Burger King loses its U.S. president. Some big restaurant names invest in a plant-based meat company. And Colorado bans polystyrene to-go boxes.

There’s been an explosion in restaurant mergers and acquisitions. Restaurants continue their hiring spree. And digital kitchen operator C3 just secured a major investment.

The SBA is pulling the plug on the RRF, Taco Cabana is being sold, and Red Lobster has a new CEO. We’ll recap all the restaurant news you might have missed over the long weekend, and there’s a lot of it. 

Panera is selling Au Bon Pain again, DoorDash acknowledges that most customers would rather order directly from a restaurant, and Jack in the Box is reversing its refranchising push of the last 30 years.

A pair of new federal bills would give franchisees more rights. Pandemic-era pizza sales aren’t quite what they appear. And California’s heat wave has become the backdrop for a labor battle.

A noted takeout skeptic is starting to believe. Fat Brands is buying five more restaurants. And consumers still love Chick-fil-A. 

The market for restaurant IPOs is red hot. Famous Dave’s bought Bakers Square for the pies. And New York City is considering a permanent cap on food delivery fees.

San Francisco is making its delivery fee cap permanent. Subway’s tuna brouhaha keeps resurfacing. And Papa Murphy’s is showing off its new store design.

Chicken thighs will likely become a permanent part of Wingstop’s menu. McDonald’s long-awaited loyalty program is almost ready for prime time. And Krispy Kreme wants to raise up to $640 million with its IPO.

Sweetgreen’s IPO rumors have come true. The Department of Labor is again tinkering with the tip credit. And Luby’s Cafeteria has been sold.