All Special Reports

Growth chains aren't all fast-food restaurants. While limited-service concepts still make up a majority of the growth brands on the Future 50 ranking of up-and-coming concepts, the full-service sectors were well represented, including several family-dining brands. Take a look into the next generation of chains with the Restaurant Business Future 50.

These days, restaurant bills no longer just include an entrée, an appetizer and a few drinks. Restaurants are adding specific charges to cover the growing cost of labor. Yet these charges anger customers and could lure regulators. This package explores this growing trend from the perspective of operators, servers and customers.

These days, restaurant bills no longer just include an entrée, an appetizer and a few drinks. Restaurants are adding specific charges to cover the growing cost of labor. Yet these charges anger customers and could lure regulators. This package explores this growing trend from the perspective of operators, servers and customers.

Amid rising costs and continued labor challenges, restaurants are innovating their menus and operations to deliver on the variety, creativity and fresh flavors that customers crave.

Subway, once the world’s largest restaurant chain by unit count, has gone through enormous changes over the past eight years, with the loss of its two founders and years of volatility and uncertainty. Its sale, which is expected to be announced as early as this week, follows a remarkably active period for the chain. Here’s a look at some of those major events.

The 500 largest restaurant chains in the U.S. continued to grow at a healthy pace in 2022. Total sales rose 8.2%, according to the Technomic Top 500 Chain Restaurant Report, nearly twice as high as pre-pandemic growth levels. Most major sectors have recovered. Yet the sales growth came entirely from high menu price inflation and more aggressive unit development.

Restaurant operators could not raise prices fast enough to meet soaring costs for food, labor and real estate. Instead, they've looked at their operations and their menus to find any cost savings they can find. Here's a look at some of their efforts.

The American style of tipping has long been controversial and people complain about leaving an extra 20% at the end of a meal. Yet the practice remains firmly entrenched in dining culture.

Consumers in the U.S. love to hate the tip. The American style of tipping has long been controversial and people complain about leaving an extra 20% at the end of a meal. Yet the practice remains firmly entrenched in dining culture. And it is spreading to other sectors.

Flavor exploration slowed down a bit in 2020, as operators streamlined menus and focused on best-sellers and customer favorites.

Robots, AI voice and similar technologies are on the rise as restaurants confront a challenging labor situation.

Food and labor costs are historically high and restaurants can't maintain profits by prices alone. Instead, operators are getting more efficient in everything from menu to operations. This package examines everything the industry is doing to counteract inflation.