What’s on consumers’ minds? Thanksgiving dinner will cost how much? How did restaurant hiring hold up in the third quarter? What is a dishwasher in nature and how can you experience this phenomenon? Answers to these questions and more This Week in Foodservice.

Given the significant role they play in the success of restaurants and other forms of retail, heading into the holiday season, operators want to know the status of consumer confidence. Unfortunately, consumer confidence is down, per The Conference Board. Its November Consumer Confidence Index declined 6.8 points for a reading of 88.7. This represents the lowest consumer confidence since April of 2025.

The Present Situation Index declined 4.3 points and the Expectations Index declined 8.6 points.

“Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist, The Conference Board. “Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrank dramatically after six months of strongly positive readings.”

Foodservice News

• Grocery chain Wegmans added a new meal option: Hot Bowls, per a Grocery Dive story. Customers can order their own customized bowl or a signature offering, which includes Mediterranean, Latin, and Asian options. Wegmans staff assemble the bowls in-store and customers can order them for delivery through its app. Wegmans is testing these bowls in North Carolina.
• Shake Shack’s partnership with Uber Eats continues to evolve. The burger chain uses sidewalk delivery robots to deliver from two of its Chicago locations, per a Chain Store Age story. Shake Shack plans to bring this feature to other locations in Chicago soon. Notably, the robots integrate directly into Shake Shack’s existing Uber Eats ordering system, which eliminates manual entry and extra steps for store associates.
• Is a comeback in the works for Iron Hill Brewery? Former Famous Dave’s CEO Jeff Crivello submitted a $12 million credit bid to acquire 10 of Iron Hill’s shuttered locations, FSR Magazine reported. Some may reopen as Iron Hill, while others may reopen under different names. Two months ago, Iron Hill abruptly filed for bankruptcy and closed all 16 locations.
• Could FAT Brands be the next restaurant company to file for bankruptcy? It’s possible. The multiconcept operator’s lenders demanded immediate payment of debt totaling $1.26 billion, per various published reports, including this one from FSR Magazine. And it appears as if the company is unable to meet this burden, which could lead FAT Brands to file for bankruptcy. FAT Brands’ restaurant portfolio includes such high-profile chains as Fatburger, Fazoli’s and Johnny Rockets, among others.
• AeriTek Global Holdings has acquired Due North Corp. A multiline manufacturer of commercial refrigeration products, Due North’s product portfolio includes QBD and Minus Forty. AeriTek is a portfolio company of Mill Point Capital LLC. AeriTek’s brands include Imbera, Torey, Minus Forty and QBD.
• While acquisition activity among restaurant chains starts to ramp up, the pace has been a bit quicker among franchisee organizations. For example, Franchise Equity Partners acquired a majority stake in 7 Brew’s second-largest franchisee, while Eyas Capital bought Bojangles’ largest franchisee. Private equity firms are attracted to franchise portfolios because they offer three distinct paths to value creation: organic growth, expansion and acquisition, per a Restaurant Dive story. Investors also see an opportunity to grow profits by improving operations, controlling food costs, and streamlining management.
• Discussions about a potential merger between broadliners US Foods and PFG have ceased. Both parties mutually agreed to part ways, per a NASDAQ story.
• Restaurant hiring gained some momentum in the third quarter of 2025. Eating and drinking places added a net 68,000 jobs for the period, per a National Restaurant Association analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was a modest increase from a decline of 28,000 positions in the first quarter and an increase of 23,800 positions in the second quarter. Despite this positive news, industry job growth remains dampened compared to previous years, the NRA added.
• The greatest restaurant of the past 25 years is Chicago’s Aliena. That’s according to the Robb Report’s 100 Greatest American Restaurants study. The Robb Report polled 250 chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, ingredient purveyors and more. Ironically, this news comes on the heels of Aliena losing one of its Michelin stars.
• Warewashing equipment manufacturer Insinger got into the holiday spirit a little early this year. The Philadelphia-based company developed “Dishwashers in Nature: A 2026 Scenic Wall Calendar.” As the name implies, the limited-edition calendar features “12 majestic months of various Insinger warewashers in lush landscapes.” Copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis from the company’s sales force.
• Shoutout to Alto-Shaam CEO Steve Maahs on being named a Wisconsin Titan 100 for 2026. This program recognizes “the state’s most accomplished business leaders across a range of industries for their exceptional leadership and vision.” This is the second consecutive year Maahs earned this recognition.

Economic News

• Could Thanksgiving dinner in 2025 cost less than last year? Yes, according to analysis from Wells Fargo. Despite inflation being up 2.7% compared to one year ago, the cost of Wells Fargo’s Thanksgiving menu declined 2% to 3%. Driving the increases in food-at-home prices are protein items like beef and eggs, which are not the focal points of Thanksgiving. By shopping store brands, dinner for 10 people comes in at $80, according to Wells Fargo.
• Consumers’ holiday shopping could be a gift for retailers and restaurants. The National Retail Federation reports consumers plan to spend $890.49 per person on average this year for gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items. Out of that total, $262.56 will go toward food, candy, decorations, and cards. This would be second second-highest amount on record, with consumers having spent $901.99 per person in 2024.
• Foodservice operators got some additional relief from tariffs late last week. President Donald J. Trump lifted his administration’s 40% tariffs on Brazilian food products, as The Hill reports. “Food costs for restaurant operators have grown more than 40% over the last five years, so every change the President can make to impact prices in our favor – like exempting Brazilian coffee and beef from tariffs – is important to our bottom line. We hope this will mean that the international supply chain for food and beverages can begin to return to normal and that the President will continue to prioritize bringing down food prices for small business restaurant owners across the country,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs for the National Restaurant Association.
• The government shutdown may be over, but Congress still has plenty to do. The recent agreement to re-open the government included three bills that will fund military construction-veterans affairs, agriculture, and the legislative branch through September 2026 and a continuing resolution through January 30 for other appropriations, as The Conference Board shared on LinkedIn. Congress has until January 30 to agree on a budget for 2026. Failure to do so could lead to another government shutdown.