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Popular Articles

The most-read analysis and research across QSR Pro. See what operators, franchisees, and investors are reading right now.

All TimeThis MonthThis Week
Category:AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
154 articles|645 total published
McDonald's
Industry Analysis•March 2026

McDonald's Big Arch Gamble: Why the World's Biggest Chain Is Betting on Premium Burgers

McDonald's launched the Big Arch on March 3, but early traffic data tells a more complicated story. The premium burger generated just a 2.2% visit lift, far below recent LTOs. Here is what it means for the chain's strategy.

QSR Pro Staff
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6 min read
•1
Culver's
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Culver's: the Midwest's best-kept QSR secret

1,000+ locations, $4.2M AUV, and a franchisee selection process tougher than most MBA programs. How Culver's grew without compromising ButterBurgers or frozen custard quality.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
One
Industry Analysis•March 2026

One in Eleven Full-Service Restaurants Could Close This Year. Here's the Data.

Black Box Intelligence data shows 9% of full-service restaurants are at risk of closure in 2026, with 3% already past the point of no return. The format divergence between fast casual and traditional sit-down dining is accelerating.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
Record
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Record Beef, Cheap Eggs: The Protein Cost Divergence Reshaping QSR Menus

Beef hit $9.64 per pound in February, the highest price ever recorded. Eggs are projected to fall 27.4% this year. The widest protein cost gap in decades is forcing operators to rethink menu engineering, daypart strategy, and pricing architecture.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
Brian
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Brian Niccol's Starbucks Rebuild: One Year of Fixing a Broken Machine

Brian Niccol left Chipotle to take over Starbucks in September 2024. Eighteen months later, the former fast-casual star has delivered his first positive comparable sales quarter, announced a 1,000-store renovation plan, and outlined a strategy to turn the coffee giant around.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
$17
Industry Analysis•March 2026

The FTC's Record $17 Million Franchise Settlement: What Every QSR Franchisor Needs to Know

The FTC just secured a $17 million settlement against Xponential Fitness, the largest monetary recovery in a franchise case in FTC history. The violations have nothing to do with fitness and everything to do with how franchisors sell franchises. QSR brands should read the complaint carefully.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1
Zaxby's
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Zaxby's franchise review: chicken competition and Goldman Sachs ownership

941 locations, $2.66M AUV, and Goldman Sachs pushing expansion. Can Zaxby's compete with Raising Cane's and Chick-fil-A in an overcrowded chicken segment?

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read•1
$60
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Fast Food Breakfast Is a $60 Billion Battleground

McDonald's generates roughly 30% of its U.S. sales from breakfast. Wendy's is targeting a 50% bump in morning revenue. Taco Bell is pushing hard into the daypart. The morning meal is the most profitable, most competitive fight in QSR.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
$3
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Taco Bell's RING Strategy: How Cantina Chicken and a $3 Million AUV Target Are Rewriting the QSR Playbook

Taco Bell posted 7% same-store sales growth in 2025 while most QSR chains struggled. Its RING strategy targets $3 million AUVs, $5 billion in Cantina Chicken sales, and 10,000 units. Here is how the chain plans to get there.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read•1
Slim
Industry Analysis•March 2026

Slim Chickens: the fast-growing chicken tender franchise

270 locations, 57.7% revenue growth in 3 years, and 96% franchised. How Slim Chickens competes with Raising Cane's in the chicken tender wars.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•1
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