Restaurants Face Five Regulatory Shifts At Once
Wage hikes, the penny's end, new NLRB rules, California sugar labels, and franchise law changes are converging on operators this year.
Read moreWage hikes, the penny's end, new NLRB rules, California sugar labels, and franchise law changes are converging on operators this year.
Read moreTrue Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 12 locations and shrinking to 34 restaurants across 14 states amid $42.1 million in debt.
Oct 5, 2026
Snooze Eatery names industry veteran Amy Hom as COO, starting Sept. 28, to strengthen hospitality and operations ahead of its next growth phase.
Oct 5, 2026
What makes Pepper Lunch more than just a sizzling restaurant experience? š„š„© In this episode of CHOMP, we go behind the scenes at Pepper Lunch in Irvine, California with Troy Hooper, former CEO of Hot Palette America and now Strategic Advisor to the Board, to explore the business, technology, and operations behind the growing restaurant brand. From its signature Beef Pepper Rice and sizzling hot plates to automated rice systems, streamlined kitchen stations, kiosk ordering, and a unique hospitality model, Pepper Lunch has built its fast casual experience around simplicity, speed, and consistency. Troy also shares what it takes to scale the brand across North America, including franchise operations, real estate challenges, labor efficiency, kitchen design, technology, and adapting the original Asian restaurant experience for the U.S. market. And of course, we put the famous sizzling experience to the test with Beef Pepper Rice, Creamy Shrimp Pasta, and Korean K-Pep Chicken Karaage. š„ If you're a restaurant owner, operator, entrepreneur, or simply curious about what happens behind the scenes of a growing restaurant brand, this episode is packed with ideas worth watching. Featuring: @PepperLunchUSA š Like the video if you enjoyed the episode š¬ What part of the Pepper Lunch experience would you try first? š Subscribe for more restaurant tours, founder stories, and operator insights from CHOMP. Explore more restaurant industry insights and resources at https://restaurantassociation.com/ #pepperlunch #chomp #restaurantbusiness #fastcasual #restaurantindustry #restaurantassociation
Opening a second restaurant location requires readiness, clear goals, financial planning, funding, smart strategy, standardized operations, strong teams, and careful launch monitoring for sustainable growth.
Sep 30, 2026
Evaluate restaurant industry performance in Q3 2026 through key trends affecting restaurant sales, traffic, consumer spending, labor, costs, and technology.
Oct 2, 2026
Understand tip pooling rules, employee eligibility, distribution methods, compliance requirements, recordkeeping practices, and policies restaurant owners need for proper tip management.
Oct 2, 2026
Whit's Frozen Custard hires industry veteran Amos Durbin as COO to guide franchise expansion, drawing on two decades of restaurant leadership experience.
Oct 2, 2026
@PepperLunchUSA @pepperlunch799 @pepperlunch913 How does Pepper Lunch get a sizzling plate ready in about 90 seconds? š„ In this CHOMP teaser, we go behind the scenes at Pepper Lunch in Irvine, California, with Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palate America, to see how speed, technology, streamlined kitchen systems, and a lean operating model come together behind the sizzling restaurant experience. From the signature Beef Pepper Rice and automated rice systems to streamlined kitchen stations and efficient operations, this sneak peek gives you a taste of what makes Pepper Lunch's fast-casual model different. And that's just the beginning. The full episode takes a deeper look at how Pepper Lunch is building and scaling its restaurant concept across North America, including operations, technology, franchise growth, labor efficiency, kitchen design, and the challenges of adapting the experience for the U.S. market. š„ 90 seconds. Sizzling plates. Smarter systems. A restaurant model built for speed and consistency. Watch the full CHOMP episode coming soon. š Like the video if you enjoyed the teaser. š¬ Would you try the Beef Pepper Rice, Creamy Shrimp Pasta, or Korean K-Pep Chicken Karaage? š Subscribe to CHOMP for restaurant tours, founder stories, and real operator insights. Explore more restaurant stories, resources, and industry insights at restaurantassociation.com. About Restaurant Association Restaurant Association is an independent global organization representing restaurant owners and focused on improving business outcomes. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any other national, state, provincial, or local restaurant association. Join free today to access weekly restaurant hacks, tips, tutorials, strategies, and industry secrets, plus exclusive shows, eLearning courses, webinars, and operations templates designed to help improve your restaurant's performance. Restaurant Association Resources Website: https://restaurantassociation.com/ Free Membership: https://restaurantassociation.com/v2/unified/signup/ Shows: https://restaurantassociation.com/shows Resources: https://restaurantassociation.com/resources #chomp #pepperlunch #restaurantassociation #restaurantbusiness #fastcasual #restaurantindustry
FAT Brands' $1B acquisition empire fell into bankruptcy and sold for $965M, re-emerging as OHG Brands with 1,700 restaurants.
Oct 1, 2026
CAVA names John Ludeke, former Dr. Squatch Chief Brand Officer, as its new CMO to drive national growth and guest loyalty.
Oct 1, 2026
La Madeleine's CEO John Dillon steps down mid-turnaround, leaving a menu overhaul, new coffee program, and franchise growth plans in limbo.
Oct 1, 2026
Hot Head Burritos promotes longtime operator Peter Wiley to corporate VP, chief marketing and chief technology officer, blending brand strategy with tech oversight.
Oct 1, 2026
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