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☆ DoorDash is headed to Super Bowl, pushing its on-demand grocery business again. Here are 7 key moves it is making to dominate retail delivery after conquering restaurants.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In August 2020, DoorDash launched retail delivery with chains like 7-Eleven and Walgreens. Editor's note: On Sunday, DoorDash is airing its second Super Bowl commercial to promote its grocery delivery business. Lately, DoorDash has its sights set on a new prize — dominance in retail and grocery delivery. "We have more retail stores, grocery included, than any other platform in North America today." DoorDashDoubleDashA year after launching grocery delivery, DoorDash introduced DoubleDash.

☆ Restaurants are now using generative AI to create menu photos that could convince customers to order more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Generative AI is now being used to create menu photos. Lunchbox is using OpenAI's tech for its AI Food Generator. Since its January 19 launch, it has generated 175 million AI photos, he said. Julie Zucker, a partner and chief marketing officer at Branded Hospitality Ventures, said "mouth-watering" food photos may certainly drive a guest to order. If restaurants lack food photos, DoorDash said it offers complimentary photo shoots.

☆ Hundreds of flexitarians are flocking to this vegan burger upstart. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger is backed by Whole Foods. He'd given up red meat in 2010, after his mother died of cancer at 56. Both became early backers of de Gruyter's brand, Next Level Burger, which has grown to nine restaurants in six states. Following a $20 million raise last fall, Next Level Burger opened its 10th location and second restaurant in Seattle in late January. Next Level Burger patties are made of quinoa and mushrooms.

☆ I ate at the fastest-growing restaurant chain in US — the celebrity-backed Dave's Hot Chicken — and saw why it could be unstoppable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Overall, the jumbo tenders and the graffiti wall murals are the showstoppers at Dave's. The chain's made-to-order foods are prepared with high-quality ingredients. It reminds me of the early days of Shake Shack, one of the best better burger chains in the US. I expect Dave's to grow its fan base as it builds its hot fried chicken empire around the US. Nancy Luna/Insider

☆ Chick-fil-A just unveiled a fried cauliflower sandwich that took 4 years to develop — and it's nothing like the plant-based fast food at rivals like McDonald's
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Plant-based meat sales growth has flattened over the last several months. But, Chick-fil-A is debuting a cauliflower sandwich in three US markets next week. Next week, the Atlanta-based fried chicken chain plans to introduce its first plant-based meal, the Chick-fil-A Cauliflower Sandwich. Chick-fil-A's vegetable sandwich test also comes as demand for plant-based meats has slowed, prompting layoffs at Impossible Foods. "We explored every corner of the plant-based space in search of the perfect centerpiece for our plant-forward entrée," Stuart Tracy, culinary developer of the cauliflower sandwich, said in a statement.

☆ Chipotle customers are finally balking at higher delivery prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2021, Chipotle reached $3.4 billion in digital sales. Delivery orders for the latest quarter decreased by 15% amid delivery prices hikes made last year. Chains like Chipotle often mark up menu prices for delivery orders to offset fees paid to third-party delivery operators like DoorDash. In the third quarter of 2022, delivery prices at Chipotle increased 13% compared to the same period in 2021, the company previously told Insider. The same meal costs $11.50 for delivery plus a $1 delivery fee and $3.37 in taxes and service fees.

☆ McDonald's is opening 1,900 restaurants in 2023. Here's what it costs to open a McDonald's restaurant
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Hayley Peterson | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

McDonald's franchise fee is $45,000. But McDonald's restaurants posted average domestic sales of $4 million in 2021, according to the chain's franchise disclosure report for 2022. Initial investment costs for running a McDonald's range from $1.4 million and $2.5 million — including the franchise fee. The rent for most new McDonald's restaurants ranges from 10% of total gross sales to $15.75% for new restaurants that have opened since January 1, 2020. But by mid-December 2022, McDonald's had grown to 13,666 US restaurants, according to preliminary store count data obtained from market research firm Datassential.

☆ Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Hints at New Game-Changing Platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Italian espresso culture inspired Howard Schultz 40 years ago as he built the Starbucks empire. In his final earnings call, Schultz hinted at a game-changing new "platform" coming to Starbucks later this month. Schultz said will travel to Milan later this month "to introduce something much bigger than any new promotion or beverage." "Eight of the ten highest sales days in our history [were] recorded in the quarter," Schultz said. On February 13, Starbucks plans to change its Starbucks Rewards program.

☆ A Chick-fil-A restaurant's traffic got so bad that city officials ordered it to be demolished and plan to build a new drive-thru-only location
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chick-fil-A restaurants average $8 million a year in sales. The city's solution to the restaurant's traffic-clogging line was to add more drive-thru lanes and eliminate the dining room. The two drive-thru lanes wrap the restaurant, according to the proposal approved by the Charlotte City Council last month. A Chick-fil-A in Charlotte, North Carolina, is being rebuilt as a drive-thru only restaurant to address traffic in the retail center. "Chick-fil-A restaurants in Charlotte always strive to be a good neighbor and have been strong supporters of their local communities."

☆ McDonald's hiked prices and started offering adult Happy Meals — and sales are soaring
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Dominick Reuter | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

McDonald's reported double-digit sales growth for 2022, driven by a 5% increase in customer count. The brand attributed the bump to a combination of higher menu prices and unique promotions, like adult Happy Meals. The Chicago-based fast food giant reported a 10.9% increase in same-store sales for 2022, powered by a blockbuster fourth-quarter increase of 12.6%. Like many companies last year, McDonald's raised prices and widened profit margins, but that didn't deter customers. On the call, Kempczinski told investors the chain is seeing some signs of a pullback in consumer spending.

☆ Subway's late cofounder will give half the company to a charity where his 2 sons work, amid reports the chain is considering a sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Subway's last surviving founder, Peter Buck, died in 2021. Buck, who died last year, left his 50% stake in the chain to the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, according to a Tuesday announcement by the charity. Peter Buck was 34 when he partnered with a 17-year-old family friend, Fred DeLuca, to open a submarine sandwich shop. In 2020, the chain laid off hundreds of corporate staff to cut costs amid rumors of a company sale. Are you a Subway insider with insight to share?

☆ Uber Eats is sharing what your delivery driver knows about you as videos of angry drivers confronting customers go viral
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Uber Eats customers now have an answer. Customers ordering from the app can access a new "View as Delivery Person " feature, which was rolled out last week. Uber said the feature allows Uber Eats users to toggle to a screen showing how the food courier views their order. "While most interactions are delightful, we also found that when awkward or unwanted interactions occur, it is concerning," Uber Eats told Insider. The photo taken of your delivery is also deleted after the delivery person closes the app, according to the company.

☆ A new ultrafast pizza delivery startup in Philly delivers food in just over 12 minutes on average. Here's how it works.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Chain said one of Muncho's two vans recently became profitable, while the second one is on its way to profitability. Muncho plans to build out its operation in Philadelphia first, before committing to growth outside the city. Muncho's pepperoni pizza.

☆ McDonald's is testing strawless lids in the US after uproar over paper straws in UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2018, it rolled out paper straws in the UK, but admitted the alt-materials were not recyclable. The chain recently began testing strawless lids for cold beverages in select US markets. A few years after Starbucks launched strawless lids, McDonald's is testing out its own in select US markets, the company confirmed. In 2018, McDonald's pledged to recycle food and beverage packaging in 100% of McDonald's restaurants by the end of 2025. The new lids come after McDonald's restaurants in the UK rolled out paper straws in 2018.

☆ McDonald's Exec Slams California Lawmakers for Passing Fast-Food Law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The FAST Recovery Act could raise minimum wage for California fast food workers to $22 an hour. This week, a top McDonald's exec slammed lawmakers for passing the law in an open letter. AB 257 creates a 10-member council of fast food workers, franchisees, franchisors, advocates for fast food employees, and representatives from the governor's office. The organization said higher wage mandates could raise costs for California fast-food restaurants by $3 billion. "As California fast-food workers defend this landmark law and assert their voice, SEIU is absolutely committed to standing with them in their fight."

☆ 7-Eleven is quietly testing self-driving robots to deliver Slurpees and Big Bite Hot Dogs in Los Angeles. Here's how it works.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

7-Eleven is testing autonomous robot deliveries in the Los Angeles area. 7-Eleven has been testing self-driving robots to deliver some of the convenience store chain's most iconic foods and snacks – from Slurpees to Big Bite Hot Dogs. Uber Eats is testing Serve's robots in Los Angeles. The robot deliveries for 7-Eleven can only be made through the 7-Eleven delivery app, dubbed 7Now. Serve Robotics launched in 2017 as a division of Postmates and has been testing its autonomous delivery robots since 2018.

☆ Chipotle wants to hire 15,000 restaurant workers as it plans double in size to 7,000 restaurants in the coming years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The chain is known for worker perks such as bonus programs for crew members and debt-free degrees. The new campaign features six employees who have risen the ranks from restaurant crew member to management. Chipotle said campaigns showing the "transparent career progression" of current workers, as well as highlighting company perks, are part of its latest campaign. The new range shifted from $11 to $18 an hour for US crew members and managers. Chipotle is widely known for its perks, such as bonus programs for crew members, debt-free degrees, and tuition reimbursement.

☆ Starbucks is inviting social workers to assist homeless people at some of its cafés
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But as homeless people seek refuge in cafés, Starbucks has invited outreach workers to talk them. Starbucks contracts with outreach workers in eight US cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle. Recently, the Seattle-based chain has opted to bring in outreach workers to assist homeless people, The Guardian reported. Starbucks cafés in eight US cities, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Chicago, are part of the two-year-old program, according to the article. The company changed its bathroom policy after a racial-discrimination incident in which a Black customer was denied access to the bathroom.

In January 2023, Culver's ditched Pepsi and began promoting Coca-Cola products on its website. Coca-Cola beverages dominate restaurant chains. Up until recently, Culver's also served Pepsi beverages. But the Wisconsin-based fast-food chain, known for its butterburgers and frozen custard desserts, has ditched Pepsi for Coca-Cola products. The Culver's website now advertises that it sells about nine Coca-Cola beverages, including Diet Coke and Coke.

☆ Why McDonald's and Domino's could win a recession, while Starbucks and Burger King could suffer
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some consumers trade down from casual-dining favorites to fast-food chains, analysts said. Analysts predicted what top publicly traded chains could do well with consumers during a recession. Typically during a recession, restaurants feel the pain first. Analysts think McDonald's, Papa Johns, Olive Garden, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Domino's are set up for success during a recession. Analysts are undecided or mixed on brands like Starbucks, Wendy's, and Cheesecake Factory and how they might fare during a recession.

☆ Here are the states where egg prices have doubled — and the lucky few where they've risen by just 50%, according to new data
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Alex Bitter | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Egg prices in some states doubled in December, compared with the same month in 2021, according to data from Instacart. Even so, the highest prices for a dozen eggs were in other states, such as Hawaii and Florida. Egg prices increased the most in upper Midwestern states year-over-year in December, according to Instacart. In 2019, chickens on its farms produced just over 17 billion eggs, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Despite the increases, states like Iowa still had some of the lowest egg prices in the US.

☆ Customers might hate Starbucks' new reward program, but Wall Street loves it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Starbucks is making changes to its Starbucks Rewards program on February 13. With customers highly likely to customize these drinks with add-ons, that will generate "higher tickets and higher margins" for Starbucks, BofA said. The new rewards program might give Starbucks a lift if the economy tanks in the coming months. "In a macro slowdown, we believe the power of Starbucks Rewards will insulate the company, a key distinction from prior downturns," BofA said. Starbucks Rewards members accounted for 55% of sales at US company-operated stores, Starbucks said in a fourth-quarter earnings call.

☆ It's about to get easier to get Starbucks for delivery
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Starbucks, which also uses Uber Eats, said loyalty members cannot earn rewards through delivery. While some restaurant chains offer a limited menu on third-party delivery apps, Starbucks plans to offer about 95% of its core menu on DoorDash. StarbucksUber Eats, on the other hand, told Insider that the Starbucks menu on its app "is optimized for delivery to maintain quality. Delivery is not available through the Starbucks app, and "delivery orders placed through DoorDash or UberEats apps are not eligible for Starbucks Rewards, including both earning and redeeming of Stars," Starbucks told Insider. Are you a fast food or Starbucks insider with insight to share?

☆ The average Chick-fil-A franchise exceeds $8 million in sales and has one of the lowest fast-food franchise startup fee — here's how to open one
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Hayley Peterson | Dominick Reuter | Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chick-fil-A 's fee for a new restaurant is $10,000 – one of the lowest of any major fast-food brandChick-fil-A restaurants average more than $8 million in sales annually among non-mall locations. By comparison, McDonald's restaurants posted average domestic sales of $4 million in 2021, according to the chain's franchise disclosure report for 2022. McDonald's, for example, requires potential franchisees to pay from $1.4 million and $2.5 million in startup costs — including a $45,000 franchise fee. Total costs to launch a franchised Chick-fil-A restaurant ranges from $219,055 to $2,912,697, according to 2022 FDD documents. While a Chick-fil-A costs less up-front, over time franchisees end up paying a lot more to the company to operate the business.

☆ Celebrity chef David Chang blasts Costco's famous $4.99 rotisserie chicken as 'inedible' and 'disgusting'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

This week, he talked about a trip to Costco, and noted how he dislikes the chain's rotisserie chicken. "I think the Costco chicken is the worst rotisserie chicken," he said during his latest "The Dave Chang Show" podcast. He noted how the meat selections are shockingly cheap, which led to a shaming session of Costco's famed rotisserie chicken. Notably, the retailer calls its product "Seasoned Rotisserie Chicken," and "seasoning" is listed on the ingredient label. So, which supermarket has good rotisserie chicken?

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