Menu Rationalization
Strategically reducing menu SKU count to improve operational efficiency, reduce inventory, and accelerate service while maintaining revenue.
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AlixPartners Analyzed 90,000 Restaurants. The Math Behind the Value War Has Fundamentally Changed.
New data from AlixPartners' Proprietary Pricing Platform reveals that menu prices outpaced inflation across 90,000 locations, but transaction values fell behind. With gas at $3.94 a gallon and Oxford Economics projecting the slowest consumption growth since 2013, the restaurant pricing playbook is being rewritten in real time.
Finance & EconomicsBeyond Meat Faces Delisting as QSR Partners Quietly Exit Plant-Based Menus
Beyond Meat received a Nasdaq delisting warning in March 2026 after its stock traded below $1 for 30 consecutive days. The company's collapse from a $14 billion peak now threatens the supply chain for restaurant chains that built menus around its products.
Industry AnalysisThe Mediterranean Menu Invasion: Why Legacy Chains Are Chasing CAVA's Fast-Casual Playbook
Jimmy John's launched a gyro LTO on March 5, 2026, becoming the latest legacy chain to chase the Mediterranean wave CAVA turned into a billion-dollar category. For operators, the trend raises real questions about who wins when everyone borrows the same playbook.
Industry AnalysisRecord Beef, Cheap Eggs: The Protein Cost Divergence Reshaping QSR Menus
Beef hit $9.64 per pound in February, the highest price ever recorded. Eggs are projected to fall 27.4% this year. The widest protein cost gap in decades is forcing operators to rethink menu engineering, daypart strategy, and pricing architecture.
Industry AnalysisWendy's Q4 2025 Earnings: 11.3% Same-Store Sales Plunge Forces a Rebuilding Year
Wendy's posted its worst quarterly same-store sales performance in years, with U.S. comps down 11.3% in Q4 2025. Interim CEO Ken Cook is betting on Project Fresh, a new value menu, and hundreds of closures to reset the brand.
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