RRI Staff insights
McDonald’s is giving AI drive-thru ordering another turn at bat. After ending its IBM-powered pilot in 2024 following viral ordering errors, the company has reintroduced voice ordering through…
Read article →
The second location is where restaurant ambition meets operational reality. The first unit may be thriving. Guests love the concept, sales are strong, and the owner can solve…
Read article →
Restaurant operators are measuring food cost, labor percentage, ticket times, and same-store sales. But one of the most valuable line items on the P&L often hides in plain…
Read article →
Saturday is a good day to look at the restaurant business without pretending every problem can be solved by a new menu item, another delivery app, or a…
Read article →
Restaurant growth in 2026 is less about adding locations or menu items and more about building a smarter operating system. The best restaurant growth strategies combine three priorities:…
Read article →
The restaurant industry is projected to generate $1.55 trillion in sales in 2026. That sounds enormous: until you notice the other numbers: just 1.3% real growth after inflation,…
Read article →
Restaurant leadership in 2026 is no longer defined by who can run the busiest dining room, negotiate the toughest vendor deal, or survive the longest Saturday night. Those…
Read article →
Expansion used to follow a simple formula: open a successful unit, copy the playbook, and add more locations. That formula is looking increasingly incomplete. The U.S. restaurant industry…
Read article →
Restaurant technology has officially moved from “nice to have” to “how are you still doing that manually?” The U.S. restaurant and foodservice industry is forecast to reach $1.55…
Read article →
Restaurant technology is having its “add to cart” moment. There is a new platform for forecasting, scheduling, loyalty, inventory, delivery, reviews, accounting, labor compliance: and probably one that…
Read article →