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Seasonal Frenzy Reshapes Fast-Casual
Holiday-driven menu drops fuse nostalgia with wellness, turning menus into living calendars for fast-casual brands.
Apr 28, 2026
Photo by shen wenjie on Unsplash
Holiday-driven menu drops fuse nostalgia with wellness, turning menus into living calendars for fast-casual brands.
Apr 28, 2026
Photo by Abdul Raheem Kannath on Unsplash
Susannah Frost named Chick-fil-A President, joining Cliff Robinson as COO to guide domestic expansion and international growth.
Apr 28, 2026
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Ghost pepper-led promotions redefine autumn menus as chains blend heat, storytelling, and seasonal collaborations to drive foot traffic.
Apr 28, 2026
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CAVA rolls out Garlic Ranch Pita Chips with a Steak + Harissa Bowl and a refreshed Rewards program, tying flavor innovation to personalized guest experiences.
Apr 28, 2026
Photo by Kate Trysh on Unsplash
Applebee’s launches Pick 6 Mondays, offering free wings with a $10 purchase when a Pick 6 occurs on Sundays, driving game-day momentum across dine-in and To Go.
Apr 28, 2026
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Beatrice Nguyen explores how leadership blends speed, loyalty, and standardized operations to grow Shake Shack while preserving its signature experience.
Apr 28, 2026
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Freddy’s expands with a 23,000-sq-ft Training & Innovation Center to boost franchise profitability and unit growth toward 800+ by 2026.
Apr 28, 2026
Photo by Shourav Sheikh on Unsplash
Chapter 11 roils EYM’s Pizza Hut footprint, with auctions and asset sales reordering stores across IL, WI, IN, GA, and SC.
Apr 28, 2026
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How AI-enabled training, robotics, and crypto rewards are reshaping guest experience and workforce in modern restaurants.
Apr 28, 2026
Photo by Meghan Rodgers on Unsplash
Candace Nelson headlines CREATE 2024 in Nashville, sharing her journey from finance to Sprinkles and Pizzana, with practical roadmaps for growth-minded restaurateurs.
Apr 28, 2026
Domino’s enlists Simon Cowell to lead a human-driven quality push, implementing in-store Quality Captains to verify toppings and add-ons, backed by WorkInProgress through 2027.
Photo by Cathal Mac an Bheatha on Unsplash
Domino’s is rolling out a headline-grabbing push, and it wears the kitchen on its sleeve. The plan centers on a human-driven audit at the point of purchase, with Simon Cowell cast as a blunt-but-fair judge who travels from counter to counter in the consumer’s imagination. In stores, a new role—Quality Captains—stands between the order and the box, checking that toppings line up and that those extra touches, like dipping cups, are tucked in before the box leaves. The campaign is crafted by WorkInProgress and directed by Maggie Carey, signaling a shift from slick promises to tangible in-store behavior. This is a deliberate, visible, competitive move. But what does this look like on the floor?
On the floor, the Quality Captains physically inspect every pie for correct toppings, then verify that nothing from the order is missing before it heads out the door. The dipping cups and sauces aren’t an afterthought; they’re part of the checklist that the captain signs off. The effort is demonstrated in TV spots and digital creative, with Cowell’s persona serving as a blunt credibility proxy for the audience. The concept is woven into day-to-day operations across channels, a deliberate attempt to differentiate from rivals leaning on automation alone. Domino's demands greatness. The campaign’s backbone is the partnership with WorkInProgress and the directing lens of Maggie Carey, translating a kitchen audit into a consumer-facing promise.
This isn’t a one-off stunt. It’s a signal that operations now travel with the brand, visible to guests and staff alike. The emphasis is on daily discipline, not talk tracks. The floor follows the camera; the camera follows the floor. If execution holds, the result should feel like fewer mis-packs and a consistent box-level narrative that customers can trust.