QSR traffic, Starbucks union, spinoff concepts

Hooters has filed for bankruptcy. Jack in the Box has a new CEO. And Chuck E. Cheese’s parent company is having problems on the bond market.

Two longtime restaurant CEOs are leaving their posts. Dutch Bros sees an expanded runway for growth. And Jersey Mike’s has a deal with the NFL.

Ray Blanchette has plans for TGI Fridays. Tesla has found a chef for its LA diner. And will Hooters be saved from bankruptcy?

Another casual-dining chain has filed for bankruptcy. Quiznos and Taco del Mar have a new CEO. And California Pizza Kitchen unveiled a fake rebrand this week.

Brio and Bravo have a new CEO. And so does Panera Brands. And the fast-casual concept Nature’s Table has a new owner.

McDonald’s McValue platform may be yielding mixed results. The brand has also joined a new sustainability project. And Panera Bread is closing two more of its fresh dough facilities.

Restaurants have more time to comply with food traceability rules. The Canadian Odd Burger concept has put U.S. expansion on hold. And Elon Musk’s planned restaurant in LA is already controversial.

Chick-fil-A has expanded its microgrid test to a third restaurant in California. It’s also updating a historic restaurant in Sherman Oaks. And The Cheesecake Factory’s famously large menu has gotten bigger.

Olive Garden had a rough winter. GoTo Foods says the future is in cobranding. And &pizza is doing something it has never done before.

McDonald’s Canada is giving meatless burgers another try. Pizza Hut is launching Yum Brands’ first-ever AI chatbot. And Maggiano’s is taking a page from sister brand Chili’s playbook.