Each week, NRN editor-in-chief Sarah Lockyer gives you her take on the top restaurant industry news.
The new year is clearly on everyones' minds, even before we hit Thanksgiving. This week NRN delivered predictions for the top culinary and conusmer trends of 2015, which include tacos, artisanal candies and mini cocktails, from Andrew Freeman and his hospitality consulting firm. Freeman pointed to the "demand generation" — or Millennials — as driving most trends and expecting customization across the board.
As if on cue, Pizza Hut detailed this week its massive menu makeover, which includes new crust options, cheeses and sauces. The complete menu revamp is not unlike Domino Pizza's undertaking a few years earlier, which turned around the then-ailing brand into a positive sales performer. Limited-service restaurant chains continue to drive menu and marketing changes in the face of sluggish sales, as we continue to see this week from McDonald's and Wendy's.
Take a look at NRN’s top 10 most popular stories:
1. Hot restaurant menu trends for 2015
2. Pizza Hut gives menu a major overhaul
3. What's in, out, next for restaurants in 2015
4. NPD reveals top 10 foods of the decade
5. Wendy’s calls 3Q sales growth 'disappointing'
6. Restaurants may alienate customers by ditching discounting
7. New Carl's Jr. spokesmodel puts unconventional spin on 'sexy'
8. Finance experts: Restaurants could see strong year ahead
9. Report: Bojangles’ planning $125M IPO
10. Analysts question McDonald's recovery after October SSS report