On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss KFC’s new comeback campaign, which includes a mad-looking Colonel Sanders and an invitation for guests to share their input (plus free chicken). KFC has been in need of a comeback for a while; could this finally be the plan that works? Next they talk about McDonald’s Snack Wrap launch, which reportedly led to a 15% spike in traffic on launch day. While this is a big win for McDonald’s, Sam and Alicia temper their expectations for how this could perform for McDonald’s in the long run. They then dive into a variety of value deals that rolled out in the past week — including Planet Hollywood’s 1991 pricing plan, Taco Bell’s $3 Luxe Value Menu, and Wendy’s offer of free fries and Frostys — and wrap up with a look at what restaurant leaders should expect from Q2 earnings season. Finally, tune in to a conversation between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Chili’s chief marketing officer George Felix.

Oh, and you can see Kevin Bacon live this year at CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs. 

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KFC is asking fans to help it mount a comeback

McDonald’s Snack Wrap comes out of the gate hot

Taco Bell is testing a Luxe Value Menu with items for $3 or less

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss how pizza chains like Domino’s, Little Caesars, and Pizza Hut are increasingly turning to value deals to get customers’ attention. It’s no surprise in a year when so many other restaurant chains are leveraging value, but what does it signify about where pizza is headed — especially now that virtually all other restaurants are offering delivery? Next they talk about Burger King’s Whopper by You platform, which invites guests to suggest Whopper builds. Sam and Alicia think it’s a smart campaign; not only can Burger King learn plenty about its customers, but it can also engage them in fun ways that lean into the chain’s “Have It Your Way” slogan. Learn more about the program and how Sam and Alicia think it could give a boost to a lethargic burger category. Next they discuss new data that shows how Red Lobster and Taco Bell are two chains with the most effective TV ad campaigns. What does this suggest about the future of restaurant marketing and how restaurants can get in front of potential guests? Finally, tune in to a conversation between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and South Block founder and CEO Amir Mostafavi, held in person at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

Oh, and you can see Kevin Bacon live this year at CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs. 

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Pizza industry bets on value meals and promotions to win back customers

Burger King will launch a ‘Whopper by You’ platform

Red Lobster and Taco Bell had the most effective TV ads in the first half of 2025

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso unpack the Trump Administration’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ which cleared the House on Thursday and was signed into law by President Trump on Friday. What should restaurant leaders know about the bill and how it affects their business? Sam and Alicia break it down. Next they discuss new menu items from across the industry — particularly those created in collaboration with other companies. For example, Potbelly released Hot Pepper chips in collaboration with Zapp’s, while Buffalo Wild Wings is the exclusive destination for a limited time to check out Heinz’s new smoky chipotle honey mustard sauce, created alongside the hip-hop producer Mustard. Find out why these kinds of partnerships make business sense. They also delve into the active world of McDonald’s menu innovation, which recently included the new Double Burger, Blueberry & Creme Pie, and Spicy McMuffin. Could these new items help to reverse the Golden Arches’ fortunes? Next they discuss recent data that illustrates the extent to which consumers are pulling back on their spend at restaurants — and how the data suggests that value menus are not the solution restaurants want them to be. Finally, tune in to a conversation between senior editor Joanna Fantozzi and White Castle vice president of marketing and public relations Jamie Richardson, held in person at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

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Senate version of Trump’s tax bill passes with ‘No Tax on Tips’ and business income deduction

McDonald’s is adding a Spicy McMuffin to its breakfast lineup

Buffalo Wild Wings mixes Mountain Dew with beer in limited-time offer

Consumer spending at small restaurants slowed in June

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Taco Bell’s announcement that it would expand its Live Mas Café platform to an additional 30 locations before the end of the year — and eventually to all U.S. locations. The test at a San Diego location has been so successful that Taco Bell expects beverage could be a $5 billion platform by 2030. So what does that mean for the beverage boom across the industry? Sam and Alicia break it down. Next they discuss the amicable split between McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme, which launched in 2022 as the doughnut chain sought to leverage McDonald’s 13,000-plus locations as access points for its goods. Sam and Alicia discuss why the partnership was ultimately a failure, and why restaurants should consider prioritizing quality over access on their growth journeys. Then they talk about recent data from Black Box Intelligence that showed that businesses serving large immigrant populations are experiencing sales and traffic declines, citing fears of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. Finally, tune in to a conversation between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Applebee’s executive director of off-premises Vicki Hormann, held in person at the recent National Restaurant Association Show.

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Taco Bell expands its Live Más Café concept en route to $5 billion beverage goal

The McDonald’s/Krispy Kreme partnership is over

Restaurants experience traffic, sales declines in markets with large Hispanic populations

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index, which once again named Chick-fil-A and Texas Roadhouse as the top fast-food and full-service chains according to guest satisfaction. What do this year’s rankings say about the state of the restaurant industry — and how brands can keep guests satisfied in a challenging economy? They also talk about Darden’s performance in its most recent quarter, which was mostly filled with good news — particularly the 6.9% same-store sales growth for Olive Garden and 6.7% growth for LongHorn Steakhouse. What is working for Darden? And why should casual-dining operators be encouraged by the news? Sam and Alicia then chat about the news that Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol had met with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about the so-called “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement and how Starbucks could play a role. Get some perspective from Sam and Alicia on why the restaurant industry should be paying close attention to MAHA and the broader trend toward healthy eating. Finally, we share another conversation with one of our recent Power List honorees: Michelle Hook, CFO of Portillo’s, who spoke with senior editor Joanna Fantozzi. 

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Chick-fil-A and Texas Roadhouse once again have the most satisfied customers

Darden promotion helps Olive Garden hit record sales

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol met with Secretary Kennedy to discuss health and wellness commitment

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the three biggest trends of 2025: chicken, beverages, and value deals. First up is chicken, as they talk about Taco Bell’s new Crispy Chicken Tacos and Burritos, Culver’s new chicken lineup, and Chick-fil-A’s two new sandwich tests. As major chains pile on the surge in chicken offerings, how can we expect the trend to evolve going forward? Then they discuss the beverage trend, and specifically soda, where chains are developing proprietary flavors and dirty soda variations. Sam and Alicia see this as a great way for restaurants big and small to stand out in an increasingly competitive field. Speaking of the competition, the two segue into a conversation on value meals and how brands are flooding the market with deals. Does the data suggest this is what consumers want? On this week’s extra serving portion of the podcast, senior F&B editor Bret Thorn joins to talk about Starbucks’ three-day Leadership Experience 2025, a gathering of 14,000 store managers in Las Vegas that revealed some of the coffee giant’s strategy for the future. Finally, we share a conversation between Bret and Another Broken Egg VP of culinary and beverage Joel Reynders.

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Taco Bell is launching a Crispy Chicken Taco and Burrito

Wendy’s adds Powerade drinks to Coca-Cola Freestyle lineup

More consumers than ever are searching for restaurants with lower price points

Starbucks to hire assistant managers for most restaurants

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss Popeyes’ new Chicken Wraps, which come in three varieties and appear to be a direct shot at McDonald’s, which is preparing to re-release its Snack Wraps. Have the Chicken Sandwich Wars suddenly become the Chicken Wrap Wars? Sam and Alicia discuss the trend and why we could see a tsunami of wrap activity in the coming year. Then they discuss Sweetgreen’s announcement that it would return to seasonal menus and LTOs, a strategy it shelved last year when it launched a steak protein and more hot dishes. Find out why they think this kind of seasonal strategy — powered by local and regionally sourced ingredients — could become more popular with restaurants around the U.S. Finally, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins for the extra serving portion of the episode to discuss Dave’s Hot Chicken and the (official) announcement that it had been acquired by Roark Capital. Does this news validate hot chicken as a category that is here to stay? 

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Popeyes has launched a new chicken wraps category

Sweetgreen goes back to a seasonal menu strategy to drive frequency

Dave’s Hot Chicken acquired by Roark Capital 

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss McDonald’s announcement that it would shutter its CosMc’s locations after barely a year and a half in business. Is CosMc’s a massive failure for the company, or did McDonald’s get everything it needed out of its sister concept? Sam and Alicia debate. Then they discuss Red Robin’s surprising first-quarter results, which saw the casual-dining burger chain’s sales grow by 3.1%. What does this say about the broader casual category — and what the consumer might want from it? Finally, they talk about value deals across the restaurant industry and how chains are increasingly leaning into value propositions to drive traffic. But here’s the kicker, as Sam and Alicia discuss: It doesn’t seem like value is so much about a price point as it is a comprehensive experience. 

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McDonald’s will shutter its CosMc’s concept

Red Robin’s Q1 results illustrate a comeback plan coming to fruition

Eatertainment brands launch summer promotions

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso share their thoughts on the recent National Restaurant Association Show, the biggest restaurant event in the world that’s held each year in Chicago. Their perspective? Expect more innovation around beverages, personalization, and AI. Then they discuss Darden’s announcement that it would shutter two Seasons 52 locations on the heels of announcing that 15 Bahama Breeze units would close. Is something wrong at Darden or is this just following the trend of other companies course-correcting in a difficult season? Next they talk about McDonald’s new late-night hours, which includes much of its system staying open until midnight or later. That follows the announcement that McDonald’s would hire 375,000 more employees — clearly beefing up the workforce as it prepares to accommodate the shifting consumer behavior around dayparts. Finally, Sam and Alicia talk about Portillo’s intent to expand more into nontraditional locations, starting with a new unit in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Find out why they think this is a smart move for the Chicago-based hot dog chain.

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Darden shutters two Seasons 52 locations in addition to Bahama Breeze closures

McDonald’s expands late-night hours at most of its restaurants

Portillo’s plans smaller locations at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and in The Villages, Fla.

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso talk about the trend of international brands growing into the U.S., which included the first U.S. opening of Luckin Coffee last week (the Chinese coffee chain has 23,000 locations globally). Will Luckin, tea concept Chagee, and other international brands like Jollibee find success with U.S. consumers even as domestic brands struggle? Then they discuss two significant earnings reports from the week: CAVA, which continues to defy the odds with a 10.8% sales increase, and Jack in the Box, which joined fellow burger chains on the struggle bus with a 4.4% sales drop. What can we learn about the state of the American restaurant industry based on these results? Then they talk about the word of the year, “uncertainty,” which has been brought up by dozens of restaurant executives during earnings season just two quarters after barely registering a blip. What’s with all the uncertainty, and is there reason for hope? Finally, we share a conversation between senior food and beverage editor Bret Thorn and Brad Bergaus, corporate chef and director of menu innovation at Taco John’s.

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Starbucks China rival Luckin Coffee to make U.S. debut in New York City

Jack in the Box doubles down on digital strategy despite Q2 losses

Consumer uncertainty weighs heavy on Chipotle’s Q1

Jollibee launches its franchising program in the U.S.