Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

New York

Managing Editor at Restaurant Hospitality

Managing Editor at Supermarket News

Managing Editor at Nation's Restaurant News

Managing editor @NRNonline, @RH_restaurant, @SN_news, @foodmanagement. Proud @ASU alumna. she/her

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Articles

CosMc’s closures, labor concerns, black-market reservations

1 week ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcastWhat was your favorite CosMc’s moment? McDonald’s on Friday said that it plans to close its stand-alone CosMc’s locations starting in late June as it moves the test of its beverage concept into “hundreds” of its regular restaurants. The move comes just 18 months after McDonald’s opened the first unit of its drive-thru beverage concept to long lines in suburban Illinois. The labor situation in the restaurant industry is improving.
Sam’s Club pizza delivery, DoorDash AI voice, LA minimum wage

2 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Sam’s Club is getting into the pizza delivery business. The Walmart-owned retailer said all its locations will offer pizza delivery by the end of May. The pizzas are $8.98 and can arrive in about three hours with express delivery. Delivery fees, however, cost $12 for those with standard club membership, plus an extra $8 for express delivery. DoorDash is ditching its AI voice business.
AI in Restaurants

2 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister |Joanna Fantozzi |Sam Oches |Alicia Kelso

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Hardee’s franchisees, McDonald’s hours, Burger King marketing

2 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcastHardee’s is in a dispute with one of its largest franchisees. Paradigm Investment Group, which operates 76 locations in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Florida, is suing the fast-food burger chain to prevent the termination of its restaurants. Hardee’s is terminating the restaurants over unpaid technology fees and demands that its restaurants be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Free WiFi, retail partnerships, franchising

2 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Consumers may be getting to-go more often, but they still want their restaurants to have free WiFi. That’s one lesson from a session on what differentiates winning restaurants right now. More consumers say they want free Wifi and good music in their restaurants, even as more visits shift to takeout and delivery, according to Technomic at the National Restaurant Association Show on Monday.
MenuMasters, industry uncertainty, THC beverages

2 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Eight culinary trailblazers were recognized for menu innovation and professional excellence at the 2025 MenuMasters gala awards ceremony Saturday in Chicago. The chain and independent restaurant winners, chosen by Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Business’ sister brand, included Dominique Crenn and Curtis Duffy, two Michelin-starred chef-restaurateurs, and Wendy’s, Chili’s, Iron Hill Brewery, True Food Kitchen and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop for individual menu items.
How to think about menu development in the age of GLP-1 use

2 weeks ago | foodservicedirector.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

As more and more Americans begin utilizing GLP-1 drugs for weight loss — the number could reach 30 million by 2030 — foodservice professionals need to reframe how they approach menu development. At the National Restaurant Association Show on Sunday, Rachel Royster, director of strategic planning and innovation for CCSI, gave a presentation on the subject titled The GLP-1 Effect: Shrinking Portions & Growing Trends.
Twin Peaks CEO, consumers’ favorite brands, Jack in the Box

3 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

The owner of Twin Peaks has a new CEO. Twin Hospitality Group on Thursday announced that Kim Boerema will step into the role, replacing Joe Hummel, who resigned last month. Boerema has spent more than 30 years in full-service restaurants, and most recently was president and COO of fast-growing Parry’s Pizzeria and Taphouse. Consumers’ favorite restaurant brand might come as a surprise.
Burger King testing facility, Popeyes operations, big restaurant sales drops

3 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Burger King wanted to test its new prototype. So the company built one in a new testing facility. The Royal Innovation Center, opened late last year, is 40,000 square feet near the chain’s Miami headquarters and features a full version of its “Sizzle” prototype, which is designed to help the company test operations and new technology. It also features a full test kitchen and tech lab. Elsewhere at Restaurant Brands International, Popeyes is running more restaurants to show franchisees how to do it.
Topgolf pricing, Planta bankruptcy, In-N-Out food dyes

3 weeks ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Topgolf is rethinking its pricing structure. The golf-and-food chain’s same-store sales fell 12% last quarter and parent company Topgolf Callaway Brands lowered its expectations for sales this year. The company blamed it on the economy, which is making its venues seem expensive, executives said this week. It is also losing event business amid corporate belt-tightening. Another restaurant chain has filed for bankruptcy. This time it’s Planta, the 18-unit upscale vegan chain.