5 must-know restaurant news stories: April 11, 2014

Taco Bell to announce DLT flavor via Snapchat (press release)
Taco Bell will debut the next flavor of its popular Doritos Locos Tacos platform in May. The company will reveal the flavor Sunday on the Snapchat mobile app using the Snapchat Stories feature. Beginning Sunday morning, Snapchat users who follow Taco Bell can view a snap-by-snap short film, which reportedly will combine a romantic comedy with details about the next taco flavor. The film will wrap up by the start of the MTV Movie Awards at 9 p.m. EST.

—Mark Brandau

Chick-fil-A spends $50M to change grilled chicken (Bloomberg Businessweek)
Chick-fil-A is working to make its menu more healthful. Next week, the chain will start replacing its old chargrilled chicken option with a new recipe for use in its sandwiches, salads, wraps, and for non-fried tenders. The new recipe took seven years to develop and cost an estimated $50 million due to the development and installation of new automated grills.

—Lisa Jennings

(Fast Company)
From hacking product development to partnerships with disruptors in the food and beverage industry, Cinnabon president Kat Cole infuses the business of peddling sweet indulgences with a heady mix of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

—Ron Ruggless

Restaurants displace malls for teen hangouts (Quartz)
As malls close and habits shifts, teenagers are increasingly frequenting restaurants. A study finds that modern teens are more interested in “experiences ” than acquiring new clothes and other items.

—Marcella Veneziale

Estimates of illegal and unreported fish in seafood imports to the USA (Marine Policy/Science Direct)
A troubling study in an upcoming issue of Marine Policy indicates that a significant chunk of wild seafood imported to the United States — between 20 percent and 32 percent — is caught illegally or is unreported. The study recommends more stringent traceability standards, something many restaurants have in place, but it bears keeping in mind. According to the study, 85 percent of commercial fisheries are already at or beyond their "biological limit," meaning that fishing beyond the regulated amount will result in depopulating the stocks.

—Bret Thorn