Emma Liem Beckett

DC London Pie has entered administration to manage its debt, but Yum Brands will continue to run 64 of the operator’s locations. 

 The customizable solutions can answer diner questions, ask follow-ups and book reservations, reflecting restaurant interest in voice technology.  

Starbucks learned the hard way that customers care more about experience than efficiency. 

If casual brands don’t invest in the contemporary, experiential offerings diners crave, they could eventually risk ceding traffic to fast casual competitors.

While mimicking a human voice can lead to more emotionally engaging guest interactions, the stakes are higher for brands, with robotic-sounding voices offering greater transparency, says Hi Auto’s Eyal Shapira.

Q3 2025 saw more evidence of a casual dining resurgence, as fast casual sales continued to slow and QSRs posted divergent results.

Price-sensitive diners and rising food and labor costs are pushing chains to refine their value propositions, setting the stage for cutthroat competition.

The company combined Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker at a unit in Texas, with plans to open more.

Scott Mezvinsky inherits the chain as it invests in marketing and its tech-centric Saucy concept in a bid to stand out from buzzy chicken rivals. 

Anthony Valletta takes the reins from Scott Lawton, who co-founded the chain in 2010 and guided it through major pandemic-induced staffing changes.