CONTENTS OCTOBER 2024
FINANCE THE FORMER CEO OF JENI'S SPLENDED ICE CREAMS WANTS ANOTHER BITE OF A GROWTH CHAIN ...................................04 THE POST-PANDEMIC FAST-FOOD BUSINESS: MORE BEVERAGES, SNACKS AND CHICKEN, LESS PIZZA AND SANDWICHES .......................................06
LEADERSHIP WHATABURGER ENTERS A NEW ERA .........41 UNDER DAVID MCKILLIPS, THE 'E' IN CHUCK E. CHEESE MIGHT AS WELL STAND FOR 'EXPERIMENT' .......................................44 EMERGING BRANDS ANGIE'S FOOD CONCEPTS AIMS TO BECOME THE WALMART OF RESTAURANTS .............................................50
DELIVERY APPS ARE DIALING UP DISCOUNTS FOR PRICE-CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS ..................................................24 7 SURPRISES ABOUT CONSUMERS AND THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY .....................26 OPERATIONS SOLVING THE CHILDCARE PUZZLE WOULD BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR RESTAURANTS ..............................................30 SHAKE SHACK REINVENTS THE LABOR DEPLOYMENT MODEL ..................................34 MENU QUICK-SERVICE CHAINS ARE TURBOCHARGING MENU INNOVATION TO DRIVE TRAFFIC. IT’S WORKING ............36
IN A SMALL ILLINOIS CITY, RED LOBSTER LEAVES A BIG VOID ..............10
EVERYTABLE RESETS ITS TABLE ................53
TECHNOLOGY ARE APPS DELIVERING? ...............................16
PODCASTS WHAT ALL THESE BANKRUPTCIES SAY ABOUT THE STATE OF RESTAURANTS RIGHT NOW ...................................................60
BATCHED DELIVERY ORDERS TAKE LONGER, HURT FOOD QUALITY ...................20
WHICH RESTAURANT DELIVERY APP IS BEST? CONSUMERS WEIGH IN ...............22
PANERA BREAD IS MAKING A MAJOR CHANGE TO ITS BAKERY MENU ..................40
US OPEN CHEFS, LEBANESE WINES AND KHACHAPURI VARIATIONS ..................61
FROM OUR COLUMNISTS
THE BOTTOM LINE: SUBWAY AND THE SHADOW OF THE $5 FOOTLONG ......................................................14 REALITY CHECK: RESTAURANTS ARE BEING BURIED UNDER NEW PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS ..........28
TECH CHECK: DYNAMIC PRICING IS A CASE OF RIGHT PLACE, WRONG TIME ..................................58 BEHIND THE MENU: NYC'S FAMED DELMONICO'S ADDS ITS FIRST PLANT-BASED ENTRÉE .....................62
Cover illustration by Midjourney/Nico Heins
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OCTOBER 2024 RESTAURANT BUSINESS
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