June 08, 2023
Hooters: Direct Ordering Channels Enable Virtual Restaurants to Get Playful 

While virtual brands on third-party aggregators are challenged to find ways to game the system, Hooters notes, direct ordering platforms enable restaurants to offer a greater variety of options, including...

June 06, 2023
Cracker Barrel Sees Inflation-Concerned Consumers Pulling Back on Full-Service Restaurants

As restaurant inflation rises, Cracker Barrel is seeing consumers dining out less frequently, even as they order as much as ever each visit. The Tennessee-based restaurant and retail chain, which...

June 01, 2023
Instacart Takes on DashMart With Aldi Digital C-Store Partnership

Instacart is working with discount grocer Aldi on 30-minute delivery of convenience store goods, a move that could boost the grocery aggregator’s competitive position in the category relative to competitors...

May 26, 2023
Putting Memorial Day BBQ on the Table May Put a...

It’s Monday and a holiday. The hot dogs are at the ready. The grill’s fired up. The wallets feel a whole lot lighter. The Memorial Day weekend stretches out over...

May 24, 2023
Fast-Casual Brands Prepare IPOs as Sector Bounces Back

With fast-casual chains’ stocks outperforming the restaurant industry, more brands, including Panera and Cava, are looking to capitalize on the industry’s recovery. Panera Brands, a group encompassing fast-casual bakery-café chain Panera Bread, Einstein Bros....

May 22, 2023
Why Generative AI Is a Bigger Threat to Apple Than...

The conversation over the last three years about the shift to digital has been largely about the share of consumers who once did most things in the physical world and...

May 08, 2023
Restaurants Split on Kiosks in Efforts to Boost Digital Efficiency

As consumers’ digital expectations come to influence how they engage with physical stores, restaurants are investing in new on-premises capabilities, but when it comes to self-service kiosks, major brands are...

May 04, 2023
Restaurants Take Advantage of Rise in Messaging to Drive Sales

As consumers increasingly message each other online, restaurants are taking advantage of their familiarity with these chat-based interfaces to reduce friction from the digital ordering and payment process. By the...

May 03, 2023
Taco Bell’s Tech Investments Yield 60% Digital Sales Boost 

As restaurant brands look to drive digital adoption, Taco Bell has seen a major boost from investing in its ordering channels. Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC,...