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| Yum! Brands has seen significant expansion worldwide, with a focus on international markets. Over the past three years, they’ve built 25% of all Yum! restaurants, with KFC leading the growth, particularly in China. Pizza Hut also saw record growth, while Taco Bell aims to stabilize sales before further expansion. “We set an industry development record for the third straight year” in 2023, David Gibbs, Yum! Brands CEO said. |
| KFC U.S. has introduced its new loyalty program, KFC Rewards, offering customers free food and exclusive deals. Members earn points on digital orders through the KFC app or website, receiving 10 points for every eligible dollar spent. Currently, members can enjoy a BOGO offer on Smash’d Potato Bowls. “KFC Rewards is filled with free food and finger lickin’ good deals for our fried chicken faithful,” said Nick Chavez, chief marketing officer for KFC U.S. “And this is only the beginning. Through our new loyalty program we will serve even more joy to our guests with incentives and special experiences that are only for our rewards members.” |
| Taco Bell has appointed Jason Kidd as the new global chief operating officer, succeeding Mike Grams, effective February 5th. Grams will act as an advisor until his retirement at the end of 2024. Kidd, previously the president of Hearing Lab Technology, brings experience from roles at 99 Cents Only Stores and Sam’s Club. |
| Taco Bell has announced the introduction of Crispy Chicken Nuggets, featuring a tortilla breading and spicy jalapeño-infused buttermilk marinade. Accompanying dipping sauces include Jalapeño Honey Mustard and Bell Sauce. The limited-time offering aims to cater to chicken nugget enthusiasts. |
| Taco Bell is gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Baja Blast, its popular Mountain Dew soda, with special dessert offerings. Among them is the Baja Blast Gelato, a teal-colored gelato-style ice cream, set to debut at all locations by the end of summer. Additionally, Taco Bell hinted at two other Baja Blast-inspired desserts: a Baja Blast Pie and a Baja topping for Cinnamon Twists. |
| During Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas, Taco Bell hosted its exclusive Live Más LIVE event, blending future concepts with food innovations. The event showcased Taco Bell’s new TBX program and teased upcoming menu items. Among the festivities were unique awards presented to fans, including Menu Hack of the Year and Superfan of the Year. Taco Bell will introduce the Crispanada, a deep-fried chicken empanada with a cheesy filling, and unveil its Cantina Chicken Menu, featuring options like the Cantina Chicken Taco and Burrito. |
| Taco Bell is set to unveil several new menu items in 2024, including the Cheesy Chicken Crispanada, featuring chicken and cheese and jalapeño-flavored chicken nuggets with jalapeno honey mustard dip. New sauces such as avocado-flavored salsa verde and serrabanero sauce, created by Secret Aardvark, will also debut. |
| Yum! Brands helps restaurant team members weather storms |
From Mozambique to Mexico, Yum! responded to 11 natural disasters last year, including Cyclone Freddy, Hurricane Otis, wildfires in Hawaii and the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria. When these events occur, Yum! and its franchisees direct their team members to apply for emergency relief online, leading to immediate response grants if approved.
Learn more about the Yum! Foundation’s global Disaster Relief Fund on Yum!Now. |  | (For Yum! Eyes Only) |
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Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung spoke to Fortune's Sheryl Estrada about price rises, hiring, how technology is shaping the chain and the increase in foot traffic at stores. Hartung said the team has been working on returning to best practices. “That means having a team that's fully staffed, making sure you've got the right number of people deployed on the front line, making sure you don't run out of things like chips and you've got enough guacamole for the day."
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| Del Taco is aggressively expanding its footprint in Florida, aiming for a 740% growth with 52 commitments signed in fiscal 2023. With only seven stores open as of Oct. 1, 2023, the chain anticipates significant growth, targeting markets like Texas, Montana and Wyoming. Following Jack in the Box’s acquisition in 2022, Del Taco focuses on franchising, expecting over 90% franchised by 2026. Their strategic market plan utilizes demographic and sales data to pinpoint development opportunities, while the Fresh Flex remodeling program entices franchisees with incentives and diverse prototype designs. |
| McDonald’s has introduced its upgraded classic burgers nationwide in the U.S., boasting improved quality with consistently melted cheese, soft pillowy buns and added white onions on grilled patties. Celebrating the rollout, the Hamburglar is traveling the country in a Burgercuda getaway car, offering rewards via a vehicle code scan and hosting a sweepstakes for free McDonald’s burgers for a year. Changes affect core burgers like the Double Cheeseburger and Big Mac, now featuring more special sauce. |
| The Strawberry and Crème Pie is back at McDonald’s for a limited time. The Strawberry and Crème Pie is made with strawberries and vanilla flavored crème, all baked side by side in a sugar-coated flaky crust. The item is available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time while supplies last. |
| Carl’s Jr. is hosting a Free Burger Day on February 12, offering My Rewards app users a complimentary Western Bacon Cheeseburger at participating locations nationwide, without any purchase necessary. The burger features a charbroiled beef patty, bacon, American cheese, crispy onion rings and BBQ sauce on a sesame seed bun. |
| The American pork industry is facing oversupply issues, stemming from its own efficiency and marketing strategies. Despite a successful past campaign, promoting pork as “the other white meat” drew unfavorable comparisons with chicken. Overcooked perceptions persist due to outdated food safety messaging, hindering pork’s appeal, especially among younger consumers. To counter declining demand, strategies range from exploring new overseas markets to encouraging better cooking methods and reintroducing fat into pork. |
| Boston Market launched its Boston Market Connect expansion program, promising to introduce a new menu item from a different country every six weeks. However, despite announcing chicken tikka and biryani dishes, there’s uncertainty about the rollout’s timing and ingredient supply. The chain faces financial challenges, evident in a recent lawsuit from US Foods over non-payment and a decline in store count. A survey of 17 locations across several states found many closed or inaccessible, with no evidence of the new menu items. Boston Market declined to comment on the rollout or its current operational status. |
| Virtual Dining Concepts has announced the expansion of its Creators’ Kitchen As Seen On TikTok brand, inspired by viral food trends on TikTok. Partnering with top food content creators, the menu offers the most popular dishes from the platform, delivered to consumers’ doors. With TikTok boasting over 1 billion subscribers and a surge in culinary trend videos, Creators’ Kitchen aims to capitalize on this phenomenon. |
| Starpoint Brands, a division of United Franchise Group (UFG), announced key appointments within its food division, Big Flavor Brands. Peter Totillo is now Vice President, Training and Support, while Rick Case takes on the role of Vice President, Operations for Cannoli Kitchen Pizza. Chuck McAulay is appointed Vice President, Marketing for The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill and Ryan Papillo assumes the role of Vice President, Operations for Graze Craze. These appointments aim to enhance operational efficiency and support the growth of Big Flavor Brands. |
| AB 610, proposed by Assembly member Chris Holden, seeks exemptions to California’s upcoming $20 minimum wage for fast food workers starting April 1. The bill would exclude certain establishments such as restaurants in airports, hotels, event centers, theme parks, museums and others. It expands exemptions beyond bakeries like Panera and certain grocery store restaurants. Murkier exemptions include those in office buildings or campuses primarily serving employees of a single corporation. Also exempt are restaurants on state or city-owned land and those with concession agreements. |
| The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has announced the formation of the California Fast Food Workers Union, the first of its kind in the U.S. The union aims to represent fast-food workers in California and promote sectoral bargaining, organizing workers across the state’s large restaurant market. This move follows the SEIU’s goal to organize workers at the industry level rather than individual outlets. Critics, such as Michael Saltsman of the Employment Policies Institute, dismiss the union as lacking sustainability and bargaining power. |
| ParTech has announced the integration of its MENU Link system with Grubhub, a leading online food ordering and delivery platform. MENU Link, part of PAR’s ecosystem, automatically syncs menu items, prices and order information between PAR Brink POS and Grubhub. This integration streamlines operations by sending incoming orders directly to the kitchen, reducing errors and saving time. Additionally, MENU Link allows restaurants to manage Grubhub orders within PAR Brink POS, providing centralized control over menus and order data from multiple delivery services. |
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