Yum! Brands Adds AI to Taco Bell Drive-Thrus
The chain is rolling out voice AI ordering at about 900 locations as same-store sales dipped in the third quarter.
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U.S. Dining Out News
This section covers the restaurant industry in the United States — openings, closings, chain expansions, consumer trends and the business conditions that shape dining out. Reporting takes in both individual restaurants and the industry as a whole.
Recent news
November 8, 2026
CAVA Targets 1,000 Restaurants by 2032The fast-casual chain reached 500 locations and is expanding its digital tools to coordinate growth.
November 6, 2026
Taco Bell Shrinks Nachos BellGrande PackagingSome customers say smaller paper boxes now hold far less food for the same price at multiple Taco Bell locations.
November 6, 2026
BJ's Restaurants Traffic Rises 8.3% in QuarterThe chain reported its ninth straight quarter of same-store sales and traffic growth and raised its full-year sales outlook.
November 6, 2026
Texas Roadhouse Sales Rebound After Hoax PostCompany says a viral fake post alleging racist treatment of Black diners was a hoax and that sales and traffic have since recovered.
November 6, 2026
El Pollo Loco Posts 5% Same-Store Sales GrowthThe chicken chain reported its third-quarter 2026 results on November 5 and outlined plans to expand into New York.
November 6, 2026
Toast Posts $169M Profit, Launches AI AgentThe restaurant software company reported third-quarter 2026 results and introduced Toast IQ Team, an AI product that combines scheduling, payroll and forecasting.
November 6, 2026
Seaport Entertainment Revenue Falls 27% in QuarterHospitality and entertainment revenue declined as restaurant closures and lighter event schedules weighed on third-quarter results.
November 6, 2026
Papa John's Cuts Outlook as Sales SlideThe pizza chain reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter results and lowered its full-year forecast as consumers cut back on ordering.
November 5, 2026
Sweetgreen Sales Fall 6.4% as Traffic SlidesThe salad chain's third-quarter same-store sales declined as guest visits dropped and net new restaurant openings slowed.
November 5, 2026
DoorDash Driver Eats Danny Kanell's FoodFormer NFL quarterback Danny Kanell shared screenshots of a DoorDash driver saying they had eaten his order.
More in Dining Out
Restaurant openings and the attention they draw, chain expansion strategies, closure announcements, industry traffic and sales data, labor conditions and the dining trends that shift consumer habits are the recurring subjects in this coverage. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix are the restaurant markets where openings and closings generate the most national attention and where industry trends tend to register first. Labor costs and staffing have become a persistent structural story in restaurant industry coverage, running alongside the individual opening and closing news that drives the calendar. Delivery and takeout economics have reshaped how restaurants operate financially, and coverage of those platforms' terms and their effect on restaurant margins has become a standing secondary thread.