 11 children. Eventually, Hawthorne-Robinson’s brothe...

29/10/2024

7-Eleven is planning to open 500 food-forward stores in the coming years, another sign that convenience stores are becoming a serious competitor to restaurants.

7-Eleven is planning to open 500 food-forward stores in the coming years, another sign that convenience stores are becoming a serious competitor to restaurants. The company describes the fleet as New Standard stores that have larger formats, more digital and personalized offerings, and additional fu...

28/10/2024

McDonald’s is “very confident” it has removed all products tied to the E. coli outbreak from its supply chain.

McDonald’s said Sunday it’s “very confident” that products related to the E. coli outbreak have been removed from the supply chain and all restaurants. It also confirmed the issue is contained in a specific ingredient and geography. The fast-food giant traced the incident to slivered onions ...

25/10/2024

Connected products are the behind-the-scenes magic that makes QSRs work.

Hundreds of millions of people—nearly 37 percent of Americans—eat “fast food” on a given day, making quick service restaurants a part of modern life. Whether a Starbucks drive-thru, a mobile-order and pickup for a lunch burrito, or a busy family’s meal replacement plan, people eat at QSRs ...

25/10/2024

Yum! and Burger King are recalling onions from certain restaurants in the wake of E. coli being linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.

Yum! Brands, Burger King, and other food companies have recalled onions from certain restaurants in the wake of E. coli being linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. Yum! Brands said it proactively removed fresh onions from select Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC stores out of an abundance of caution....

24/10/2024

With a few key steps, operators can minimize delivery downtime and stay ready for success.

Delivery isn’t new to the restaurant business, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still growing pains. In the past five years, delivery as a percentage of revenue for quick service restaurants has surged, from 2.4 percent in 2020 to 11.1 percent in 2023 (our last full year of data), and tracki...

24/10/2024

Operators say digital menu boards are changing the quick-service drive-thru with real-time updates, better visuals, and boosted efficiency.

The fast-food drive-thru has been a staple of American culture since the mid-20th century. However, some concepts have found static menu boards to be limiting in an era of rapid technological advancement and changing consumer expectations.  Across the country, quick-service chains have begun using ...

23/10/2024

Restaurants aren’t immune from the heat of today’s charged political climate.

The political climate in our country has reached a boiling point, and your establishment is not immune from the election-related turbulence that is facing us as a Nation. So, here are some frequently asked questions—along with some answers—to help guide you through this election season. Employee...

23/10/2024

Chipotle is turning to an AI hiring platform to screen job applicants.

Chipotle announced Tuesday that it will use a new AI hiring platform to support accelerating growth nationwide. The fast casual is partnering with Paradox to introduce a system underpinned by conversational AI (technologies that enable computers to understand, process, and naturally respond to human...

23/10/2024

Can Starbucks remind customers why they love the brand?

Starbucks’ new CEO Brian Niccol spoke for just about six minutes in a pre-recorded video released Tuesday afternoon. In it, the former Chipotle head promised further updates when the company unveils its Q4 results on October 30. But he began by offering context behind the setbacks facing one of th...

23/10/2024

An outbreak of E. coli from McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has resulted in one death, at least 49 illnesses, and 10 hospitalizations.

The CDC announced Tuesday an outbreak of E. coli from McDonald’s Quarter Pounders that resulted in one death, at least 49 illnesses, and 10 hospitalizations. The sickness was reported in 10 states, most of which occurred in Colorado (26 cases) and Nebraska (nine cases). The infections occurred bet...

23/10/2024

✨Sneak Peek Alert!✨The Women in Restaurant Leadership Summit is just around the corner!

What to Look Forward To:
- "The Path to CEO": Hear from top female leaders sharing their journeys to the top.
- "Marketing Mastery": Learn how to turn clicks into revenue with the best in the business.
- Networking Events: Build connections that matter.

Explore the full agenda here to see everything that’s in store: https://www.womenleadrestaurants.com/agenda/

22/10/2024

Chuck E. Cheese is redesigning its fun centers for the next generation, driven by data and focus groups steering the brand’s future.

In the four years since Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company CEC Entertainment filed for bankruptcy, the brand has made good on its promise to deliver on its long-term strategic goals. The company has undergone a significant transformation, including remodeling its locations, launching branded partner...

22/10/2024

A major Potbelly investor is urging the company to create more value for shareholders, including a possible sale.

A major Potbelly investor is urging the company to create more value for shareholders, including a possible sale. Top 20 shareholder Immersion Investments said the market is undervaluing the brand’s stock, despite a major growth story and “readily obvious improvements” happening in recent year...

22/10/2024

This struggling Mediterranean brand is officially on the block.

Bankrupt fast casual Roti is officially up for sale via auction. A public notice was posted by Ravinia Capital, the brand’s exclusive investment banker. All 19 locations across Chicago (10 stores), Washington, D.C. (six stores), and Minnesota (three stores) are up for sale, in addition to intellec...

22/10/2024

Mo' Bettahs just landed a majority investment from Blue Marlin Partners and Trive Capital, taking over from Savory Fund.

Mo’ Bettahs announced Tuesday that it received a majority investment from private equity firms Blue Marlin Partners and Trive Capital. The companies purchased their majority stake from Savory Fund, which acquired Mo’ Bettah’s in 2017 and grew it from six to 56 locations across seven states. Te...

21/10/2024

Keep these wage and hour issues on your radar to avoid scary encounters with stepped-up state and federal enforcement.

Halloween is quickly approaching, and new statutory and regulatory requirements have created a matrix of spooky wage and hour compliance demands on QSRs. If you attended last month’s QSR Evolution Conference in Atlanta, you may have heard some of the warnings in our panel, but for those of you who...

21/10/2024

Brian Niccol wants to retell Starbucks’ story, and he’s bringing in a familiar face to do so.

Just as he did in his early tenure with Chipotle, when he referred to the brand as “invisible,” new CEO Brian Niccol wants to retell Starbucks’ story. And he’s bringing in a familiar face to do so. The chain on Friday announced it’s bringing in Tressie Lieberman as global chief brand offic...