Winner winner … you know the rest. Beloved Southern chicken chain Zaxbys has, at long last, landed in Manhattan, thereby expanding its territory in the tender takedown. Known for its famous fingers and signature sauces, Georgia-born Zaxbys opened its Upper East Side location at 1267 First Avenue (between 68th and 69th Streets) last week, and … Read more
The Bay Area’s latest grocery obsession is rolling into Silicon Valley — and night owls with a taste for sushi have a particularly delicious reason to celebrate. Hashi Market, a New York City-founded Japanese supermarket chain, is opening its first brand-new West Coast location in Cupertino on Friday, bringing shelves of imported snacks, premium seafood, … Read more
Souplantation is ready for seconds. The adored all-you-can-eat-soup-and-salad chain, which abruptly vanished from California during the pandemic, is plotting a Golden State comeback — six years after leaving legions of fans mourning its bottomless bowls and mountains of salad. But Souplantation may find somebody sitting in its old seat when it gets back. Sign up … Read more
Winner winner, chicken dinner. El Pollo Loco is setting its wings on a new territory — The Big Apple. The fire-grilled chicken chain recently announced that it will open its first of 15 locations in mid-2027 in Queens. The 15 new spots will quickly come to roost over the next five years. The company said … Read more
Apparently, that’s how the cookie crumbles. Chip City, the viral New York bakery chain that ballooned from a Queens storefront into a multi-state cookie empire, backed by millions from Danny Meyer’s investment firm, appears to have abruptly shuttered stores across New York City and other major markets — just days after its co-founder sued the … Read more
Adios. Popular Mexican restaurant Dos Coyotes has closed its last Bay Area location as the chain’s footprint begins to shrink. Dos Coyotes Border Café announced that Thursday, September 24 was the last day of operation for their location on Crow Canyon Place in San Ramon, California. Sign up for the California Morning Report newsletter The … Read more
The divide between Baby Boomers and Millennials has made its way to the frozen aisle. California-based grocer Trader Joe’s has been ranked the most popular grocery chain among older shoppers, with a popularity score of 69%, according to a new analysis by YouGov. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the store they shop at most. … Read more
The divide between Baby Boomers and Millennials has made its way to the frozen aisle. California-based grocer Trader Joe’s has been ranked the most popular grocery chain among older shoppers, with a popularity score of 69%, according to a new analysis by YouGov. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the store they shop at most. … Read more
The In-N-Out obsession is not limited to regular customers. For decades, the California-born burger chain has had a strange way of showing up in celebrity culture without feeling like a typical paid endorsement. Britney Spears was photographed in a convertible at the drive-thru. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been seen eating there. Helen Mirren famously ate an … Read more
A New Jersey man ate nothing but certain foods from a fast-casual chain for 25 days — an experiment that left him nine pounds lighter and craving a slice of pizza. Tim Donahue, a 27-year-old Hoboken resident who works in advertising in New York City, documented his challenge as a modern-day spin on Morgan Spurlock’s 2004 documentary … Read more
Olive Garden is good for more than just unlimited breadsticks, and a recent survey found the Italian restaurant chain is a top choice among baby boomers. YouGov’s U.S. restaurant brand rankings asked 7,500 adults ages 65 and older which casual dining chain they would consider visiting next. Of those 7,500 adults, 33.8% responded that they would choose … Read more
Bring it on down to Biscuitville. The North Carolina-based chain has claimed the title of America’s best fast-food breakfast for the fourth year in a row. Despite operating in just three states, its breakfast has beaten out all other national chains. It earned the top spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards and … Read more
A Southern California institution is taking its pricey lattes across the pond. Urth Caffé — the celeb-friendly cafe chain that grew from modest origins to a SoCal staple — revealed it will open an outpost in London’s Covent Garden in early 2027. “London is calling…and Urth Caffé has answered,” the company announced on Instagram — calling … Read more
Members-only clubs meet fitness. As wellness experiences replace traditional social gatherings in a growing movement called “daylife,” gyms and fitness studios are leaning into the moment and blending the two. And one wellness mecca is continuing to blur the line between going out and working out with the launch of an exclusive social club that … Read more
Merchandise from a regional grocery store chain with locations across the Midwest and South has become a hot commodity. Nicola Miller, of Suffolk, England, will detour as much as 50 miles to visit a Piggly Wiggly when she’s in America, hoping to add another T-shirt featuring the iconic, cheerful Mr. Pig to her collection, Food & Drink reported. … Read more
Bahama Breeze is about to blow away for good. Earlier this year, parent company — Darden Restaurants — announced all Bahama Breeze locations would close down for good, sailing away after 30 years. The Orlando-based chain revealed 14 of its restaurants would shut down while 28 would be converted into other Darden brand eateries (Olive … Read more
They’re flying the coop. Classic American fried chicken chain KFC has permanently closed a total of 44 restaurants across California from July 2025 to July 2026, according to a new analysis from search visibility platform Local Falcon. The chain closed 312 restaurants nationwide in the same period, representing a 7.6% loss in the chain’s national … Read more
Your wings are going digital. Another Wingstop location supposedly just took cash off its menu as the chain pushes for cashless stores — and customers are outraged over it. The move toward contactless payment started in 2022, when Wingstop rolled out its first “restaurant of the future.” The prototype was in Dallas, Texas and smaller … Read more
Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said Wednesday the fast-casual chain is seeing improvement in customers’ perceptions of affordability. Speaking on Chipotle’s second-quarter earnings call, Boatwright said the company’s brand tracking showed improved perceptions of value across “all income groups and age cohorts.” “As it relates to value, I’m happy to report our brand tracker showed really solid progress across all … Read more
Cracker Barrel is selling restaurant properties and exiting its Maple Street Biscuit Company business as it works to cut debt and improve profits. The Southern country-themed chain said Monday it sold the Maple Street brand and assets tied to 35 locations to Biscuit Belly LLC. Cracker Barrel will close the remaining 16 Maple Street restaurants. … Read more