Operator Notes

RPS Live Blog

Daily operator notes, quick fixes, and real talk on saving money without killing quality — pulled live from our shop floor so you never wait for updates.

GLP-1 users spend more at restaurants despite cutting back on alcohol and retail food purchases

Data from Circana and Technomic reveal shifting dining habits among weight loss drug users

Viral Reddit post exposing a delivery app’s ‘secrets’ is likely an AI hoax, but the backlash is real

DoorDash CEO Tony Xu addressed a Jan. 1 Reddit post accusing a ‘major delivery app’ of scamming customers, which was later found to likely be fake

Sweetgreen releases new functional health menu as wellness trend continues

The new menu was created in collaboration with science-based health platform Function and its founder Dr. Mark Hyman

Burger King launches the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper

The item is part of the chain’s ‘Whopper by You’ campaign introduced in July 2025

Noodles & Company receives delisting determination letter

The fast-casual restaurant chain appealed the delisting and has proposed a reverse stock split

Starbucks partners with MrBeast to kick off the New Year

Starbucks is a sponsor for the YouTuber’s BeastGames and will launch a specialty drink as the pop culture collab trend continues

Sprinkles has closed all its locations

Founder Candace Nelson announced the news in an Instagram post

7 Brew taps RBI’s Matthew Dunnigan as CFO

He most recently served in the same role for Burger King’s parent company

Taco Bell brings back its Quesarito due to high demand

The chain has partnered with NBA MVP Nikola Jokić to make amends for a 2014 incident that interrupted his draft announcement

KFC is offering a BOGO deal for New Year’s Eve

The chain has partnered with The Caviar Co. and Luc Belaire for pairing recommendations

Burger King, Popeyes appoint new head chefs

Both are internal promotions within their parent company, Restaurant Brands International

Chipotle wins lawsuit over portion sizes

The class-action case was filed by an investor late last year

The buzziest restaurant brand collaborations of 2025

From Taco Bell’s ice cream taco with Salt & Straw to a whole lot of hot sauce partnerships, collabs dominated the LTO and CPG space in 2025

Major franchisee Doherty Enterprises adds Qdoba to its roster

Under their new partnership, Doherty will serve as the chain’s exclusive development partner in select New York and New Jersey counties

Yum Brands joins the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness

The organization includes 25 industry partners working collaboratively to advance food safety culture

Wendy’s Sweet and Sour Sauce is returning in the spring

The chain partnered with content creator Jaz to make the announcement

Menu prices remain stubbornly high as overall inflation moderates

November’s Consumer Price Index showed a widening gap between restaurant prices and grocery prices

Papa Johns chief corporate affairs officer exits company

Madeline Chadwick announced her departure from the Atlanta-based pizza chain in a LinkedIn post

DoorDash pilots Zesty — an AI-powered app for personalized restaurant recommendations

The third-party delivery platform’s new mobile app is currently piloting in San Francisco and New York City

Tech Tracker: The great technology integration boom continues

Par Technology and PreciTaste announced a new integration — a type of partnership that’s becoming more common in restaurant tech