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. 

For more on these stories:  

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