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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
industry
Industry Analysis

Wendy's Is Shrinking in America and Betting Big on Mexico

While closing up to 600 U.S. restaurants, Wendy's is signing franchise agreements for 60+ new locations in Mexico. The strategic logic behind the pivot, and what it means for the chain's long-term trajectory.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
Category:AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
645 articles|645 total published
finance
Finance & Economics

IFA Projects $920 Billion in Franchise Output for 2026, But QSR Growth Barely Moves the Needle

The International Franchise Association projects total franchise output to exceed $920 billion in 2026, yet QSR unit growth is stalled at just 0.5%. Here is where the money is actually flowing, and what it means for operators and investors trying to figure out what to do next.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Roy Rogers' Tech Bet: How a 38-Unit Chain Is Using Unified Commerce to Compete With the Giants

Roy Rogers Restaurants has selected Qu as its technology partner to unify ordering, kitchen execution, and menu management across all 38 locations. The move is a case study in why legacy regional brands can't afford to keep running fragmented tech stacks.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

Panera's Energy Drink Comeback Is a Bet on Menu Credibility

After pulling the Charged Lemonade amid wrongful death lawsuits, Panera Bread is re-entering the beverage space with a reformulated, lower-caffeine lineup. The move signals a broader menu reset as new management works to win back lost ground at the second-largest fast-casual chain in the country.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

Papa John's Plans 300 Store Closures While Betting Big on a Turnaround

Papa John's will shutter roughly 300 underperforming North American locations by end of 2027, with 200 closures targeted for this year alone. New CEO Todd Penegor, who previously led Wendy's through its own reset, is cutting dead weight while laying the groundwork for what the company hopes will be a durable recovery.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Krispy Kreme's Post-McDonald's Turnaround Is Actually Working

After scaling back its troubled McDonald's partnership, Krispy Kreme is showing genuine progress on a capital-light refranchising strategy. Q4 2025 numbers suggest the model is beginning to work.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

Noodles & Company Is Doubling Its Planned Closures. Can It Stay Above 400 Locations?

The fast-casual pasta chain more than doubled its 2026 closure target to 35 restaurants. After shedding 42 locations in 2025, Noodles & Company could fall below 400 units for the first time in years.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

D.C.'s $25 Minimum Wage Push Is the Most Aggressive Labor Test in the Country

Washington D.C. is heading toward a ballot initiative that would raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2029 and eliminate the tip credit entirely by 2031. For restaurant operators, both inside and outside the District, this is the labor cost scenario they've been dreading.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

The Plant-Based QSR Bust: What Went Wrong

Beyond Meat's stock is down 90% from peak. Impossible shelved its IPO. Most QSR chains quietly removed plant-based items. The revolution that was supposed to replace meat fizzled. Here's the autopsy: overestimated markets, price premiums, taste gaps, and novelty fatigue.

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

UC Santa Cruz Study Reveals the Real Impact of California's $20 Fast Food Wage: Higher Pay, Fewer Hours, and an Automation Surge

A UC Santa Cruz economist spent months interviewing franchise owners across California and found what aggregate BLS data can't show: hours cut 11.5% at one McDonald's group, menu prices up 8-12%, and a capital spending shift toward kiosks and mobile ordering. The findings carry serious implications for operators in states weighing their own $20 wage floors.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Franchise Disclosure Document Red Flags Every Buyer Misses

The FDD is 300+ pages of legal disclosure that most franchise buyers barely skim. Items 7, 19, and 20 contain the most critical financial information, and the red flags hiding in them can mean the difference between a profitable franchise and a $2 million mistake.

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Restaurant Tech Vendors Are Bleeding Operators Dry

The average QSR operator now pays $1,500 to $3,000 per month in stacked SaaS fees before a single customer walks through the door. POS systems, delivery commissions, loyalty platforms, and scheduling tools are eating into margins that were already thin.

MAR 20, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Restaurant Growth Stocks Hit a Wall: Inside the Late-February 2026 Selloff

In late February 2026, Wall Street repriced fast-casual growth stocks aggressively, sending Wingstop, Shake Shack, and CAVA lower while McDonald's and Starbucks surged on execution. The divergence signals a fundamental shift in how investors value restaurant growth.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

19-Unit Starbird Signs 36-Store Texas Deal to Triple Its Footprint

A California super-premium chicken chain just signed its biggest development deal ever, with a Texas auto dealership empire as the franchisee.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

OneRyan Global Acquires Mr. Gatti's Pizza: A Dallas Family Office Bets on the Pizza Buffet's Second Act

OneRyan Global, the family investment office of tax consulting titan Brint Ryan, has acquired a controlling interest in Mr. Gatti's Pizza, capping a transition to a fully franchised system and positioning the 57-year-old pizza buffet brand for an unconventional expansion into Walmart stores and convenience locations.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
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