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| Yum China CEO Joey Wat shared her pivotal moment at a Fortune event, recounting her success in turning around a faltering U.K. business despite skepticism. “Nobody believed in the business,” she said. “But I believed in it.” This experience prepared her for a similar challenge at Yum China. Wat emphasized authenticity as crucial to her journey, echoed by other female CEOs. |
| Reporter Michael Palan shared insights from a visit to KFC’s corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Exploring the iconic brand’s legacy and future, the tour included a visit to the Colonel Sanders Museum and discussions with Nick Chavez, KFC’s chief marketing officer. Chavez shared strategies to appeal to both loyal and younger customers, highlighting recent successes like Original Recipe Nuggets and plans for more flavors. |
| KFC Bangladesh received prestigious recognition at the KFC Global Ops Summit 2024 for its outstanding performance, showcasing exceptional achievements across various metrics amidst tough competition. The brand’s strategic expansion efforts led to a doubling of store count in three years while maintaining high standards in food safety. Notably, personnel development and operational excellence were emphasized, with significant investments in team expansion and cross-training. |
| In an interview, Taco Bell’s CMO, Taylor Montgomery, discussed the brand’s social media dominance and marketing strategies ahead of ADWEEK’s Social Media Week. Montgomery highlighted the importance of authenticity and consumer-centric approaches, emphasizing the brand’s willingness to engage vulnerably and take risks. Collaborations with cultural icons like Doja Cat and LeBron James have fueled successful campaigns, such as the resurgence of the Mexican Pizza. Montgomery emphasized the brand’s commitment to authenticity, avoiding mere appropriation of trends and instead fostering genuine connections with fans. |
| Collaboration across continents is the key |
| Yum!'s scale is unmatched, and when we harness it, our brands win. KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill have a history of maximizing their impact across the globe thanks to some of our most innovative menu items. Did you know KFC's most recent LTO, the Chizza, originated in the Philippines in 2015 and traveled to countries like South Korea, Mexico and Germany before landing in the U.S.? Learn about its journey as well as that of Taco Bell's Nacho Fries, Pizza Hut's Melts and more in this new episode of "Quick Bite." |
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| Shake Shack is offering free Chicken Shack sandwiches on Sundays throughout April with a minimum $10 purchase, a move reminiscent of Chick-fil-A’s closed-Sunday policy. The promotion aims to highlight Shake Shack’s antibiotic-free chicken, subtly challenging Chick-fil- A’s recent policy change on antibiotic-free chicken sourcing. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A’s shift in antibiotic policy garnered criticism, signaling a departure from its earlier “no antibiotics ever” commitment. |
| Chick-fil-A is introducing the limited-time Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich in the Raleigh, NC area from April 8. This “tavern-inspired” chicken sandwich offers grilled or crispy-fried chicken breast with seasoned cheddar cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato on a toasted pretzel bun, accompanied by a side of Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce. If successful, it could become a nationwide menu item, adding seasoned cheddar cheese, Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce and the pretzel bun to Chick-fil-A’s offerings for the duration of its run. |
| Panera faced a digital outage from March 23 to March 26, affecting its entire virtual presence, including POS systems, website and mobile app. Reports have noted that the outage was possibly caused by a ransomware attack encrypting Panera’s virtual machines, which has raised concerns about data security. Panera has restored most systems but hasn’t provided clarity on the incident. Employees and customers remain uneasy, especially given Panera’s past data breaches. |
| Wendy’s is using the solar eclipse to market a new offer of a free small Frosty with purchase from April 8 to April 14. Customers can receive either the Classic Chocolate or the new Orange Dreamsicle flavor. Additionally, Wendy’s is waiving delivery fees for orders made on wendys.com or through the app until midnight on April 8. |
| Starbucks has introduced the Lavender Oatmilk Chill and Lavender Crème Frappuccino to its spring lavender menu. The Lavender Oatmilk Chill features lavender powder and oat milk shaken with ice and dragonfruit pieces, while the Lavender Crème Frappuccino blends lavender powder, vanilla syrup, milk and ice, topped with whipped cream. Both drinks are caffeine-free and join the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte on the limited-time menu available at Starbucks stores across the U.S., while supplies last. |
| The latest unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed a robust U.S. economy in March, with 303,000 jobs added and unemployment dropping to 3.8%. The restaurant industry also showed positive hiring trends, adding 28,300 jobs, although slightly lower than February’s gain of 41,600. Despite recent fluctuations, the industry’s workforce remains above pre-pandemic levels, with eating and drinking establishments surpassing February 2020 peaks by 37,000 jobs. However, disparities persist among segments, with full-service restaurants lagging behind and limited-service establishments driving most of the recovery. |
| In late 2023 and early 2024, American restaurants encountered declining traffic due to consumer resistance to higher menu prices. Casual dining chains like Chili’s and Bloomin’ Brands saw traffic declines, with initiatives focused on value deals and renovations to address the challenges. First Watch, Dine Brands, Denny’s and Darden also experienced negative traffic, despite promotional efforts. These trends reflect consumer sensitivity to pricing, prompting chains to balance premium offerings with value options to attract customers amid economic uncertainties. |
| Jersey Mike’s is exploring a potential sale valued at $8 billion, with discussions reportedly held with Blackstone. While talks may resume or involve other parties, the chain’s strong financials, including $1.3 million average unit volume and steady unit growth, make it an attractive prospect. Expanding internationally and emphasizing technology, such as AI voice ordering, further boosts its appeal. Jersey Mike’s has not commented on the matter. |
| Red Robin has introduced its spring 2024 lineup with the debut of the Lava Queso Burger, Chocolate Covered Pretzel Milkshake and the return of the MadLove Burger due to popular demand. The Lava Queso Burger has chipotle aioli, caramelized onions, grilled poblanos, tomato and new Queso Fundido. The Chocolate Covered Pretzel Milkshake combines vanilla soft serve, chocolate, caramel and chocolate-dipped pretzels. Also, the MadLove Burger features pepper jack, Swiss cheese, sweet jalapeño relish, candied bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion. |
| Potbelly Corporation has introduced the Jalapeño Popper Chicken sandwich, available from April 8 as a limited-time addition. The sandwich features all-natural grilled chicken, house-made jalapeño cream cheese, crunchy jalapeño crisps, lettuce and tomato. Additionally, Potbelly Perks loyalty program members can enjoy a free cookie, chips, fountain drink or bottled water with any purchase of the Jalapeño Popper Chicken sandwich from April 8 to April 14. Eric Chenel, Director of Consumer Insights and Innovation at Potbelly, highlighted the sandwich’s bold flavors and quality ingredients like Philadelphia cream cheese. |
| Juice It Up! has renewed its partnership with Angels Baseball for the 2024 season, offering fans a lineup of superfruit bowls and exclusive promotions. Susan Taylor, President and CEO of Juice It Up!, expressed excitement about the partnership’s return and the opportunity to engage with Southern California communities. The brand’s in-stadium concession stand will serve Açaí Berry Bowl, Dragon Fruit Bowl and a 50/50 Bowl, along with a “Save” promotion where fans can redeem a free small Classic Smoothie after an Angels pitcher records a save. Juice It Up! will also sponsor community events like the Angels 5K Run. |
| California’s recent minimum wage increase, from $16 to $20 per hour for fast-food chains with over 60 locations nationwide, has sparked concerns over rising costs for businesses. While employees welcome the change, companies like Chipotle anticipate significant cost impacts, with potential price hikes or workforce reductions. McDonald’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski, acknowledged the likelihood of increased prices but remains uncertain about the extent. With around 500,000 fast food workers in California, the wage hike’s ramifications reverberate through the industry. |
| Re-Up convenience stores, with nine locations in the Southeast, will introduce autonomous robotic chefs to its kitchens, coffee-making and juicing processes. The retailer plans to utilize robots from AI firm Nala Robotics for kitchen operations and is in discussions with other developers for coffee and juice programs. The Wingman fry station by Nala Robotics offers precision cooking without human intervention, ensuring cleanliness, speed and consistency. |
| First Watch has introduced a rare employee benefit: backup childcare. Employees can utilize Bright Horizons’ centers for childcare or have a caregiver come to their homes at a nominal fee of $10 for one child or $15 for two or more. Additionally, the service extends to employees caring for elderly dependents. This initiative stemmed from employees’ needs voiced during pandemic discussions. The company believes this investment will enhance retention and operational stability while reflecting its ethos of compassion, inspired by co-founder Ken Pendery. |
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