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☆ From Kroger to Walmart, these are the top 10 most popular grocery chains in America
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Indeed, restaurant prices have risen faster than grocery prices over the last year, according to data from the Department of Labor. To rank the grocers, Placer.ai measured the "visit share" each retailer received in April. "Visit share" is the percentage of total visits that a retailer received during a given time frame compared to the other retailers also being analyzed. Kroger, with its more than 1200 locations in 16 states, was the top visited supermarket chain in the country, capturing 9.1% of the visit share in April. These are the 10 most popular supermarket chains in the country.

☆ As shoppers look for savings, Nordstrom hopes Rack stores can fuel its revival
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The success or failure of the Nordstrom Rack turnaround effort could shape the company's future. Those chains such as T.J.Maxx , Ross Stores and Burlington Stores , have opened more stores and wooed new customers, driving higher foot traffic than Nordstrom Rack has seen. Nordstrom Rack stores outnumber the company's namesake stores, with 241 locations across the country, according to company filings. Nordstrom Rack stores accounted for more than 40% of new customers in 2022, CEO Erik Nordstrom said on the March earnings call. As it pins its growth hopes on the off-price locations, Nordstrom has turned Rack stores into e-commerce hubs, too.

☆ Lawmakers press companies that collect U.S. consumer data to reveal how they buy and sell it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In the letters, 10 lawmakers asked the companies for detailed responses on the types of sensitive information they gather, such as health, location and phone data, including apps consumers download to their devices. The companies were also asked what information they collect on minors. Last month, the subcommittee on oversight and investigations held a hearing with expert witnesses to examine "the role of data brokers in the digital economy." In that report, the regulator recommended that Congress force brokers to give consumers greater control over their data, but the "data brokers can easily circumvent existing rules and laws," the letter said. Here's the full list of data brokers who received the letter::AcxiomAtDataBabel StreetCoreLogic SolutionsEpsilon Data ManagementEquifaxExperianGravy AnalyticsInteliusKochavaLiveRampMylifeOracle AmericaPeopleConnectPlacer.aiRELXSafegraphSpokeoThomson ReutersTransUnionVerisk AnalyticsWhitepagesSubscribe to CNBC on YouTube.

☆ The buffet is back. Thank you, inflation.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Diners are looking for a good deal as inflation keeps restaurant prices high. Now, they're becoming destinations again, with society mostly open and inflation forcing consumers to stretch the money that they spend on eating out. Now, with restaurant prices rising fast thanks to inflation, all-you-can-eat buffets are attracting diners looking for a good deal. Golden Corral is one of the buffet chains that survived the pandemic. Some, like the company behind Furr's Fresh Buffet and Old Country Buffet, filed for bankruptcy and permanently closed locations.

☆ The all-you-can-eat buffet line is crowded again
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The owner of Old Country Buffet and Furr’s Fresh Buffet filed for bankruptcy in 2021. “The higher quality concepts that stuck it out are reaping some rewards, like Golden Corral and Pizza Ranch,” said Jonathan Maze, the editor-in-chief at trade publication Restaurant Business Magazine. “People wanted the buffet back,” Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary told the trade publication. The company plans to add up to 250 more Golden Corral buffets around the United States over the long run. The median household income of Golden Corral, Cicis and Pizza Ranch customers is below the national average, according to Placer.

☆ Restaurant Brands beats quarterly estimates on higher pricing, traffic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International Inc (QSR.TO) beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter revenue and profit on Tuesday, boosted by higher prices and increased traffic at its Burger King and Tim Hortons chains. Restaurant Brands' Burger King chain has been able to attract younger customers to its restaurants through a newly released viral "Whopper Whopper" jingle. Restaurant Brands in February named its chief operating officer, Joshua Kobza, as CEO in a turnaround plan for its struggling Burger King brand. According to location analytics firm Placer.ai, Burger King saw positive week-over-week visit growth for the majority of weeks since January 2023. Excluding items, Restaurant Brands earned 75 cents per share, compared with estimates of 64 cents, according to Refinitiv IBES data.

☆ Americans in the Midwest are obsessed with these 9 grocery stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Hy-VeeAP/Nati HarnikWhere it had the highest share of visits: Iowa (65%), Nebraska (41%), South Dakota (58%)Headquarters: West Des Moines, IowaNumber of stores: 285Started as a single general store in 1930, Hy-Vee's stores today boast beauty sections and 24-hour Chinese takeout. They also have in-store restaurants, including Wahlburgers, Starbucks, and Caribou Coffee, and have partnered with Orangetheory to offer classes. The chain came out on top by store visits in three states, according to Placer.ai's data. It also came in second in three other states: Kansas, Minnesota, and Missouri. Hy-Vee's expansion plans are set to make it more than a regional favorite: The grocer is building stores in the Southern states of Alabama and Tennessee.

☆ Office Doom Loop: Landlords Face a Reckoning As Companies Move to Fancy Offices
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

The Gas Company Tower in downtown Los Angeles has a sterling pedigree, but even that can't save it from the doom loop facing many older office towers. A huge swath of America's office market is vulnerable to these twin threats of being under-equipped with amenities and underwater financially. This behavioral shift has deeply cut into demand for office space. The amount of sublease space nationally more than doubled from 118.5 million square feet at the end of 2019 to 242.8 million square feet at the end of 2022, Colliers stated. Lenders are often reluctant, he said, to seize office buildings because of the costs and expertise required to operate the properties.

☆ These top grocery stores are dominating the Midwest from Hy-Vee to Cub Foods
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Fitness chains add financial muscle as more Americans hit the gym
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Some of the major players in the fitness sector have pushed the envelope on membership rates after the pandemic scare, helping them beef up earnings, when most other industries are under stress from the impact of a cautious consumer. Larger rival Planet Fitness Inc (PLNT.N) added 400,000 members in the fourth quarter, taking the total to about 17 million in 2022. "People that are working out, are working out slightly more than they did in the past ... So even with the recessionary talks and layoffs you see, cancellations are just slightly better," Planet Fitness CEO Chris Rondeau said at a JPMorgan conference last week. A Planet Fitness executive said Gen Z represented 25% of the company's total membership.

☆ Nike and Lululemon are obliterating the competition when it comes to drawing customers to stores
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Foot traffic at Nike and Lululemon stores increased each of the last three monthsDuring the same time period, foot traffic at sporting goods apparel stores decreased. Traffic increased more than 11% at Lululemon stores and nearly 6% at Nike stores while traffic at sporting goods apparel stores decreased by nearly 8%, according to a new report from Placer.ai, a retail analytics firm. The sporting goods apparel category for Placer.ai includes chains such as Dick's Sporting Goods and Hibbett. Lululemon stores host yoga classes. While foot traffic is increasing at Nike and Lululemon stores, in recent months several brands, including Nike, Adidas, and Allbirds, have signaled renewed interest in wholesale channels.

☆ Target, Macy's and Best Buy say consumers are strained
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Big retailers say consumer demand is starting to buckle from the strain of inflation and customers are making changes in how they shop. Target (TGT), Best Buy (BBY), Macy’s (M) and other chains say shoppers have pulled back on discretionary goods like clothing, electronics and home improvement. The slowdown could mean consumers will see more discounts on shelves as stores look for ways to entice shoppers and work down their inventory. “The consumer electronics industry continues to feel the effects of the broader macro environment and its impact on consumers,” Best Buy finance chief Matt Bilunas said. Best Buy predicts its comparable sales will decline 3% to 6% this year.

☆ Warren Buffett is missing out on this year’s market comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But the Oracle of Omaha has missed out on this year’s stock market rally. Buffett, in fact, has promoted that idea to investors many times, arguing that most individual stock pickers will not be able to beat the market. And to his credit, that usually pays dividends: Berkshire stock was up 3% last year in a down market. “High rates of inflation create a tax on capital that makes much corporate investment unwise,” Buffett said in his 1980 shareholder letter to Berkshire investors. Investors will get several more clues about consumer spending this week when several top retailers report earnings.

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N) missed quarterly comparable sales and profit expectations on Tuesday, as customers pulled back on expensive delivery orders and traffic stalled in December. Comparable sales at California-based Chipotle rose 5.6% in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, while analysts on average expected a 7.1% rise, according to Refinitiv IBES. Visits to Chipotle restaurants fell 10.2% in the fourth quarter, according to data from Placer.ai. Delivery transactions also tumbled 15% as in-store orders surged, and Chipotle restaurants "didn't see that pop" that they normally get in December around the holidays, Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung said on the call. We think inflation will be reasonably tame," Hartung said, adding that the company had not yet decided whether to raise menu prices further in 2023.

☆ Chipotle misses quarterly sales estimates as traffic stalls
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N) missed quarterly comparable sales expectations on Tuesday, in a sign that price hikes are taking a toll on demand for the restaurant's burritos and rice bowls. Visits to Chipotle restaurants fell 10.2% in the fourth quarter, according to data from Placer.ai. Comparable sales at the California-based chain rose 5.6% in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, while analysts on average expected a 7.1% rise, according to Refinitiv IBES. Revenue rose to $2.18 billion from $1.96 billion in the quarter, missing estimates of $2.23 billion. Some investors are worried about the cadence of falling traffic in 2022, analysts at Cowen said in a research note.

[1/3] Starbucks cups are pictured on a counter in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., February 16, 2022. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriFeb 2(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) missed Wall Street expectations for quarterly comparable sales on Thursday, as persistent weakness in the coffee chain's China business offset strong sales in the North American market. That resulted in a 29% fall in China comparable sales for Starbucks in its first fiscal quarter ended Jan. 1, pulling total international comparable sales down 13%. Global comparable sales at Starbucks rose 5%, compared with analysts' average estimate of a 6.75% rise, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Starbucks reiterated its previous guidance of global comparable sales growth of 7% to 9% for its fiscal 2023.

☆ McDonald's tops profit estimates, warns short-term inflation to persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Hilary Russ | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] McDonald's Crispy Chicken Sandwiches and fries are pictured in New York, U.S. March 30, 2021. REUTERS/Hilary RussJan 31 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) on Tuesday beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on higher menu prices, even as it warned short-term inflationary pressures would persist in 2023. McDonald's benefited from higher menu prices, increased restaurant traffic and sales in the UK, Germany and France rose despite fears of a recession in Europe. Visits to some other fast-food chains started to fall last summer as they hiked menu prices, he said. McDonald's U.S. comparable sales rose 10.3% in the quarter ended Dec. 31.

☆ McDonald's sales surge, warns short-term inflation to persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Hilary Russ | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A huge advertisement for a branch of fast-food giant McDonald's is seen on the outskirts of Berlin, Germany, April 22, 2016. The burger chain's global same-store sales increased 12.6% in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with estimates for an 8.6% rise, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. That is compared to a 0.6% decline for fast food overall in the fourth quarter over the previous year. Visits to some other fast-food chains started to fall last summer as they hiked menu prices, he said. McDonald's U.S. comparable sales rose 10.3% in the quarter.

☆ McDonald's beats profit estimates, warns short-term inflation to persist
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Hilary Russ | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Hilary RussJan 31 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) on Tuesday beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on higher menu prices, even as it warned short-term inflationary pressures would persist in 2023. McDonald's benefited from higher menu prices, increased restaurant traffic and sales in the UK, Germany and France rose despite fears of a recession in Europe. Even so, traffic rose 5% for full-year 2022 as McDonald's meals remained less expensive than many competitors, drawing low-income consumers. Visits to some other fast-food chains started to fall last summer as they hiked menu prices, he said. McDonald's U.S. comparable sales rose 10.3% in the quarter ended Dec. 31.

☆ Bright lights and snazzy mannequins: Walmart rolls out sleek new store designs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In company surveys, he said nearly every shopper said the store's displays and mannequins encouraged them to browse longer. Walmart's new store design includes displays that show off how a customer could decorate a nursery or kitchen. Melissa Repko | CNBCWashington declined to share data about Walmart's store traffic and sales at its Springdale store and other flagships that have opened in recent months. Visits to its Walmart store in Springdale, Ark. Victor Millan, of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, makes weekly shopping trips to the Walmart in Teterboro for groceries and other items.

☆ The company Walgreens uses to target shoppers with ads on digital cooler doors is expanding its screens to more in-store locations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cooler Screens, which provides in-store ad screens on cooler doors, has detailed expansion plans. Cooler Screens, the company that provides "smart" digital advertising screens on refrigerator doors in Kroger, Walgreens, and Circle K locations, said Tuesday that plans are underway to extend its network to more screens at different areas inside stores. Cooler Screens currently offers a digital merchandising platform that brightly displays the products that sit inside a retailer's cooler units and additional advertising space. A slide from a Cooler Screens ad sales pitch deck, showcasing its plans for additional in-store billboards. Cooler Screens has raised more than $100 million in funding from investors including Verizon Ventures, Microsoft's M12 venture fund, and GreatPoint Ventures.

Bed Bath & Beyond did not take questions from analysts on its Tuesday conference call "in light of the ongoing review of strategic alternatives," said Susie Kim, head of investor relations. "It's definitely a cause for concern," said bankruptcy lawyer Daniel Gielchinsky, who does not represent Bed Bath & Beyond. Bed Bath & Beyond said it started cost reductions of about $80 million to $100 million across the business. Morningstar analyst Jaime Katz expects a Bed Bath & Beyond bankruptcy filing in the first half of 2023. The retailer reported a non-GAAP loss of $3.65 per share, wider than Wall Street's estimate of a loss of $2.23 per share.

☆ See the brands poised to crush their rivals in 2023, including Wawa, Five Below, and Whataburger
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Data firm Placer.ai tracks where people shop, work, and live using their mobile phones. Their data shows the most promising retailers and restaurants for 2023. Chains with winning strategies are growing in underserved markets and giving shoppers value. Chains with cult-like followings like Whataburger and Wawa are among the brands to watch in 2023, Placer.ai said Tuesday. Here are the 10 brands to watch in 2023, according to Placer.ai.

☆ Retailers brace for tougher times and more frugal customers in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 rose 7.6%, according to data from MasterCard SpendingPulse, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. The next few weeks, which close out many retailers' fiscal year, could help determine whether the holiday quarter is a win or a bust. Retailers enter 2023 reckoning with the fact that store traffic already lagged during peak weeks of the holiday season. It is also retailers' last chance to sell through excess inventory and start the new fiscal year in a cleaner position. Like many other retailers, Walmart's holiday quarter includes January.

[1/2] People visit a retail store during the holiday season in New York City, U.S., December 15, 2022. So far, shopper visits to many retail segments, including apparel and electronics, are down year-over-year, according to foot-traffic data from Placer.AI. Zara, the fast-fashion chain, aggressively raised prices this year without turning off shoppers, while dollar stores including Dollar General (DG.N) expanded their array of merchandise. Dollar stores have also shown momentum as more consumers traded down. Discount and dollar stores saw visits up 1.1% year-over-year, and up 7.8% compared to Super Saturday 2019, according to Placer.AI foot-traffic data.

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