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The most-read analysis and research across QSR Pro. See what operators, franchisees, and investors are reading right now.

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842 articles|843 total published
finance
Finance & Economics

QSR Stock Performance 2026: Who's Winning on Wall Street

McDonald's, Chipotle, Yum, Wingstop, CAVA, and Shake Shack are all public QSR stocks. But they're playing entirely different games - and Wall Street is making very different bets on who wins.

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Restaurant Tech Vendors Are Bleeding Operators Dry

The average QSR operator now pays $1,500 to $3,000 per month in stacked SaaS fees before a single customer walks through the door. POS systems, delivery commissions, loyalty platforms, and scheduling tools are eating into margins that were already thin.

MAR 20, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

UC Santa Cruz Study Reveals the Real Impact of California's $20 Fast Food Wage: Higher Pay, Fewer Hours, and an Automation Surge

A UC Santa Cruz economist spent months interviewing franchise owners across California and found what aggregate BLS data can't show: hours cut 11.5% at one McDonald's group, menu prices up 8-12%, and a capital spending shift toward kiosks and mobile ordering. The findings carry serious implications for operators in states weighing their own $20 wage floors.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
marketing
Marketing & Growth

Farmer Boys opens its loyalty-only salad deal to everyone

Farmer Boys said its $9.99 salad-and-drink deal was open to all guests. Removing the membership condition changes the offer’s role and what purchases can reveal.

APR 14, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
operations
Operations & Management

DoorDash Launches Emergency Fuel Relief as Iran Conflict Sends Gas to $4 a Gallon

DoorDash activated an emergency fuel relief program on March 23 as gas prices hit $3.98/gallon nationally, up 35% in one month. The oil price shock from the Iran conflict is sending delivery costs surging across the restaurant supply chain.

MAR 24, 2026 · 5 MIN READ
people
People & Culture

Denny’s names Christopher Bode CEO with a 24-month agenda

Bode’s promotion comes with Project Grand Slam, a 24-month plan covering food, beverages, catering, remodels, retail and digital operations.

APR 13, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
people
People & Culture

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.

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Pilot completes Wendy’s kiosk rollout at 78 travel-center restaurants

Pilot’s completed Wendy’s deployment connects travel-center restaurants to brand ordering options within its wider food and digital program.

SEP 3, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
Square links Apple Maps place cards to restaurant ordering
Technology & Innovation

Square links Apple Maps place cards to restaurant ordering

Square’s September 24 update connects its Dashboard to Apple Business, adding tools to manage restaurant listings and ordering links.

SEP 28, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Drone Delivery Takes Flight: Inside Grubhub's New Jersey Pilot That Could Reshape QSR Logistics

Grubhub, Wonder, and drone manufacturer Dexa launched New Jersey's first drone food delivery program on March 18, 2026. The three-month pilot signals a potential turning point for QSR last-mile logistics, with implications for labor costs, delivery speed, and the gig economy model that most chains depend on today.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
operations
Operations & Management

Paris Baguette builds four lunch formats around Korean barbecue beef

A shared protein links four limited-time lunch items. Portions, production steps and separate promotion dates determine the operating implications.

APR 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

July restaurant inflation rates converge as limited-service prices accelerate

Limited-service meal and snack prices rose faster in July than full-service prices, while annual inflation rates converged and grocery categories diverged.

AUG 12, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

Panera's Energy Drink Comeback Is a Bet on Menu Credibility

After pulling the Charged Lemonade amid wrongful death lawsuits, Panera Bread is re-entering the beverage space with a reformulated, lower-caffeine lineup. The move signals a broader menu reset as new management works to win back lost ground at the second-largest fast-casual chain in the country.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
people
People & Culture

McDonald’s puts U.S. operations and technology under one COO

Skye Anderson’s new U.S. role joins restaurant operations, development and company stores with technology and supply oversight, alongside two global leadership changes.

MAR 30, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
Scooter’s Coffee connects app and marketplace ordering through Olo
Operations & Management

Scooter’s Coffee connects app and marketplace ordering through Olo

June’s marketplace setup and September’s app migration show how Scooter’s connects digital ordering with store systems.

SEP 25, 2026 · 2 MIN READ
industry
Industry Analysis

The Tariff Whiplash: How the IEEPA Ruling and Section 122 Pivot Are Creating New Supply Chain Uncertainty for QSR

The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA-based tariffs in February, then the White House pivoted to Section 122 authority within four days. For QSR procurement teams, the legal ground has never shifted faster.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
technology
Technology & Innovation

Omilia extends Taco Bell deal after reaching 890-plus drive-thrus

Omilia reports more than 890 live Taco Bell locations across 38 states. Earlier Yum and NVIDIA announcements describe different scopes and deployment stages.

JUL 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

OneRyan Global Acquires Mr. Gatti's Pizza: A Dallas Family Office Bets on the Pizza Buffet's Second Act

OneRyan Global, the family investment office of tax consulting titan Brint Ryan, has acquired a controlling interest in Mr. Gatti's Pizza, capping a transition to a fully franchised system and positioning the 57-year-old pizza buffet brand for an unconventional expansion into Walmart stores and convenience locations.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
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