McDonald’s restaurant in San Diego, California, U.S., Oct. 31, 2025. Mike Blake | Reuters “Value” was the buzzword du jour for restaurant executives that lasted all year — and it will likely stick around in 2026, too. Over the last year and a half, diners, particularly those who make less …
The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images At 12:30 p.m. in midtown Manhattan on mid-week office days, long lines still form outside Chipotle, Cava, and Sweetgreen. Fast-casual bowls remain the defining lunch of the hybrid-work era, something quick to carry, simple to eat at a desk, and …
Shoppers walk through Manhattan on Nov. 7, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images High-income consumers are trading down, Gen Z is spending less, and low-income shoppers are still struggling, according to many consumer companies that shared their latest quarterly results in recent weeks. Those trends may …
Starbucks Protein Drink Courtesy: Starbucks Restaurant chains are joining in on the protein frenzy, hoping to encourage diners to pay more for extra macronutrients during a time when many consumers aren’t spending as much. From “gym bros” to users of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, many Americans are trying to add …
Editor’s note: This is the third story in a three-part CNBC series about the future of U.S. shopping malls, as developers transform the spaces to add new retailers, experiences and even apartments. Read the first and second parts. Malls used to be the destination for the buzziest stores. Now they’re home …
The artificial intelligence revolution is coming, and the restaurant industry does not plan to sit it out. Restaurants have traditionally lagged behind other sectors in their adoption of technology, but rising labor costs have changed the narrative. Major food industry players are making strides to invest in innovation, including AI …
People walk past a Sweetgreen restaurant in Manhattan on September 14, 2023. Jeenah Moon | The Washington Post | Getty Images With higher prices and elevated interest rates stubbornly sticking around, Chipotle burrito bowls and European vacations are still on the table for many consumers. But Big Macs and kitchen …
