What are the potential benefits of Chipotle’s high-efficiency equipment package? Which chain hopes to clean up with dirty sodas? Can a pizza chain take market share? Which foodservice equipment dealer just opened a Pennsylvania branch? Answers to these questions and more This Week in Foodservice.

Chipotle will continue to roll out its high-efficiency equipment package with the hopes that it could enhance certain revenue streams. Items in the high-efficiency equipment package include a dual-sided plancha, a three-pan rice cooker and a high-capacity fryer, per the transcript from Chipotle’s quarterly earnings call. So far, Chipotle has rolled out its high-efficiency equipment package to roughly 40 locations, per the transcript.

In discussing the high-efficiency package, the chain cited potential benefits include “an improvement in the consistency and quality of our culinary and an increase in prep efficiencies that will help our teams be properly deployed for peak, driving faster throughput,” Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said during the call. He added a successful rollout could “unlock additional growth platforms for our business like catering.”

At the same time, though, Chipotle will also remain focused on its digital efforts to ensure “an end-to-end frictionless user experience with the app,” Boatwright added.

Another lesson learned during the call is that limited-time offers still pack a potent punch. The fast-casual chain saw same-store sales decrease 4% during its second fiscal quarter. That said, Chipotle’s traffic bounced back in June and July thanks, in part, to the successful rollout of a handful of LTOs and more, as Restaurant Business reports.

Foodservice News

• McDonald’s is getting into the dirty soda game. The chain plans to test a variety of new drinks at select stores starting in September, Fortune reports. McDonald’s plans to see which of the new drinks clicks with customers and will then develop a plan to incorporate them into the chain’s menu.
• Shipley Do-Nuts has new owners. Levine Lichtman acquired the 375-unit chain from Peak Rock Capital, per a release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Peak Rock acquired Shipley Do-Nuts in 2021.
• Domino’s thinks it can take share from its competitors despite an industry slowdown. During its most recent fiscal quarter, the pizza chain saw same-store sales increase 3.4%, which is 1.4% greater than analysts’ projections, per a CNBC story. Executives said that Domino’s grew sales across all income cohorts, which is why the chain feels there may be an opportunity to take some market share.
• A long-awaited Tesla-themed diner has opened in Los Angeles, per an Eater story. The restaurant channels both retro and futuristic vibes courtesy of a curved metal exterior. Inside, circular banquettes and a long, rounded counter emerge as defining design elements. The restaurant anticipates serving 2,000 to 2,500 people per day.
• Gourmet grocer Camino Farms Market opened a location in San Diego. The location includes on-site dining, per this restaurant development + design story. One key feature of the location is Pichudo Mexican Grill, a restaurant with a full bar that offers guests a dine-in option.
• Despite maintaining a healthy appetite for growth, Wonder Food Hall needs to manage its debt. Wonder has approached lenders, including private credit firms, looking to raise $400 million to $500 million to refinance its debt, per a Bloomberg story shared via Crain’s Chicago Business. Wonder, which also owns GrubHub, just opened a location in Falls Church, Va., per various published reports. This comes on the heels of Wonder opening a Washington, D.C., location earlier in July.
• Can a flexible approach to design and an ability to operate from “unique real estate” footprints help grow Quiznos? The chain’s CEO thinks so, according to a QSR Magazine story. In May, Quiznos rolled out its first Qube location. The modular restaurant is designed to speed development, streamline operations and cater to customers dining off-premises. The pre-fabricated units are built off-site and shipped to their location fully equipped and ready to install.
• Foodservice equipment and supplies dealer Culinary Depot opened its first location in Pennsylvania. Located in Yardley, Pa., this location will “serve as a hub for personalized consultations, project planning, and customer support,” per a release. In 2024, Culinary Depot reported annual sales of $170 million, making it the 13th largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, per FE&S 2025 Distribution Giants study.

Economic News

• New orders for manufactured durable goods declined 9.3% in June compared to the previous month, per data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This followed a 16.5% May increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.2%. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 9.4%. Transportation equipment drove the decrease by declining 22.4% for the month.
• Existing-home sales decreased by 2.7% in June, per data from the National Association of Realtors. This was significantly more than analysts’ projections, which called for only a 0.7% decline, per CNBC. Month-over-month sales declined in the Northeast, Midwest, and South, and rose modestly in the West, the NAR added. Year-over-year, sales fell in the Northeast and West, while rising in the Midwest and South.
• Sales of new single-family homes took a tumble in June. The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported sales for the month totaled 627,000, which represents a 0.6% decline compared to May and 6.6% compared to June 2024. Economists polled by Reuters had projected new home sales would total 650,000, per a Yahoo! Finance story.
• For the week-ending July 19, 2025, initial jobless claims totaled 217,000, a decline of 4,000 from the previous week, per data from the U.S. Department of Labor. This represents a three-month low, per a Reuters story. The 4-week moving average was 224,500, a decrease of 5,000.