Restaurant Dive

04/06/2026

Recent activations at McDonald's around a Nike sneaker release and box office smash “Backrooms” demonstrate how the fast food giant uses social media marketing.

Activations around a Nike sneaker release and box office smash “Backrooms” demonstrate how the fast-food giant uses social media marketing.

04/06/2026

Dave's Hot Chicken is evolving its technology as part of its Dave's of the Future initiative to ensure that its on the cutting edge of restaurant tech, says chief technology officer Leon Davoyan. But not all tech, like drive-thru voice AI has been a hit with customers. Check out how Dave's is approaching innovation and how it is helping support its agressive growth.

After successfully upgrading its point of sale and kitchen display tech, Dave’s is waiting for other tech to mature, the brand’s chief technology officer said.

04/06/2026

Little Caesars partnered with Amazon.com to offer a $5 deal through Amazon Prime allowing Prime Members the ability to order a large pepperoni or cheese pizza at the discounted price from June 15 to June 26 as part of Prime Day deals. The promotion could help boost traffic at the chain, which has has inconsistent foot traffic during the first five months of the year, per Placer.ai data.

https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/little-caesars-amazon-prime-5-dollar-pizza-deal/821807/

03/06/2026

Cafe Rio’s new CEO, Mike Burns, said the chain had lost its way in recent years, with menu changes that alienated key consumers and store-level performance issues. But, Burns said, the brand can return to its roots through fairly simple operational improvements and by bringing back nostalgic recipes. Those changes are similar to the playbook Burns brought to &pizza, where he served as CEO starting in late 2023.

Mike Burns will oversee an effort to return the fast casual Mexican chain to sales growth with speedy service, better food and cleaner restaurants.

03/06/2026

Illinois’ law blocking financial institutions from charging some interchange fees faces an uncertain future after a federal court blocked the law, and the state legislature delayed it. Supporters of the law say a year’s delay could cost local businesses $500 million in interchange fees on tips and state and local taxes.

A federal court blocked the state's interchange fee ban. Delays to the law could cost local businesses $500 million a year, proponents say. 

03/06/2026

Pressed Juicery is defying the restaurant industry’s general shift away from ghost kitchens through a deal with CloudKitchens that will bring the brand to more consumers. While Pressed has about 100 company-operated locations, most of its sales are wholesale transactions with its retail partners.

The juice brand, which has 100 company-owned locations and a robust consumer packaged goods business, will add this channel to expand into high-density areas.

03/06/2026

Latitude Food Group will focus on strategic continuity, improving unit economics and growth through franchising as it looks for a CEO to replace Mike Burns, who left last month.

The parent company of the two restaurant chains said its strategy has not changed since CEO Mike Burns left to take over Cafe Rio’s leadership.

03/06/2026

Tracy Skeans will retire as Yum Brands’ COO and chief people and culture officer later this year, but will remain in an advisory capacity with the company until early 2028. Skeans has spent more than 25 years with Yum and its constituent brands, and over a decade in its C-suite.

Tracy Skeans helped the company emerge as one of the clear QSR winners after the COVID-19 pandemic.

02/06/2026

While merchant cash advance loans can help some restaurant operators cover temporary gaps in the balance sheet, using them to address significant operational or structural issues is a recipe for escalating debt costs, Coastal Debt Resolve’s Nathan Mor said.

Merchant cash advance loans can provide operators quick funding for cash shortfalls, but they can be costly in the long run, Coastal Debt Resolve’s Nathan Mor said.

02/06/2026

White Castle is adding veggie sliders to its permanent menu, a move that might differentiate it from other QSR chains, which have largely abandoned the meatless space in recent years.

Roughly a year after it added a Crispy Chicken Slider to its permanent menu, the chain will add a Southwest Veggie Slider on June 15.