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| Pizza Hut Indonesia has launched the “Pedas Nusantara” series for Ramadan, blending local flavors with pizza. Available March 4th to April 28th, the series celebrates Indonesia’s culinary heritage, featuring sambal-infused dishes like QU4RTZA and L1MO Pizza. Director of Operations Boy Lukito emphasized the importance of forgiveness and family bonds during Ramadan. Other offerings include Wingstreet Pedas and Kenduri Pedas for sharing. |
| Pizza Hut U.K. has introduced its fiery Hot Honey range, featuring a Pepperoni Feast Pizza with hot honey, jalapenos and chilli flakes, alongside revamped sides: Halloumi Fries, Chicken Wings and Chicken Strips. Available for two weeks until March 18 in Pizza Hut Restaurants and through delivery platforms, prices start at £5.99 for a small pizza. Hazell White, Pizza Hut’s Head of Brand and Innovation, urged customers to seize the opportunity to savor the limited-time spicy-sweet offerings. |
| How the world’s largest restaurant company plans to reach gender parity |
The World Economic Forum forecasts that it will take 131 years to reach full gender parity – but Yum! Brands plans to reach it in the next few years.
The parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill made this bold goal in 2018 when it signed Paradigm for Parity’s pledge to reach gender parity in global senior leadership by 2030. In the past five years, it’s made significant progress moving from 33% in 2018 to 43% in 2022. With just 7% to go, the company is confident it will continue to make positive progress.
Read on to learn how Yum! is planning for parity. |
| Alshaya Group, Starbucks’ Middle East franchisee, is cutting jobs due to challenging conditions amid boycotts linked to Israel-Palestine conflict. Reuters reported approximately 2,000 jobs have been impacted. Alshaya emphasized support for affected employees. Starbucks expressed gratitude for departing staff. |
| McDonald’s has focused on operational improvements amidst the rise of delivery and pickup services, incorporating nostalgia with items like the Grimace Shake and celebrity-endorsed orders. Leveraging limited-time offers, it has reintroduced customer-favorite beverages seasonally, like the Shamrock Shake for St. Patrick’s Day. Despite minimal menu changes, McDonald’s noted that it emphasizes operational excellence, with over 30% comparable sales growth since 2019 through its “Accelerating the Arches” strategy. |
| Mike Lukianoff, CEO of Extropy 360, discussed Wendy’s recent controversy over “Dynamic Pricing” and its implications amidst changing consumer sentiments and inflation fatigue. The author highlighted the importance of balancing perceived value with price and the need for discretion in pricing practices. Additionally, he emphasized the role of innovative approaches beyond traditional pricing methods, such as dynamic bundling and recommendation engineering. |
| Dairy Queen is bringing back Free Cone Day on March 19 to celebrate the arrival of spring. Customers can receive a free small vanilla soft-serve cone at non-mall locations across the U.S. Rewards members receive double points on food purchases that day. However, the offer is limited to one cone per person and excludes mobile or delivery orders. |
| Hardee’s is reintroducing the Philly Cheesesteak Angus Burger and Philly Cheesesteak Breakfast Burrito for a limited time, following a successful run last year. The menu items feature thinly sliced rib eye, fire-roasted onions and peppers and cheese. Chris Bode, president of Hardee’s, emphasized providing customers with more of what they love, expanding its offerings to include breakfast wraps alongside its popular lunch wraps. |
| Dine Brands Global, the parent company of Applebee’s and IHOP, is exploring the possibility of combining the two restaurant chains in the U.S. dining scene. This move comes as Applebee’s faces closures and seeks growth opportunities. The combination aims to leverage both brands’ menus throughout the day, potentially doubling revenue compared to standalone locations. Focus Brands, with brands like Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon, has already embraced this trend, citing revenue potential and expansion beyond malls. |
| First Watch achieved $1 billion in sales in 2023, with an EBITDA of $99.5 million, up by 43% from the previous year. Despite a 1.3% decline in same-restaurant traffic in Q4, the breakfast chain opened 51 new restaurants and repurchased 23 franchised stores. It plans to expand into the New England and Las Vegas metro markets. While anticipating flat or negative traffic in 2024, First Watch aims for same-restaurant sales growth, possibly through moderate price increases. |
| Founders Table Restaurant Group comprises brands like Chopt, Dos Toros, FIELDTRIP and Sweet Chick, each driven by a unique food-centric vision. CEO Nick Marsh emphasized maintaining the founder’s connection with customers, driving a rational growth plan. Chopt, the flagship brand, achieved $165 million in sales with $2.1 million in AUV, expanding into suburban markets and introducing digital-only restaurants. Chopt’s success stems from its diverse store prototypes, emphasis on digital sales and expansion into nontraditional venues like airports. |
| Denver chef Troy Guard, along with partners including former NHL player Peter Forsberg, is bringing Swedish fast-casual concept Eggs Included to the U.S. Founded in Stockholm in 2019, Eggs Inc. focuses on egg-centric dishes served all day. With eggs being a versatile protein source, the concept resonates with both European and American diners. Guard plans to adapt the menu for American tastes, incorporating quality ingredients like eggs from Vital Farms. |
| To celebrate Pi Day, Round Table Pizza is offering a special deal for Royal Rewards Members. On March 14, members can enjoy a Personal Cheese Pizza for $3.14 with the purchase of any Large or XL pizza at participating locations. In order to get the deal, customers must be Royal Rewards Members who signed up before March 14. |
| Panera has agreed to settle class-action lawsuits alleging it misrepresented delivery fees and menu prices on its app and website. Customers who ordered delivery between Oct. 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2021, may be eligible for compensation. Panera denies wrongdoing but settled for $2 million. Claimants can opt for two vouchers for free items or up to $12 cash via PayPal. |
| Harlem Shake, a NYC burger restaurant, has filed a class-action lawsuit against DoorDash, alleging over $13,000 in excessive fees from Nov. 2019 to May 2023, violating NYC’s 20% fee cap. DoorDash admitted to charging excess fees, according to the lawsuit. DoorDash asserts it offers pricing options, including as low as 15%, and resolves errors promptly. This echoes previous legal issues with third-party delivery companies, such as Grubhub’s settlement with Massachusetts over fee caps. |
| Hart House, a plant-based concept founded by Kevin Hart in 2022, is offering student loan repayment assistance to employees across its four units. Partnering with Savi, employees can access options for loan repayment and forgiveness via Savi’s platform. This benefit aims to alleviate the financial burden of student debt, impacting an estimated 20% of accommodation and restaurant employees who pay an average of $235 monthly. CEO Andy Hooper emphasized investing in employees, citing the need for industry-wide change. |
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