Fast-food owners, squeezed customers test limit of value meal economy

A customer views a digital menu at the drive-thru outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Peru, Illinois. Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images Fast-food restaurants are caving to consumers’ inflation-weary wallets by returning value pricing to their menus — for a limited time. McDonald’s is offering a $5 value menu this month. Wendy’s is rolling out … Read more

What we know about the consumer so far

A customer walks through The Home Depot store on February 20, 2024 in Austin, Texas.  Brandon Bell | Getty Images The state of the consumer in 2024 is already taking shape — even before the country’s major retailers begin to report first-quarter earnings, starting with Home Depot and Walmart next week. There are signs that … Read more

Starbucks, McDonald’s, Yum earnings show consumers pulling back

It’s finally here: the long-predicted consumer pullback. Starbucks announced a surprise drop in same-store sales for its latest quarter, sending its shares down 17% on Wednesday. Pizza Hut and KFC also reported shrinking same-store sales. And even stalwart McDonald’s said it has adopted a “street-fighting mentality” to compete for value-minded diners. For months, economists have … Read more

Burger King invests another $300 million to remodel restaurants

The Burger King logo is displayed at a Burger King fast food restaurant on January 17, 2024 in Burbank, California.  Mario Tama | Getty Images Burger King will invest another $300 million to remodel about 1,100 of its U.S. restaurants as part of a broader turnaround effort, the chain’s parent company said Tuesday. Owner Restaurant … Read more

Buffalo Wild Wings Go format grows as more sales move off premise

A sign is seen on a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on November 28, 2017 in Miami, Florida.  Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images Buffalo Wild Wings opened its 100th Go location on Wednesday in New York City, four years after unveiling the quick-service offshoot of its sports bar chain. BWW Go sells … Read more

Top 10 fastest-growing retail brands in the U.S., according to Yelp

The new restaurant in your neighborhood may look familiar. Chains owned by publicly traded restaurant companies accounted for half of the top 10 fastest-growing retail brands in the U.S. last year, according to a new Yelp report. Review site Yelp compiled the list by using a blended metric that includes net new openings, searches on … Read more

SOC labor coalition accuses Starbucks of ‘flawed’ union strategy

A coalition of unions is laying out its case against Starbucks ahead of a proxy fight at its annual meeting in March, arguing the coffee giant has implemented a “flawed human capital management strategy” in response to a yearslong union movement. The Strategic Organizing Center claims the situation has put the company at reputational risk, … Read more

Restaurant Brands International (QSR) Q4 2023 earnings

A general view of a Tim Hortons Drive-Thru coffeehouse and restaurant at Lakeside Retail Park on February 5, 2024 in Grays, United Kingdom. John Keeble | Getty Images Restaurant Brands International reported quarterly earnings and revenue that beat analysts’ expectations on Tuesday, fueled by stronger-than-expected Tim Hortons sales. Shares of the company were unchanged in premarket trading. … Read more

5 things to know before the stock market opens Monday

1. Record run Here are the most important news items that investors need to start their trading day: The S&P 500 closed above 5,000 on Friday for the first time as U.S. stocks continued their steady climb. The S&P, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq have all risen for five straight weeks. A slate of … Read more

McDonald’s and Starbucks blame Israel-Hamas war for slower sales

People dit at McDonald’s outdoor seating after going out on a Saturday night along Rothschild Street on June 11, 2022 in Tel Aviv, Israel.  Alexi Rosenfeld | Getty Images McDonald’s and Starbucks, two of the biggest U.S. restaurant companies, both said the Israel-Hamas war hurt their sales at the end of last year. Shares of … Read more