Nation's Restaurant News

Nation's Restaurant News (NRN) is a U.S. trade magazine established in 1967 that focuses on the foodservice sector, which includes restaurants, restaurant chains, operations, marketing strategies, and industry events. It is owned by Penton Media, which acquired it from the original publisher, Lebhar-Friedman, in December 2010. NRN is part of the Penton Restaurant Group, alongside its sister publications, Restaurant Hospitality and Food Management.

National, Trade/B2B

English

Magazine

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#128344

United States

#28396

Food and Drink/Restaurants and Delivery

#453

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

Brinker promotes Aaron White to COO, chief people officer positions

4 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

Executive will lead Chili’s and Maggiano’s Little Italy brands after 29 years with companyBrinker International Inc. has promoted Aaron White to chief operating officer and chief people officer for the Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy, the company said Monday. The Dallas-based casual-dining company said White had worked with Chili’s for 29 years.
Shake Shack to open support center in Atlanta

4 days ago | nrn.com | Bret Thorn

Shake Shack plans to open a third support center later this year at The Battery Atlanta and will build a flagship location nearby that will be the first company-owned restaurant with a full bar. The New York City-based fast-casual chain already has one such center in its home city and an international one in Hong Kong. The new center will be located across Battery Avenue from Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, and next to the Coca-Cola Roxy concert venue.
GLP-1s are reshaping American appetites

4 days ago | nrn.com | Bret Thorn

We now have a weapon against obesity that actually works. Glucagon-like peptide-1 medications, better known as GLP-1s, have succeeded where dieting usually fails. They’ve changed the way millions of Americans eat by changing their relationship with food, essentially forcing them to eat more healthfully, and as a result, helping them to lose weight and keep it off.
Wendy’s debuts Frosty Fusions with Oreos and Pop-Tarts

4 days ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

The Wendy’s Co. introduced its Frosty Fusions, which include sauces and mix-ins, on Monday. The Dublin, Ohio-based burger brand, which launched Frosty Swirls on April 15, said the new option was being offered at restaurants nationwide and on the brand’s mobile smartphone app. The three Frosty Fusions include:Pop-Tarts Strawberry.
Restaurant industry downgrade, Texas Roadhouse bounces back, RBI earnings

4 days ago | nrn.com | Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Conditions in the restaurant industry are deteriorating. That’s according to Fitch Ratings, which lowered its outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry to “deteriorating” from neutral, the latest in a series of indications that 2025 is proving to be tougher than many expected. Fitch cited weakening consumer sentiment, which is expected to reduce discretionary spending as inflation saps diners’ disposable incomes. Texas Roadhouse bounced back after a slow start to the year.
First Watch battles rising commodity costs as traffic rebounds

1 week ago | nrn.com | Ron Ruggless

First Watch Restaurant Group Inc. has seen traffic fluctuate this year, but it is working on marketing and to keep commodity costs in line, executives said this week. Chris Tomasso, First Watch president and CEO, said on the daytime café’s earnings call for the first quarter ended March 30, that the brand had positive traffic in January but it declined in February and returned to positive in March. The Bradenton, Fla.-based company said same store traffic was down 0.7% overall in the first quarter.
FAT Brands to shift to almost 100% franchising

1 week ago | nrn.com | Joanna Fantozzi

FAT Brands' same-store sales fell 3.4% and revenue dropped 6.5% during the first quarter of 2025, ended March 30, following the spinoff of Twin Peaks Restaurants. This is the sixth quarter in a row of negative same-store sales for the Fazoli’s and Johnny Rockets parent company.
Sweetgreen posts first sales drop since 2021 IPO

1 week ago | nrn.com | Joanna Fantozzi

Los Angeles-based fast-casual company Sweetgreen reported negative same-store sales declines for the first time since its November 2021 IPO launch, joining many other operators struggling during these times of economic uncertainty. Sweetgreen reported a 3.1% same-store sales decline for the first quarter ended March 30, with its stock plummeting nearly 30% over the last several days.
New items from Cracker Barrel, Hardee’s, and Little Caesars

1 week ago | nrn.com | Bret Thorn

Plus innovation at CC’s Coffee House, Farmer Boys, Fazoli's, Gong Cha, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Jim ‘N Nick’s, Jinya Ramen Bar, Juice it Up!, Lime Fresh, Mountain Mike's Pizza, Pizza Guys, PJ’s Coffee, Potbelly, Randy’s Donuts, Red Robin, Rock N’ Roll Sushi, Salad and Go, Salad House, Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Sweetgreen, Velvet Taco, Vitality Bowls, Wetzels Pretzels, and Yogurtland May is mango season in much of the tropics, which is where mangos grow, and several restaurant chains are...
The pizza industry continues to struggle post-pandemic

1 week ago | nrn.com | Joanna Fantozzi

Is the golden age of the pizza chain over? While the nation’s largest pizza brands had a shining moment during the pandemic as a category uniquely well-equipped to handle the abrupt shift to off-premises dining, pizza has largely lost its momentum over the last few years. In 2024, the pizza segment struggled significantly, with Technomic’s Top 500 Restaurants data showing 61% of pizza chains experienced declining sales.