Have the tariff clouds blown over? What will influence restaurant designs the most in 2026? How are consumers faring? Plus, the world’s best coffee shop is where? Answers to these questions and more This Week in Foodservice.

Last week the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruled tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unconstitutional. Anyone who thought such a development would add some economic clarity to the foodservice industry were out of luck. That’s due, in part, to the fact that the ruling does not indicate whether the billions the U.S. collected in tariffs since April should be refunded. And hours after the high court handed down its ruling, President Donald Trump said it would not mean the end of his use of tariffs. Over the weekend he followed through on that promise by launching another round of tariffs first at a rate of 10% and then at 15%.

In the foodservice industry, reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision elicited a variety of responses, including this one from Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Tariffs were a significant challenge for more than 60% of restaurant operators last year. What made it particularly difficult for operators was the uncertainty the tariffs caused. Restaurant operators need consistency in the global food supply chain to plan menus and maintain pricing. We support the president’s efforts to balance trade deficits, but the food and beverage products we depend on are not major contributors to these imbalances. We urge the Administration to exempt food and beverage products from any new tariffs.”

The Supreme Court’s ruling came as some reports indicated U.S. businesses appear to be enduring most of the tariff toll. Citing a study from JP Morgan Chase, the Associated Press reported that tariffs paid by midsize U.S. businesses tripled over the course of the past year. As they sought to deal with these higher expenses, businesses have had to pass the higher costs along to customers in the form of higher prices, employing fewer workers or accepting lower profits.

The analysis also suggests that the Trump administration’s goal of becoming less directly reliant on Chinese manufacturers has been occurring. Last year, payments to China by these companies were 20% less than their October 2024 levels, but it’s unclear whether that means China is simply routing its goods through other countries or if supply chains have moved.

Foodservice News

• Nostalgia-driven aesthetics will influence restaurant designs the most in 2026, per a study from restaurant development + design magazine. Second on the list of top influences is maximalism and layered storytelling.
• White Castle has landed in Ft. Myers’ Southwest Florida International Airport. The chain opened a vending kiosk in the airport’s terminal food court, which is transitioning to a vending-focused dining model, per a company release. The Florida unit represents the second kiosk White Castle has opened. The first kiosk operates in Boston’s Logan Airport. White Castle plans to expand its kiosk footprint to additional airports across the U.S.
• What will it take to get Jack back on track? The iconic quick service restaurant chain Jack in the Box plans to close 50 to 100 units in 2026, while making some menu and cosmetic improvements to its stores, per a Restaurant Dive story. The chain saw same-store sales decline 6.7% during its first fiscal quarter, which is less than the previous two quarters where Jack in the Box saw comp sales decline 7.4% and 7.1%.
• The c-store space appears poised for a big year of merger and acquisition activity. Take, for example, Sunoco, which sets aside $500 million for bolt-on acquisitions annually, per a C-Store Dive story. And because of its acquisition of McIntosh Energy, Ridi Stores now operates in three states. Thanks to factors like these, c-store M&A is set to hit the fast lane.
• The National Restaurant Association has a three-pronged policy agenda for the coming year. These priorities include comprehensive immigration reform, bringing down operator costs through passage of Credit Card Competition Act and favorable renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA). The association feels achieving these policy priorities would save operators money, increase local tax bases, and relieve workforce strain.
• Burger King is taking its infamous “have it your way” slogan to the next level. The chain’s customers can call or text company president Tom Curtis at 305-874-0520 to share their thoughts and experiences about their Burger King experience, per a company release. Curtis will take as many calls as possible and every message received will be reviewed and responded to, the release added.
• Did you know the world’s best coffee shop is located in Arkansas? That’s right. Onyx Coffee Lab, which has multiple locations in the Razorback State, took the top spot in the list of The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops as part of a global evaluation process that included more than 800 professional judges as well as public voting. Onyx, which received its recognition during CoffeeFest Madrid 2026, was one of nine American coffee shops recognized.

Economic News

• The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index for the U.S. declined 0.2% in December. Overall, the LEI declined 1.2% over the second half of the year, which The Conference Board describes as a “substantial improvement from its 2.8% contraction in the first half of 2025.” That said, the LEI experienced a decline for five consecutive months.
• Consumer confidence inched up in February. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index posted a 2.2 point gain from the previous month for a reading of 91.2. This is still significantly less than the study’s four-year peak of 112.8, which was achieved in November 2024. The study’s two indexes appeared to be at odds with one another. The Present Situation Index posted a 1.8 point decline for a reading of 120.0, while the expectations index increased by 4.8 points for a reading of 72.0.
• Industrial production increased 0.7% in January, per data from the S. Federal Reserve. This comes on the heels of a 0.2% December increase. In January, manufacturing output advanced 0.6%. Capacity utilization rose to 76.2%, a rate that is 3.2 percentage points less than below its long-run (1972-2025) average.
• Consumers’ finances remained tight in December. Both personal income and disposable personal income increased at a rate of 0.3% for the month, while personal consumption expenditures 0.4%, per data from the S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.