Biglari-El Pollo Loco, Dave & Buster’s ‘mistakes’, Smalls Sliders CEO

Big restaurant chains struggled last year. Another Burger King franchisee files for bankruptcy. And uncertainty is the word of the moment.

There’s a new Restaurant Leader of the Year. A big Burger King franchisee declared bankruptcy. And Scooter’s Coffee has a new rewards program.

Burger King has a new CMO. Starbucks is modifying its dress code. And consumer confidence fell off a cliff last month.

A new survey sheds light on the favorite restaurant brands of teens. Portillo’s is offering up more details on its upcoming breakfast test. Hint: There will be doughnuts. And this year’s Pacesetter Award goes to fast-growing Dave’s Hot Chicken.

Data firm Technomic offers a gloomy picture of restaurant sales projections for the year. Giant franchise group Sizzling Platter appears to have a buyer. And March inflation slowed more than expected.

Most, but not all, of President Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs have been paused. Subway has a new chief marketing officer. And McDonald’s has made an upgrade to its lemonade.

Steak n Shake’s owner has his eyes on a chicken chain. Dave & Buster’s is airing some recent mistakes. And Smalls Sliders has a new CEO.

IHOP is shifting its focus to simplicity. First-party ordering is gaining momentum. And a caffeine safety law has been introduced to Congress.

It is a rough time for restaurant stocks. Hooters is planning some big changes. And restaurant hiring is on the upswing.

Papa Johns announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud’s AI platform. Casual dining has a new king. And President Trump announced sweeping new tariffs this week.