645 PIECES · UPDATED DAILY
Chipotle opened a record 334 restaurants in 2025 and grew revenue 5.4% to $11.9B, but restaurant-level margins contracted to 23.4%. The fast-casual leader faces a new equation.
Raising Cane's opened its 1,000th restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard in March 2026. The privately held chain plans 100+ new locations this year as it targets 1,600 total and top-10 QSR status.
DoorDash's $3.9B acquisition of Deliveroo, completed in October 2025, gives the company a presence across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The food delivery market consolidation accelerates.
Two years after AB 1228 imposed a $20 minimum wage on California fast food workers, new UC Santa Cruz research shows higher prices, reduced employment, and accelerated automation.
Miso Robotics' Zignyl acquisition signals a new phase in restaurant automation. The global market is projected to hit $28B in 2026, with robots making everything from fries to salads.
Starbucks delivered 4% global comparable sales growth in Q1 FY2026, with $9.9B in revenue. U.S. transaction growth turned positive for the first time in two years.
RBI delivered 5.3% system-wide sales growth for 2025, with Burger King U.S. comps up 2.6% and Popeyes scaling to a $2B run-rate. The $550M Royal Reset is showing results.
Wendy's reported an 11.3% decline in U.S. same-restaurant sales in Q4 2025, with global systemwide sales falling 8.3% to $3.4B. Digital grew 12.4%, but is it enough?
Yum Brands posted a 27% jump in Q4 net income to $535M, opened 4,500+ new KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut locations in 2025, and hiked its dividend 6%.
The selection process, interview stages, what they look for, and why operators can't own multiple stores. Harder than Harvard, more selective than MIT, and structured to filter for a rare combination of traits.
The complete story of how the largest franchise system in history collapsed. Dollar footlongs, franchisee revolts, market saturation, and the $9.6 billion Roark Capital acquisition that inherited the mess.