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☆ For the 1st time in 7 years, Subway opened more stores than it closed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2023, for the first time since 2016, Subway opened more stores than it closed. Subway has closed thousands of stores, resulting in years of decline in net restaurant count. AdvertisementFor the first time since 2016, after years of store closures, Subway finally opened more sites than it shuttered. AdvertisementBut Subway has also been closing thousands of stores, resulting in years of net restaurant-count decline. Restaurant Business previously reported that Subway had closed more than 6,500 restaurants between 2015 and 2022.

Persons: —, Gerardo Mora, It's, Roark Capital, Jimmy John's, Dunkin, Roark, Anne's Organizations: Subway, Service, Business, . Subway, Getty, Subway Subway, North, American, Roark Locations: Mainland China, North America

☆ Starbucks is trialing late-night coffee deliveries for people who get midnight caffeine cravings
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Starbucks customers in Philadelphia can get the chain's coffee delivered in the middle of the night. Delivery makes up just 2% of Starbucks' orders, though customers generally spend more per transaction. Around three dozen employees were trained to prepare Starbucks orders at the two sites, it reported. Some of the Starbucks drinks available on Gopuff at around 4:30 a.m. Delivery, which Narasimhan said on Tuesday makes up just 2% of its orders, is an area of focus for Starbucks.

Persons: baristas, Gopuff, —, Laxman Narasimhan, Narasimhan, Rachel Ruggeri, DoorDash Organizations: Starbucks, Service, Gopuff, Philadelphia Inquirer, DoorDash Locations: Philadelphia, Gopuff

☆ I'm a millennial who's obsessed with Stanley cups. They remind me of collecting 'Harry Potter' books, and I even bought some on my wedding day.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to article is based on a conversation with Kaitlin Gostel, a 29-year-old academic in Florida who collects Stanley cups. However, the feeling reminds me of getting Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, or, most importantly, "Harry Potter" books. When waiting for both "Harry Potter" books and Stanley cups, we all get these nervous butterflies. So at 6 p.m., after saying my vow, I ran into the bathroom and purchased four different Stanley cups on my phone. However, they are built to last, and watching the video of a Stanley cup surviving a car fire, I'm like, "Geez, these things are insurance.

Persons: —, Kaitlin Gostel, Stanley, I'm, Harry Potter, Barnes, Noble, I've, he'll, you've, it's, Stanley Quenchers, Brian van der Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Business, Target, Stanley, eBay Locations: Florida, Korea, Starbucks Korea, Italy

☆ Denny's closes its Oakland restaurant over safety concerns, days after In-N-Out announced plans to do the same
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Denny's has closed its only diner in Oakland, California over safety concerns. This comes hot on the heels of In-N-Out Burger's announcement that it's closing its Oakland restaurant. AdvertisementDenny's has closed its only restaurant in Oakland, California because of concerns about customer and staff safety. The restaurant had been open for 54 years and was located close to Oakland International Airport and Oakland Arena. AdvertisementThe announcement came just over a week after cult West Coast burger chain In-N-Out Burger said that it will close its Oakland restaurant in March.

Persons: Denny's, —, Burger, Denny Warnick Organizations: Service, Oakland International Airport, Oakland Locations: Oakland , California, Oakland

☆ Adidas says it plans to sell its remaining Yeezy sneakers – and it doesn't want to make a loss
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Adidas says it plans to sell its remaining stocks of Yeezy sneakers worth nearly $300 million. "The company plans to sell the remaining Yeezy product at least at cost in 2024," Adidas said in a press release Wednesday. The German sportswear retailer had previously planned to write off roughly 300 million euros ($324 million) of Yeezy inventory. It now plans to sell around 268 million euros ($289 million) of its remaining stock. AdvertisementAdidas said that it had sold Yeezy stock worth 1.2 billion euros in 2022 and 750 million euros in 2023, the latter of which generated a preliminary operating profit of around 300 million euros.

Persons: Ye, —, Bjørn, George Floyd, Gulden Organizations: Adidas, Service, Kanye, Twitter, Defamation League, Keeta Floyd Institute for Social, Business, Argentine

☆ Starbucks customers are placing bigger orders than they ever have before
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Starbucks customers at US stores are spending more per order than ever before, execs said Tuesday. Ruggeri attributed the record ticket sizes to the specific products customers picked, rising menu prices, and the number of customizations they added to their beverages. Starbucks' cold foam, which generally costs $1.25, is its most popular add-on, company executives said last summer. A record number of Starbucks orders — around 30% — are now placed via its app, and its US delivery business has grown nearly 80% year-over-year, Narasimhan said on Tuesday. Store efficiency also increased, Ruggeri said, with a record number of items made per labor hour.

Persons: execs, —, Rachel Ruggeri, Ruggeri, didn't, Laxman Narasimhan, Food, Narasimhan, there'd, bakes Organizations: Service, Business, Starbucks Locations: China, Gaza

☆ A grocery store chain is limiting how many items you can buy at its self-checkouts as concerns over theft mount
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewMidwest grocery store chain Schnucks is putting a cap on how many items customers can buy at its self-checkout. From Thursday, self-checkout lanes in all Schnucks stores will be limited to customers buying 10 items or fewer, the retailer confirmed to Business Insider. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "While the primary intention is to improve customer service and checkout efficiency, we do expect there to be some benefits to stopping theft," Schnucks said in a statement. "Because self-checkouts are more susceptible to theft, this item limit will help us maintain our costs while keeping the prices lower for our customers."

Persons: —, Schnucks, it's, Todd Vasos Organizations: Service, Business, Retailers, Walmart Locations: Missouri , Illinois , Indiana, Wisconsin

☆ Starbucks is doubling down on its olive oil-infused coffee despite a barrage of bad reviews and online hate
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Starbucks is massively expanding its rollout of Oleato, its olive oil-infused coffee range. AdvertisementStarbucks is rolling out Oleato, its olive oil-infused coffee range, to all stores in the US despite mixed reviews. They're also available at some Starbucks stores in Canada, London, Paris, Osaka, and Tokyo, as well as a more extensive range at US Starbucks Reserve stores. Starbucks founder Howard Schultz introduced the range after mixing olive oil with his Starbucks coffee in Sicily, where the oil is a key component of the Mediterranean diet. A nutritionist told CNN that combining a high-fat substance, like olive oil, with coffee can have a laxative effect.

Persons: —, They're, Howard Schultz, Schultz, TikToker, Phoebe Hunt, barista, they're Organizations: Starbucks, Service, Starbucks Reserve, Wall Street, CNN, Business Locations: Italy, Canada, London, Paris, Osaka, Tokyo, Sicily

☆ The owner of a restaurant in New York state told a transgender cook he 'wasn't a real man' and asked about his genitalia, a federal agency claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Staff at a New York pizzeria, including its owners, repeatedly harassed a transgender cook, the EEOC claimed. The same co-owner also told Gambino that he "wasn't a real man" and said that he didn't approve of Gambino being transgender, the EEOC's press release said it. AdvertisementThe lawsuit accused TC Wheelers of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression. Under the settlement, TC Wheelers will pay Gambino about $3,500 in back pay and $21,500 in compensatory damages. AdvertisementBusiness Insider has contacted TC Wheelers for comment.

Persons: —, misgendered, Quinn Gambino, Gambino, misgendered Gambino Organizations: Service, Commission, TC, Management, Court, Western, of, Civil Locations: New York, Tonawanda, Buffalo, of New York

☆ A Burger King employee who's worked there for 50 years says she loves her job so much she even comes to work when she's sick or in pain
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Burger King employee says she enjoys her job so much she even comes in when she's sick or in pain. Wanda Byrd has worked at the Burger King in Medicine Park, Oklahoma for 50 years. AdvertisementA Burger King employee who's worked there for more than 50 years says she still comes to work when she's sick or in pain because she enjoys her job so much. Byrd told KSWO that in 2005, the burger chain gave her a Jeep to reward her for her speedy service. One Burger King worker who's been at the chain for nearly 30 years said the healthcare insurance he gets covered his four daughters through high school and college.

Persons: Wanda Byrd, —, who's, she'd, Byrd, KSWO, who've, Burger Organizations: Burger King, Service, King, Medicine, Business, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Medicine Park , Oklahoma, Oklahoma

☆ How Stanley went from making sturdy bottles for laborers to becoming an 'it' status symbol, and causing chaos at Target stores across the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"Every time we linked it, it would sell out so quickly," LeSueur told The New York Times. The Buy Guide had to pay for warehouse space and shipping and handling fees, but was allowed to keep the profits, The Times reported. "It was a big risk," LeSueur told CNBC. AdvertisementThe Buy Guide placed another wholesale order for 5,000 – and they sold out in an hour, Retail Dive reported. Reilly told CNBC that Stanley was making more products available with each drop but still wanted "a little bit of scarcity" to create a buzz.

Persons: —, Stanley, They've, Alphas, William Stanley Jr, Grace Dean, restocking, Ashlee LeSueur, Taylor Cannon, Linley Hutchinson —, LeSueur, Emily Maynard, Maynard, Terence Reilly, Reilly, he'd, Crocs, Frederic J . Brown, TikTokers, Bon Appétit, Stanley's Quenchers, Lainey Wilson, aren't, Gen Zers, Alpha, Casey Lewis, Lewis, –, Zers, they'll, Grace Mary Williams, it's, Kaitlin Gostel, Barnes, Noble, Harry Potter, Gostel, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Instagram, New York Times, CNBC, Times, The Times, Wall Street, Getty, Target, Starbucks Locations: Brooklyn, workdays, Crocs, AFP, Pendleton

☆ Billionaire Joe Lewis says he's 'embarrassed' by knowingly committing securities fraud after pleading guilty to the crime
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewBillionaire Joe Lewis, who owns the Tottenham Hotspur English soccer team, pleaded guilty Wednesday to securities fraud in federal court in Manhattan. Mr. Lewis did not engage in improper trading in his own accounts,"Mark Herr, a spokesman for Lewis, later told BI. "His conduct should be viewed in the context of Mr. Lewis' long life of accomplishment and integrity," he added. Lewis faces up to 25 years in federal prison for each count of securities fraud. "Mr. Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court."

Persons: —, Joe Lewis, Lewis, Mark Herr, David M, Zornow, Mr, Grace Dean Organizations: Service, Tottenham Hotspur English, Business, Prosecutors, Bloomberg, Tavistock Group Locations: Manhattan, Bahamas

☆ Applebee's says its 'date night' passes that give diners $1,500 of food and drink for $200 sold out within a minute
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewApplebee's said its $200 yearlong Date Night Pass sold out within a minute on Monday. The pass, which was valid for both takeout and dine-in at almost every Applebee's restaurant, was only available online, and sold out rapidly. "Within the span of probably 30 seconds the Applebees date night pass was in my cart available and then sold out," one user posted on X.AdvertisementAn Applebee's spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch that the passes sold out in just one minute. Social-media users complained that they didn't manage to get the pass, saying that Applebee's sold it as a publicity stunt. AdvertisementIf you use the pass all 52 times, it works out at just under $4 a meal for two people.

Persons: —, Applebee's Organizations: Service, Business, CBS, USA

☆ Bernard Arnault, the world's 3rd-richest person, is set to appoint 2 more of his children to the LVMH board
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewBernard Arnault, the world's third-richest person, is set to appoint two more of his children to LVMH's board, France's La Lettre first reported. The French billionaire plans to propose his sons Alexandre Arnault, 31, and Frédéric Arnault, 29, as board members, the reports say, quoting unnamed sources. Four of Arnault's five children will sit on the LVMH board if their appointments are confirmed. Arnault cofounded LVMH in the 1980s and is its CEO and chairman. In May 2023, he became the third person to be worth more than $200 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Persons: —, Bernard Arnault, France's, Alexandre Arnault, Frédéric Arnault, Delphine, Bernard's, Antoine, It's, Arnault hasn't, LVMH, Alexandre, Vianney Le Caer, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Marc Jacobs, LVMH didn't, Donald Trump, he'd, Frédéric, Delphie, Dior Couture, Jean, Louis Vuitton's, Arnault, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, The Financial Times, Business, Novo Nordisk, Tiffany, New York Times, Mar, TAG, Christian Dior, Elon Locations: French, Danish, Swiss, LVMH

☆ A restaurant owner claims a job candidate stole money from the tip jar while they were waiting to be interviewed
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA restaurant owner in Virginia said that some diners and passers-by have been helping themselves to staff's takings, including one job candidate who she claimed stuck their hand in the tip jar on the way into their interview. Turbeville said that she didn't report the job candidate she claimed stole money to the police. Related storiesAfter interviewing the candidate, the restaurant's manager noticed that the $5 bill that had been in the tip jar had disappeared, Turbeville told BI. For tipped staff, tips can make up up to $9.87 of this, but employers have to pay these workers at least $2.13 an hour. But since the restaurant posted a video of the tip jar being stolen on Instagram, "everyone's been really supportive of us, she said.

Persons: —, Kendall Turbeville, Turbeville, it's, she'd, hasn't, It's, everyone's Organizations: Service, Business, Virginia Beach Police Department, BI, Local NBC Locations: Virginia, Virginia Beach, City

☆ H&M has pulled a school uniform ad over criticism that it sexualized young girls
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

H&M has scrapped a school uniform advert in Australia after complaints that it sexualized children. The advert of two young girls was accompanied by text saying they could "make those heads turn." NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementSwedish fast-fashion retailer H&M has pulled a school uniform advert in Australia after being widely accused of sexualizing children. People criticized the way H&M portrayed young girls in school uniform, calling the ad "creepy" and "disturbing."

Persons: —, Melinda Tankard Reist Organizations: Service Locations: Australia, Swedish

☆ A 16-year-old claims her parents have spent $3,000 buying her 67 different Stanley cups, as the giant mugs become the ultimate playground status symbol
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA 16-year-old TikToker claims that her parents have spent around $3,000 buying her every Stanley cup on the market. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The Quenchers were the most-featured item in Gen Z Christmas-haul videos on TikTok, a youth consumer-trends analyst previously told Business Insider . A shopper passes empty shelves once stocked with Stanley tumblers at a Target store in Canoga Park, California on January 9, 2024. Do you collect Stanley cups?

Persons: —, Stanley, Amelia Awad, Stanley Quencher, I'm, Stanley tumblers, Brian van der, Awad Organizations: Service, Business, Wall Street Journal, Starbucks, Hydro, Los Angeles Times, Getty Locations: Birmingham , Alabama, Canoga Park , California

☆ A British expat moved to Iceland and struggled to adjust to the seasonal darkness and lack of choice for groceries
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sonia Nicolson moved to Iceland "for love" in February 2016 after meeting her husband in a bar in Scotland while working at a university in southern England. Deciding whether to live as a couple was a case of "either him coming to the UK or me coming to Iceland," Nicolson said. "I was absolutely exhausted in my career, had worked, worked, worked, worked, worked, traveled a huge amount, and jet lag had never really caught up with me," Nicolson said. She first visited Iceland on a work trip and later spent a month exploring the island in 2015. Though you have to pay for healthcare in Iceland, it's affordable and easy to get same-day doctors' appointments, Nicolson said.

Persons: —, Sonia Nicolson, Nicolson, you've, Grace Dean, They're, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Airbnb, Iceland, OECD, Tourism, Lights, Hallmark Locations: Iceland, Scotland, England, Edinburgh, India, Japan, Reykjavik, COVID, playgroups

☆ A woman claims Panera Bread's highly-caffeinated 'charged' lemonade gave her 'permanent' cardiac injuries, in a 3rd customer lawsuit about the beverage
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A woman says she has "permanent cardiac injuries" after drinking Panera's caffeinated lemonade, NBC reported. She said in a lawsuit that she drank two-and-a-half cups and now experiences brain fog, palpitations, and body shakes. It's the third lawsuit against Panera over its Charged Lemonade since October. AdvertisementA new lawsuit against Panera Bread claims that a woman has "permanent cardiac injuries" after drinking its caffeinated Charged Lemonade, NBC and other outlets reported. The drinks contain large quantities of sugar, though Panera also sells a Blood Orange Charged Splash, which is sugar-free but caffeinated.

Persons: Panera, —, Lauren Skerritt, palpitations, Skerritt, Elizabeth Crawford, Specter, Sarah Katz, Dennis Brown, Crawford, Katz Organizations: NBC, Service, Panera, Kline, US Food and Drug Administration, Red Bulls, Business Locations: Rhode Island, Skerritt, Florida, Panera

☆ Read the email Wayfair's CEO sent to staff announcing that it's laying off 13% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Wayfair said on Friday that it was cutting 13% of its global workforce, or around 1,650 workers. This came only weeks after CEO Niraj Shah sent a companywide email saying Wayfair was "back to winning" but also warning that staff should be careful with its money. AdvertisementNorth American staff would receive an email shortly letting them know whether their roles had been affected, while laid-off staff in Europe had already begun discussions with HR about the next steps, Shah said. Read the full email Shah sent to Wayfair staff below. First, I want to be clear that there are many things at the company that are going well.

Persons: Wayfair, Niraj Shah, Shah, we've, you'll, Covid, – Organizations: Talent, Covid Locations: Europe, North America, Wayfair

☆ Wayfair is slashing 1,650 jobs just weeks after the CEO said it was profitable again
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewWayfair said Friday it's cutting 1,650 jobs, with many corporate staff in the firing line. "I truly regret the impact this will have on you," Shah told staff in an email on Friday announcing the layoffs. Wayfair appears to have had about 12,700 staff before the most recent round of layoffs. Were you laid off by Wayfair or are you concerned about the cuts?

Persons: —, Wayfair, Niraj Shah, Shah, they've Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Expect to see retailers selling more 'green' meatballs instead of fake meat, the founders of one of the world's biggest vegan recipe channels say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

expect retailers to start stocking more "green" meatballs and bean burgers in place of fake-meat products amid rising concerns about ultra-processed foods. Plant-based meats are generally regarded as healthier than meat products because they're typically lower in fat and higher in fiber. "We're not sure that the demand is going to be there for those products," Firth said. Firth added that he expected plant-based meat manufacturers to increasingly focus on having cleaner labels by reducing the number of ingredients. "So I think moving forward we'd like to see more plant-based options that don't even have to shout about being plant-based or vegan.

Persons: —, Henry Firth, Ian Theasby, Firth, they're, We're, it's, Theasby, doesn't, They're Organizations: Service, Business, Bosh, Costa Coffee

☆ A TikToker only ate Costco $1.50 hot dog meals for a week. He says you get 'bang for your buck,' but he wouldn't recommend anyone else try it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

So, to save money, he decided to set himself a much cheaper challenge: Living off Costco's $1.50 hot dog deal for a week. Over the course of one week in January, Kinsley ate 29 hot dog combos, which came to a total of $43.50. The low price of Costco's hot dog deal is 'such an anomaly'"Everything is so expensive now," Kinsley said. Costco's hot dog deal is "such an anomaly," he said, noting that he would "definitely" have paid $5 or more to get a hot dog of that size and quality. AdvertisementThe $1.50 hot dog combo is widely viewed as a loss leader.

Persons: —, Ben Kinsley, Kinsley, Sir, hadn't, Jim Senegal, Craig Jelinek Organizations: Service, Business, Pepsi, Sir Yacht, Costco Locations: Seattle, America

☆ A 90-year-old McDonald's employee who works 5 days a week says it keeps her feeling young
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A 90-year-old McDonald's employee in Kentucky says her job at the fast-food giant helps her stay active. She's worked there for 35 years and currently works five days a week, Spectrum News 1 reported. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA 90-year-old McDonald's employee who works five days a week says her job makes sure she stays active and keeps her feeling young. Some older people who work at McDonald's say that it keeps them busy and means they can spend time with people.

Persons: She's, —, Maxine Anderson, Anderson, Neva Thompson Organizations: Service, Spectrum, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Kentucky, Valley, Louisville , Kentucky

☆ Walmart settles a lawsuit that claims it passed a female worker for promotion because she had young children at home
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Walmart is set to pay a former worker $60,000 to settle claims it didn't promote her because she had young children. The company didn't hire her for a manager role because she had children at home, the EEOC said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementWalmart is set to pay a former female worker $60,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming it turned down her request for promotion because she had young children at home. The EEOC filed the lawsuit after it failed to reach a conciliation agreement with the Arkansas-based retailer.

Persons: —, wasn't Organizations: Walmart, Service, Employment, Commission, Business Locations: Ottumwa , Iowa, Arkansas

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