Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Domino’s updates to its Pizza Tracker app, McDonald’s modest traffic bump from the Big Arch, and Noodles & Co.’s terrific Q4 performance. First up is Domino’s, which updated its Pizza Tracker app, which allows customers to see the progress of their pizza order. The updates allow customers to get much more granular on the process, including the ability to see when the pizza goes into the oven and when the driver is out for delivery. Sam and Alicia discuss the update and how Domino’s is pushing the envelope on tech innovation even when it’s in a position of strength as the No. 1 pizza chain by far. Next they discuss traffic numbers for McDonald’s, which show only a modest bump following the release of the Big Arch burger. Alicia makes the case that a slight bump in traffic is still great news for the Golden Arches, and she and Sam discuss how the premium burger is really a margin play for McDonald’s. They then tackle Noodles & Company, which has been on a sales roller coaster the past few years and recently was threatened with being de-listed from Nasdaq. The fast casual impressed with 6.6% comp sales growth in Q4, and Sam and Alicia discuss what that could mean for the brand, which also announced that it would explore adding ramen to the menu. Finally, it’s the Quick Fire segment, where Sam and Alicia swiftly tackle additional headlines from the week. This week, that included Wendy’s chicken sandwich upgrades, Chipotle’s popular tattoo promo, DoorDash’s fuel incentives for drivers, and Sweetgreen’s flurry of menu updates. For more on these stories: Domino’s updates its pizza tracker to provide more order detailsMcDonald’s Big Arch provides a modest traffic bumpNoodles & Company considers ramen menu

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Burger King’s new ad campaign, Darden’s impressive sales performance, and Fat Brands’ lifeline in the midst of its bankruptcy proceedings. First up is Burger King, which introduced a new advertisement during the Oscars ceremony that crowned its customers as the new “king." The ad, narrated by president Tom Curtis, acknowledges that Burger King had lost its way over the years and lost sight of what its guests really wanted from the brand. The campaign harkens back to Domino’s 2010 campaign in which it claimed that its pizza “sucked.” Curtis and Restaurant Brands International executive chairman J. Patrick Doyle were each with Domino’s at that time and seem to be ripping a page right from its playbook in an attempt to jump start Burger King’s performance. Sam and Alicia discuss the new campaign and whether they think it could help the chain capture market share from McDonald’s and Wendy’s. Next up is Darden, which reported consolidated same-store sales growth of 4.2% in its most recent quarter. Most impressive was the company’s LongHorn Steakhouse brand, which registered 7.2% same-store sales growth. What seems to be going right for Darden — and does it suggest anything more broadly about the full-service sector? Sam and Alicia discuss. Then they tackle the Fat Brands saga, the latest episode of which includes CEO Andy Wiederhorn stepping aside as the portfolio company navigates through Ch. 11 bankruptcy proceedings. What should the restaurant industry learn from this mess? Finally, Sam and Alicia introduce a new segment, Quick Fire, where they swiftly tackle additional headlines from the week, which this week included Maggiano’s turnaround strategy, CAVA’s first Ohio location, Chipotle’s cilantro lime sauce, and Raising Cane’s 1,000th location. For more on these stories: Burger King crowns its guests as the ‘New King’Darden Restaurants' sales continue to growFAT Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn steps down during remainder of bankruptcy process

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Taco Bell’s big menu announcement, the impact that surging gas prices could have on restaurants’ recovery, and Starbucks’ overhaul of its massively popular loyalty program. First up is Taco Bell, which hosted its annual Live Mas Live event in Hollywood earlier this month, introducing at least 14 new menu items that will debut this year. Alicia attended the event and can finally share details, including the scope of the new menu introductions, which lean especially into snacks, desserts, and beverages. Next they talk about Wendy’s and Pizza Hut both announcing that they would hire customers who can provide feedback on their menus — following in the footsteps of Taco Bell and Burger King, which similarly embraced customer feedback for the sake of improving product offerings. Sam and Alicia discuss the novel strategy, which brings a lot of risk along with potential reward. Could this be the first step for Wendy’s and Pizza Hut in jumpstarting their floundering businesses? Gas prices are up next; Sam and Alicia discuss the fact that war in Iran is driving up the cost of gasoline, and they explore what kind of effect that could have on a restaurant industry that has already been struggling against a difficult economy. What can operators do to protect against customers potentially pulling back on restaurant spend? Finally, Sam and Alicia tackle Starbucks’ controversial new loyalty update, which angered customers when it shifted to a new tiered model. Why might this backfire on the coffee giant?For more on these stories: Taco Bell’s Live Más Live goes HollywoodWendy’s and Pizza Hut look for momentum from consumer inputRising gas prices could disrupt restaurant sales recovery

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including that McDonald’s CEO video, Cracker Barrel’s ongoing sales woes, and new data that shows red flags for full-service restaurants. First up is the Big Arch video controversy, in which McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski was skewered for posting a video of himself eating the brand’s new burger that came across as inauthentic to many. Sam and Alicia discuss the response from consumers and competitors alike, noting how many brands — Burger King specifically — raced to capitalize on the faux pas. Was this a mistake from McDonald’s, or could it be that no news is bad news? Next up is Cracker Barrel, which reported that same store sales in its most recent quarter fell 7.1% as the brand continues to fight its way back from its own controversy last summer, when it reversed a controversial rebrand. Cracker Barrel claims there are reasons to be optimistic; do Sam and Alicia agree? Then they tackle a new report from Black Box Intelligence, which noted that 9% of full-service restaurants are at risk of closing in 2026. Sam and Alicia break down the numbers and why they think restaurateurs could indeed be at risk of failing this year. Finally, we share a conversation between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Darren Spicer, who just sold his Clutch Coffee brand to Dutch Bros.For more on these stories: Big Arch, big buzz: McDonald’s turns viral moment into marketing opportunityCracker Barrel sees slow improvement despite continued traffic slump in Q29% of full-service restaurants are at risk for closure in 2026

On this week’s Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including McDonald’s Big Arch Burger coming to the U.S., Domino’s incredible dominance over its pizza competitors, and Sweetgreen’s disastrous fourth quarter. First up is McDonald’s, which announced that its Big Arch Burger — which has tested internationally since 2024 — would come to the U.S. starting March 3. Sam and Alicia discuss the premium burger, with Alicia explaining how the new item fulfills a barbell strategy for the brand, and Sam wondering how it differs from past McDonald’s failures like the Arch Deluxe and Angus burgers. Next they dive into last week’s earnings, starting with the pizza category. Domino’s reported another strong quarter, reassuring anyone who thought the pizza category as a whole might be faltering. Sam and Alicia talk about Domino’s market share gains in pizza and how it’s doing so well while competitors Pizza Hut and Papa Johns are floundering; in fact, Papa Johns reported this week that sales were down 5% in the latest quarter, and that it would close 300 underperforming locations. What’s going on in pizza? They then move their attention to the full-service side of the industry, where casual dining stalwarts like Applebee’s, BJ’s, Red Robin, and Outback mostly had good news report, while family dining brands like First Watch and IHOP dispelled notions that the category was suffering from customers cutting back on their breakfast and brunch spend. Could there be sustained momentum in full-service dining? Sam and Alicia break it down. Finally, in this week’s “extra serving” portion of the episode, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins to talk about results from leading fast-casual brands, including CAVA and Shake Shack, which enjoyed positive results, and Sweetgreen, which had a disastrous quarter with sales down 11.5%.For more on these stories:McDonald’s is bringing its Big Arch Burger to the U.S.Domino’s defies industry-wide consumer spending slowdown with 3.7% Q4 same-store sales growthSweetgreen moves with ‘urgency’ as same-store sales plummet 11.5%