Consumers trade down. A New Jersey restaurant updates its guest policies. Culinary Depot opens a new location. Easy Ice expands in California. Structural Concepts gets a new partner. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Observations from The NAFEM Show. A c-store tests delivery robots. Plenty of mixed labor news. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Layers of labor issues abound. A new multiconcept operator forms a fast-casual portfolio. Making a go of it with grab and go. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

A primer for The NAFEM Show. Middleby’s latest acquisition. Will the “Skip the Stuff” bill hurt sales of disposables in New York City? Foodservice operators must contend with return-to-work issues, too. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

HTeaO and Kitchen Social get new investors, while BradyIFS expands its Chicagoland presence. Customer-facing technology continues to evolve but when will the back of the house become a focal point? These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Krystal unveils a drive-thru-only unit. McDonald’s has a busy year ahead. What does consumer credit say about the economy? Lots and lots of jobs data to parse. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Freshii gets new owners. One operator bets on technology to improve efficiencies, while a restaurant technology company had to lay off some of its staff. Chick-Fil-A plans a new distribution center. FCSI adds to its Americas’ headquarters team. Tensions between Starbucks and its unions continue to percolate.

Consumers plan to let restaurants do at least some of the cooking this holiday season. Unattended retail is popping up in all sorts of places. Plus, a fitting homage for Colonel Sanders in Kentucky.

A James Beard Foundation survey shows what’s on chefs’ minds. The FAST Act faces a significant challenge. BradyIFS and Easy Ice each make two acquisitions.

FAT Brands opens its first tri-branded unit. Challenging business conditions do not dampen restaurant operators’ spending plans. New owners for Swig. Jack in the Box has a healthy appetite for growth. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

The growth of luxury brands continues. Are buffets back? Meet the chain that says yes. The National Restaurant Association reveals the top 10 trends that will shape the industry in 2023. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Panera underscores the importance of digital sales. A Chicago upstart reimagines grocery foodservice. A pizza chain test drives a “smart saucer.” These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

Lots of jobs data to digest. Jack in the Box makes news on two fronts. And a new study takes another look at exactly how many restaurant industry jobs robots could perform. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

The number of restaurants has declined. Breakfast is back. Plus, a look at how the humble hot dog epitomizes the challenges operators face with inflation. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice. 

Rising interest rates are spurring the exit of some longtime KFC executives. Loyalty programs are proving to be valuable to foodservice operators in today’s economy. Yum! Brands takes another step toward exiting Russia. RoboBurger plans to grow via some new funding. 

Plus, co-branding continues to grow in popularity. Dinner becomes the show in one Chicago neighborhood.

Lots and lots of jobs data to parse. Smokey Bones opens a virtual food hall. Robots get more personable. Line balk continues to impact drive-thru service—these stories and more this week in foodservice.

The NRA reported there was a very slight increase in the August Performance Index.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that total retail sales increased in August, as did sales at foodservices and drinking places. Starbucks begins introducing its numerous changes. Burger King will invest $400 million in updated restaurants and advertising over the next 2 years. These stories and a whole lot more This Week in Foodservice.

A lot of people believe that the three major broadline foodservice distributors provide a quick look at what is happening in the field. If this is an accurate assessment, the market is doing well based on the big three’s most recent financial quarters.

A California law targeting fast-food restaurants draws fire from industry leaders. Starbucks takes a fresh look at everything as it welcomes a new CEO. These stories and a whole lot more This Week in Foodservice.

Robots and restaurants were very much in the news this week. Artificial intelligence guides a robot to handle takeout orders. More consumers are buying breakfast beverages and snacks as people give up remote working and return to their employers' facilities. And McDonald’s has begun market testing a chicken version of the Big Mac. These stories and more This Week In Foodservice.

U.S. retail sales were flat in July. Froyo chain 16 Handles gets a new owner. Restaurant operators face steep challenges, per a National Restaurant Association study. Jack in the Box looks to sell some company-owned Del Taco units. These stories and a whole lot more This Week in Foodservice. 

The government numbers for prices in July are interesting and lead to speculation on where inflation is headed and if a recession is in the future. QDOBA gets new owners. While Wendy’s will cut back on its ghost kitchen plans, other operators are not spooked by the segment.

Hiring was up substantially in July, including in the foodservice business. IFMA projects a decline in the amount foodservice operators will spend in 2023. Starbucks continues to attract attention from Wall Street. These stories and a whole lot more This Week in Foodservice.

As industry performance struggles, the National Restaurant Association asks the Small Business Administration to release more aid. McDonald’s last quarter sales outperformed stock analysts’ expectations. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice

Restaurants' rollercoaster relationship with social media continues. A sandwich chain bets on pizza in Las Vegas. Chipotle invests in the future of the foodservice industry, while Kitchen United receives an investment to propel its future growth. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

College foodservice shows signs of improvement. Starbucks continues to wrestle with numerous challenges. A Notre Dame chef scores a big culinary touchdown. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

The three largest foodservice distributors report strong sales in the first quarter of this year. Foodservice hiring was surprisingly good in June. The Panera Bread Company decides not to go public. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.

The Conference Board reports consumer confidence took a hit in June. Grubhub’s parent company is exploring various options for the food delivery firm, while Middleby adds to its portfolio. These stories and more This Week in Foodservice.