Four ways the game has changed for restaurant brands

Nimbleness, dynamic customer relationships, customization and millennial insights are all key to brand success, says FOCUS Brands CEO Steve DeSutter.

CIT: Fast casual has changed landscape through customization and quality

November 6, 2014

The fast casual segment continues to outpace the rest of the restaurant industry and will continue to do so, despite having higher price points than its QSR…

More UK restaurant consumers seeking alternative diets

November 6, 2014

Technomic has released its top five trend predictions for the United Kingdom foodservice market moving into 2015. They are listed as follows:

No traffic, no problem: Starbucks plans to take the coffee to the customer in 2015

October 31, 2014

Consumers are staying away from brick and mortar stores in favor of online shopping, slowing traffic growth in Starbucks' stores. Starbucks is navigating the…

NRA: Restaurant Performance Index showed moderate decline in September

October 31, 2014

Restaurant operators are unimpressed about the direction of the economy.

Restaurants beefing up offerings despite rising protein costs

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Operators are so undeterred by rising protein costs that menu mentions of protein across the board have risen 67 percent in the last five years.

Majority of middle market execs have positive business outlook

October 30, 2014

According to CIT Group’s newly-released and third annual Voice of the Middle Market study, a majority of middle market execs have a positive outlook for their…

Service remains priority for restaurant patrons even as technology usage increases

October 30, 2014

The National Restaurant Association has released new research that shows overall technology use in restaurants is increasing. More than one-third of consumers…

In times of doubt, think outside the nutritional box

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

If you are still on the fence about whether you should provide menu items that are allergen- and/or gluten-free, provide a dish as a limited-time-offer to see…

Vast majority of millennials' restaurant visits are to traditional QSRs

October 28, 2014

Despite cutbacks in restaurant visits throughout the past several years, millennials, ages 18 to 34, continue to be heavy users of restaurants, according to…

Prognostication: 2015 menu trends

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Beverages, micro-local, crowdsourcing and increased competition from nontraditional foodservice outlets are all expected to shape the restaurant landscape in…

Delivery startups targeting fast food crowd

October 27, 2014

The quick-service marketplace continues to get more crowded. A growing number of online food companies are popping up, particularly in the San Francisco area…

Tea, craft soda, beer bubbling up in beverage trends

by Brenda Rick Smith — Editor, Networld Media Group

Fast casual operators can pull away from the pack by offering trendy beverages like handcrafted sodas, specialty teas and alcohol. But will margins be high…

Panera, Chipotle set sustainability standards by starting small, thinking big

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

The biggest opportunities to save come with packaging and waste initiatives.

Industry trends: Consumers will spend more for transparency, authenticity, safety

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Watch for menu trends at airport bars and lounges, Hollywood and convenience stores.

Fast-paced technology changes highlighted in annual Fast Casual State of the Industry report

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Restaurant operators are paying their employees more now than they were last year.

Firehouse CEO: Restaurant industry dealing with unprecedented headwinds

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Union activism, food costs, data breaches and minimum wage debates are just part of the 'external factors' facing restaurant operators.

Midsized business owners cite government regulations as top concern

October 16, 2014

A new study by research group ADP Research Institute reveals a gap in confidence for midsized businesses when it comes to the US economy.  The study found that…

Fast casual execs weigh successes and failures of QSR segment

by Alicia Kelso — senior editor, QSRweb.com

Despite a few notable bright spots -- Wendy's, Domino's -- most observers agree that the QSR segment is in trouble. What are the lessons and opportunities for…

Demand for breaded chicken sandwiches on the rise

October 15, 2014

An increasing number of consumers are requesting breaded chicken sandwiches, according to new research from The NPD Group.  Servings of breaded chicken…