News on QSR, Restaurant and Food Service Trends from the Americas

As the unemployment rate in the United States continues to rise, hitting 8.9 percent in April, quick-service chains that have so far battled successfully against the recession may find their good fortunes are running out. Analysts last week proffered ...

The Oprah Winfrey-fueled free chicken give-away that caused pandemonium this week at Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants has been canceled due to what the fast-food chain called an "overwhelming response." Roger Eaton, president of KFC in the ...

Deep Fried Foods - such as French Fries - form a key part of the menu in most restaurants. However, as consumers become more health conscious, they may be looking for healthier menu options.

Amid the developing swine flu [now to be called H1N1 Influenza A] outbreak, U.S. restaurant companies with locations in Mexico City are making the best of a government-mandated shutdown of dine-in service.While some operators continue to seek increment...

Burger King Holdings Inc. lowered its full-year profit guidance, citing the weak economy and the possible affect of the swine flu outbreak that started in Mexico, despite a third-quarter profit increase of 14.6 percent. Burger King said Wednesday tha...

It's not a big surprise that McDonald's first-quarter earnings beat Street estimates on Apr. 22. The fast-food chain is expected to thrive in a recessionary economy where diners are looking to cut costs. But surprisingly, the gains aren't necessarily c...

Yum! Brands Inc. reported a 14-percent drop in first-quarter profit on negative effects of a stronger U.S. dollar and slowed domestic sales, especially at Pizza Hut and KFC.Yum, one of the world's largest restaurant companies, said Wednesday that more ...

A consulting firm that advises McDonald's franchisees is recommending steeper increases this year than it has in the past, according to documents from a presentation to restaurant owners in February. Price hikes have been a key driver of sales growth...

It’s all about food lately. Culinary shows like “Top Chef” and “Hell’s Kitchen” are all the rage. Tainted peanuts have us worried about what we eat and how to make it better. Books such as “The Omnivore's Dilemma” and “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics...

According to new data from Atlanta-based RBC Capital Markets, fewer consumers plan to cut back on restaurant spending in the next three months and a larger number of consumers than in previous months actually plan to spend more at restaurants. In RBC...

The Colorado Restaurant Association has launched a statewide public awareness campaign to encourage dining in restaurants. A $170,000 promotion, with the slogan “Fork the Recession … Feed the Recovery,” started this month and runs through May, with TV...

For decades, Burger King has relied on the same conveyor oven technology to provide its signature flame-broiled flavor profile. But that technique, originally designed to cook the brand’s Whoppers, also limited the types of product offerings the chain ...

Texas Sen. Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso and Rep. Carol Alvarado of Houston, both Democrats, are pressing for legislation that would phase in bans of trans fats in restaurant foods — a move they said would help fight obesity and reduce health insurance co...

Fast-food chains have recently deflected criticism of their menu offerings by adding healthy items like salads. But a paper soon to be released in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that the presence of healthy options on a menu can induce some ...

as noticias de que la crisis golpeaba al mundo en el último trimestre de 2008 no disminuyeron los ingresos de las grandes cadenas de comida rápida ni el apetito de sus clientes. Por el contrario, la gente siguió comiendo como antes e incluso más. Así l...

McDonald's Corp, el mayor comprador de la papa en los Estados Unidos, ha acordado adoptar los primeros pasos para reducir el uso de plaguicidas en las explotaciones de sus proveedores nacionales, dijo el martes un grupo de accionistas . Tras el acuer...

McDonald's Corp, the largest purchaser of potatoes in the United States, has agreed to take preliminary steps to reduce pesticide use in its domestic potato supply, shareholder groups said on Tuesday. Following the agreement, the Bard College Endowme...

Doyle Niemann, a delegate in the Maryland General Assembly, agreed Thursday to withdraw his menu-labeling bill after it failed to draw much support from lawmakers. The Restaurant Association of Maryland, which actively opposed the measure, praised Niem...