Restaurant Closures

Business

FAT Brands' Bankruptcy Triggers Second Wave of Smokey Bones Closures, Accelerating Shift to Twin Peaks

Amid Chapter 11 proceedings, FAT Brands and its affiliate Twin Hospitality are shuttering an additional 14 Smokey Bones BBQ restaurants nationwide. The move follows earlier closures and conversions, highlighting a strategic pivot toward the more profitable Twin Peaks sports bar concept as the parent company restructures.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Dining's Great Rotation: How Shifting Consumer Tastes Are Reshaping the Restaurant Landscape

After a punishing year for many restaurant stocks, a seismic shift is underway. As inflation-weary diners become more selective, value and experience are trumping category labels, driving a surprising resurgence in casual dining while challenging the fast-casual model.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Franchise Power: The Resilient Investment Play in a Shifting Restaurant Landscape

As the restaurant industry navigates post-2025 challenges of traffic recovery and margin pressure, the franchise model emerges as a defensive cornerstone for investors, offering scalability and predictable cash flows.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Cracker Barrel's Rough Patch: A Deep Dive Into the Restaurant Chain's Challenges After Q3 Earnings

Shares of the iconic comfort food chain Cracker Barrel have plummeted nearly 50% in six months, raising urgent questions about its financial health and future prospects. We analyze the key metrics and investor sentiment surrounding the stock.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

The Great American Restaurant Split: How a K-Shaped Economy Is Reshaping Where We Eat

The traditional rulebook for dining during economic stress is obsolete. As a K-shaped recovery widens the gap between income groups, fast-food giants are struggling with deep discounts while casual dining chains unexpectedly thrive by redefining value.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

SoundHound AI Scales Up: Voice Ordering Hits Major Restaurant Chain, Enterprise Platform Gains New Channel

SoundHound AI expands its real-world footprint with a nationwide rollout of voice AI at Five Guys and partners with Bridgepointe Technologies to target the enterprise market, signaling a dual-path growth strategy.

Jan 31, 2026

Business

Cracker Barrel Mandates Employee Dining at Own Restaurants Amid Cost-Cutting Drive

The Southern comfort food chain, still reeling from a failed rebrand and customer discontent, now requires traveling staff to eat primarily at its own locations—a move seen as an effort to bolster internal revenue.

Jan 31, 2026

Business

Protesters Mistake TSA Officers for ICE Agents in Tense LA Restaurant Confrontation

A group of protesters in Lynwood, California, surrounded and harassed federal air marshals, incorrectly identifying them as immigration enforcement officers. The incident highlights the volatile climate surrounding immigration debates and the risks of misdirected activism.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Restaurant Chains Shutter Dozens of Locations Amid Bankruptcy Wave

A growing list of casual dining chains are turning to bankruptcy court and closing underperforming stores as heavy debt loads and shifting consumer habits take their toll. The latest casualty, FAT Brands, has moved to permanently close 32 locations and reject their leases.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Global Public Sector Gets Its Own Climate Disclosure Rulebook

IPSASB unveils the world's first dedicated climate reporting standard for governments and public bodies, mandating disclosures from 2028 to illuminate financial risks and opportunities.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

PF Chang's Taps Marketing Veteran Holly Smith as New CMO to Lead Brand Evolution

Casual dining giant PF Chang's appoints Holly Smith, a seasoned restaurant marketing executive, as its new Chief Marketing Officer to steer brand strategy and deepen customer engagement amid industry-wide transformation.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Toast's Stock Plunge: A Buying Opportunity or a Red Flag for Investors?

Shares of restaurant software leader Toast have tumbled over 37% in six months. While strong recurring revenue and solid growth forecasts provide a bullish case, concerns over customer acquisition costs paint a more complex picture for potential investors.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Kuwait Cracks Down on Food Delivery Giants, Imposes First GCC-Wide Fee Caps

Kuwait mandates sweeping regulations on food delivery platforms, capping commissions and banning exclusivity deals after uncovering anti-competitive practices that hurt restaurants and consumers.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Travere Therapeutics Under Investigation: Legal Scrutiny Clouds Biotech's Path to Profitability

Travere Therapeutics faces a securities fraud investigation by Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, raising questions about the accuracy of its past disclosures. The probe casts a shadow over the company's critical transition, as it banks on its kidney drug FILSPARI to drive growth amid mounting legal and commercial pressures.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

JPMorgan Faces Dual Fronts: Trump Lawsuit and Crypto Clash Amplify Regulatory Scrutiny

JPMorgan Chase confronts heightened regulatory and political pressure as a lawsuit from former President Donald Trump alleges biased account closures, while CEO Jamie Dimon's public spat with Coinbase underscores the intensifying battle between traditional banks and crypto platforms for customer funds.

Feb 2, 2026

US

Fewer but Fiercer: The Evolving Disruption of U.S. Government Shutdowns

While the frequency of U.S. government shutdowns has declined since the 1990s, a deepening partisan divide has transformed them into longer, more damaging stalemates, with 22 closures since 1976 imposing growing costs on federal operations and the public.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

FAT Brands Faces Nasdaq Delisting Following Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing

The parent company of numerous restaurant chains will be removed from the Nasdaq exchange on February 4, transitioning to high-risk over-the-counter trading after failing to meet listing requirements.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Sweetgreen Shares Slump Amid Growth Stock Sell-Off, Goldman Sachs Maintains Sell Rating

The fast-casual salad chain's stock fell sharply this week, pressured by a broader retreat in growth stocks and a reiterated sell call from Goldman Sachs, despite positive signals from the broader restaurant sector.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Bloomin' Brands Faces Headwinds: Debt, Stagnant Sales Cloud Outlook

Shares of restaurant operator Bloomin' Brands have tumbled over 35% in six months, raising questions about its financial health and growth trajectory as analysts flag significant risks.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Steak 'n Shake Joins Corporate Push, Pledges $1,000 for Employees' Newborns Under 'Trump Accounts' Initiative

The restaurant chain Steak 'n Shake has announced it will contribute $1,000 to tax-advantaged investment accounts for employees' newborns, aligning with a growing corporate trend to supplement the federal 'Trump Accounts' program aimed at generational wealth building.

Jan 30, 2026