Amidst tighter competition, c-store visits decline

March 27, 2014

Although a number of c-stores have enhanced their food offerings to compete with limited-service concepts, a tightened grip on consumer spending and a…

'Social responsibility' important factor for restaurant consumers

March 27, 2014

Consumers want to be more informed of the food they are eating and the way in which an operator or supplier is growing or preparing their food, according to…

'Mobile Evangelist of the Year' Jack Philbin will headline 2014 CONNECT Mobile Innovation Summit

The self-professed "mobile geek" co-founded Vibes before text messaging was even possible in the U.S.

Marco's Pizza one of the top five fastest-growing restaurant chains

March 24, 2014

The 500 largest U.S. restaurant chains registered a 3.5-percent annual sales increase in 2013, a decline from 4.9 percent the prior year.

Top (missing) food industry trends for 2014

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

The budget conscience consumer will demand luxury and "value" will be defined as the best quality for the money.

Restaurants experience drop in adult beverage sales

March 21, 2014

Adult beverage volumes in restaurants and bars contracted 1.3 percent in 2013, according to a new "Special Trends in Adult Beverage Report" from Technomic.

Russia experiences strong restaurant traffic growth

March 19, 2014

The foodservice markets of Russia, Great Britain and Australia experienced growth during Q4 2013, with Russia generating a 7-percent increase in visits, the…

Consumers craving more protein sources

March 18, 2014

The majority of U.S. consumers (78 percent) believe that protein contributes to a healthy diet and more than half of adults say they want more of it in their…

Demand for snack opportunities on the rise

March 17, 2014

More than half of consumers — 51 percent — say they eat snacks at least twice a day, an increase from the 48 percent who said the same in 2012. According to…

CFOs, chain restaurants council caution against minimum wage hike

March 14, 2014

The divide over the minimum wage seems to be growing deeper, with employees staging strikes across the country in favor of an increase, and U.S. CFOs…

Hospitality job openings reach a 6-year high

March 12, 2014

New figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' JOLTS program show that job openings in the restaurants-and-accommodations sector reached a 6-year high in…

QSR breakfast traffic jumps, while lunch and dinner visits decline

March 11, 2014

U.S. consumers cut back on their restaurant visits at lunch and dinner in 2013, but increased their visits at breakfast for the fourth consecutive year…

Top food industry trends for 2014

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

Trends indicate that consumers and food continue to move toward experimentation.

Report: 52% of restaurant chains plan to add gluten-free options this year

March 10, 2014

More than half of U.S. chain restaurants plan to increase their light- or low-calorie menu items this year, with 52 percent adding offerings to their…

Restaurant industry adds net 21K jobs in February

March 10, 2014

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that the U.S. economy added a net 175,000 jobs in February, up from 84,000 in December and 129,000 in January.

Report: Starters and sides are the way to grow

March 6, 2014

More restaurant customers are ordering appetizers as snacks, and turning small plates into full meals, according to new research from Technomic. The market…

Food costs continue to elude stability

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Droughts, livestock viruses and thinner herds are all affecting center-of-the-plate pricing.

UK pizza consumers craving healthier, specialty offerings

March 5, 2014

Sixty-four percent of consumers in the United Kingdom order pizza at least once a month, according to new data from Technomic. However, data suggests that…

New interactive 'Foodamental Studio' planned for NRA Show

March 4, 2014

Attendees at this year's 2014 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show will have an opportunity to explore culinary trends hands-on at the…

Taking a deep dive into beverage trends

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Consumers have told us they want more coffee, tea and alcohol options from restaurants