Our most-read stories of 2021 were much less coronavirus-dominant than last year, but still some clear themes emerged.
In addition to our annual reports, such as the Top 500 and the Power List, readers jumped into content about marketing moves, restaurant redesigns, CEO salaries and more.
Multiple brands’ new virtual concepts drew interest, following the popularity of Brinker’s It’s Just Wings in 2020. A family-dining chain in particular drew the top spot in 2021 with its delivery innovation.
In the marketing space, Subway refreshed its menu this year and launched a campaign featuring legendary athletes. Applebee’s, meanwhile, capitalized on a popular song and TikTok trend to bring back a fan-favorite menu item.
COVID-19, of course, did not go away, and neither did news about it. The first half of the year was dominated by headlines about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and related legislation.
Click through the gallery to see what Nation’s Restaurant News readers were most interested in in 2021.