As Red Lobster files for bankruptcy, changing tastes take a toll on its casual-dining competitors

May 20, 2024
The sector hasn't really recovered from the pandemic closures of their dining rooms, when "they lost their core business model."
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Washington, D.C., is a test case for phasing out the tipped minimum wage

Apr 12, 2024
“Now, it is leaner crews,” says one restaurant server, but a more stable income. Other states are watching how it plays out in the capital.
Shortly after the phaseout of the tip credit started in Washington, D.C., last year, employment at sit-down restaurants started to fall sharply, according to state-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP via Getty Images

Restaurant hiring affected by warmer weather, lingering pandemic habits

Mar 8, 2024
The number of people employed at restaurants and bars went up 0.3% in February from the month before.
A slowdown in construction work has meant an influx of job applicants for back-of-house positions, says restaurant owner Joshua Pollack.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for this eatery owner

Feb 20, 2024
Jilan Hall-Johnson, owner of the Sassy Biscuit Co., is "excited for the next step" in her business journey despite a recent setback.
Jilan Hall-Johnson, owner of the Sassy Biscuit Co., calls breakfast the "forgotten meal."
Courtesy Hall-Johnson

When politicians visit diners, who are they trying to reach?

Dec 25, 2023
Diners are often romanticized as democratic restaurants, but are they really for everyone?
Before dropping out of the race in October, former US Vice President Mike Pence (left) visited a New Hampshire diner while campaigning to become the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

A new book follows one meal from seed to serving

Oct 17, 2023
"The Dish" by Andrew Friedman shows just how many steps the phrase "farm to table" skips.
From farmers to dishwashers, every part of the food chain of one meal is examined in the book.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Americans pulled back on restaurant spending in September, report says

Oct 4, 2023
Instead of $50 main courses, they're opting for sandwiches and other lower-priced items, say restaurants around the country.
Restaurant owners are reporting lower customer spending averages and fewer hours of operation.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

6 p.m. dinner reservations are losing their stigma

Sep 22, 2023
People are eating earlier everywhere, according to data from Yelp. Lifestyle changes are part of the reason.
The amount of diners making reservations in the 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. window is double what it was pre-pandemic, according to Yelp.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

The tipped minimum wage has origins in slavery

And that legacy means a worker can be paid as little as $2.13 an hour at the federal level.
Nikola Stojadinovic via Getty Images

Some restaurateurs are struggling despite food service sales growth

Aug 15, 2023
While takeout, delivery and drive-thru sales are above pre-pandemic levels, on-site dining remains down.
The pandemic has shifted where people eat as many moved away from urban areas and stopped going into the office, says Hudson Riehle of the National Restaurant Association.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images