Greg Flynn still has faith in Applebee’s. The owner of Flynn Group, a mega-franchisee of the casual-dining chain as well as several other concepts, still believes there is demand for full-service chain restaurants. He said the sector has been overbuilt with concepts that weren’t well differentiated.
California’s $20 fast-food wage has indeed hurt traffic. Fast-food restaurants in the state have raised their prices at twice the national average, according to Revenue Management Solutions.
Cracker Barrel’s performance is looking up. The casual-dining chain reported two quarters in a row of same-store sales and revenue growth, according to its preliminary Q1 results. Cracker Barrel’s same-store sales were up 2.9% while its revenues were up 2.6%.
TGI Fridays is facing a lawsuit over its recent mass layoffs. Two former employees allege that they were fired without proper notice when the chain closed about 50 restaurants last month.
Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcast.