Skip to main content
QSR.pro
ArticlesChainsPopularReportsToolsGlossaryMarket Map
Subscribe
QSR.pro

The definitive source for QSR industry intelligence. Deep research, real insight, and actionable analysis for operators, franchisees, and investors.

Never Miss an Update

Content

  • Articles
  • Popular
  • Reports
  • Glossary
  • Newsletter
  • Guides
  • Topics
  • Archive
  • Site Directory

Tools

  • Franchise Calculator
  • Wage Benchmarks
  • Market Map
  • Chain Database
  • All Tools

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • RSS Feed

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Connect

LinkedIn

© 2026 QSR Pro. All rights reserved.

Built with precision for the QSR industry

People & Culture Articles

Browse all people & culture articles from QSR Pro

42 articles in People & Culture

AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
Showing 1–18 of 42
Sort:NewestOldestMost ReadA-Z
NewPeople & Culture•March 2026

Chili's Wants to Turn General Managers into Owners, and It Could Reshape Company-Operated QSR

CEO Kevin Hochman is studying a profit-sharing ownership model for GMs modeled on Texas Roadhouse's managing partner structure. If it works, it could redefine unit-level leadership across company-operated chains.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read
NewPeople & Culture•March 2026

The Restaurant General Manager Shortage Is the Real Labor Crisis of 2026

While the industry obsesses over hourly wages, GM salaries have surged 12% in a single year. The real labor crisis in QSR is not finding crew members. It is finding the experienced operators who can run a $2-3 million restaurant.

QSR Pro Staff•7 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

California's $20 Fast Food Wage, Two Years Later: Higher Prices, Fewer Jobs, and an Automation Accelerant

Two years after AB 1228 imposed a $20 minimum wage on California fast food workers, new UC Santa Cruz research shows higher prices, reduced employment, and accelerated automation.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

Inside Chick-fil-A's Operator Selection: How 0.25% of Applicants Get Chosen

The selection process, interview stages, what they look for, and why operators can't own multiple stores. Harder than Harvard, more selective than MIT, and structured to filter for a rare combination of traits.

QSR Pro Staff•11 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

The QSR Labor Market in 2026: Where the Workers Actually Went

The restaurant industry lost 29,700 jobs in February 2026 alone. Turnover still exceeds 100% annually at many chains. Wages rose 6.3% in 2024 and keep climbing. Here is what the BLS data and industry reports actually show about the QSR workforce.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

Women in QSR Leadership: Progress and Problems

Female CEOs, franchisees, and executives - the numbers and the stories. Why progress is slow, where barriers remain, and which chains are actually changing.

QSR Pro Staff•5 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

QSR Hiring in 2026: What's Changed Since the Labor Shortage

Wages, benefits, scheduling tech, and applicant quality. The shortage didn't end - it restructured. Current state of the market and what actually works.

QSR Pro Staff•5 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

The Franchisee-Franchisor Relationship Crisis

Subway, McDonald's, and Burger King lawsuits exposing the power imbalance. Why franchisees are organizing, what's broken in the model, and which systems actually work.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

QSR Diversity and Inclusion Report 2026

C-suite demographics, franchisee diversity, and DEI programs by chain. What's real vs performative, the wealth gap in franchise ownership, and which brands are actually changing.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

The General Manager Crisis in QSR

GM turnover, compensation gaps, and burnout. Why this is the most important role in the restaurant, what's driving the talent shortage, and which chains are solving it.

QSR Pro Staff•8 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

QSR Employee Training Programs Ranked

McDonald's Hamburger University, Chick-fil-A's leadership program, Taco Bell's Start with Us. An honest ranking of who actually invests in people and who doesn't.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

The Real Cost of Restaurant Turnover in 2026

Cornell research puts restaurant turnover costs at $5,864 per employee. With industry turnover hovering at 150%, a single 25-person location can lose $150,000 or more per year to churn. Here is who is winning retention, what actually works, and what is just theater.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read
People & Culture•March 2026

Why QSR Employee Retention Programs Keep Failing

QSR turnover exceeds 130% annually. The industry spends billions on recruitment. Most retention programs do not work. The data on what actually does work is clear, but most operators ignore it.

trainingturnoveremployee retention
QSR Pro Staff•10 min read•2,524
People & Culture•March 2026

The QSR Chains With 40% Turnover (And What They're Doing Differently)

Some chains run 40% turnover while the industry averages 73%. The difference isn't higher pay. It's five specific strategies that treat retention as operational science.

QSR Pro Staff•9 min read•3,472
People & Culture•March 2026

How Much Do Fast Food Workers Make in 2026?

State-by-state and chain-by-chain breakdown of fast food wages in 2026, including base pay, benefits, advancement paths, and what it means for operators.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•4,137
People & Culture•March 2026

The QSR Labor Crisis in 2026: What's Actually Happening

Restaurant employment hit pre-pandemic levels in 2026, but 28% of locations cut weekend service due to staffing issues. Labor costs jumped from 30% to 35% of expenses while discouraged workers in food service rose 80%. Operators respond with automation - AI ordering, self-service tech, and ghost kitchens that eliminate front-of-house roles entirely.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•2,570
People & Culture•March 2026

The QSR Labor Crisis in 2026: Real Data on Staffing and Wages

Restaurant employment hit pre-pandemic levels in 2026, but 28% of locations cut weekend service due to staffing issues. Labor costs jumped from 30% to 35% of expenses while discouraged workers in food service rose 80%. Operators respond with automation - AI ordering, self-service tech, and ghost kitchens.

QSR Pro Staff•6 min read•3,700
People & Culture•March 2026

The Complete Guide to QSR Staffing for Back-to-School Season

How to navigate the annual workforce transition when student workers return to class

QSR Pro Staff•12 min read•2,633
123
Next

QSR Intelligence Briefing

Daily insights on the QSR industry. No spam, just intelligence.

Page 1 of 3