Wendy’s Bold Expansion, Industry Shake-Ups & a Restaurant’s Collapse

In this episode of Restaurant Pulse, we break down one of the biggest stories in restaurant growth right now: Darden vs CAVA — two winners taking completely different paths. Darden is the blueprint for scale, operational discipline, and portfolio strength. CAVA is the modern growth play: brand heat, throughput, and a digitally savvy fast-casual engine. So what do these strategies reveal about where the industry is heading — and what “winning” looks like in 2025 and beyond? In this video, we cover: The new rules of restaurant growth (and what changed) Darden’s playbook: scale, consistency, and margin protection CAVA’s playbook: demand, speed, tech, and unit economics What operators can copy right now (big brands and independents) The biggest risks ahead for both models Whether you’re a restaurant owner, operator, multi-unit leader, or investor, this breakdown will help you spot the trends early — and apply them to your own business.

Restaurants are quietly using AI to cut costs, fill seats, and free up their teams… and most owners have no idea it’s even happening. In this video, I’m pulling back the curtain. 👀 If you’re still relying on spreadsheets, gut feeling, and “we’ve always done it this way,” you’re already behind. In this video, you’ll learn: How AI is helping restaurants slash labor waste and optimize schedules Simple ways operators are using AI for menu ideas, marketing, and social media How AI tools can clean up your inventory, ordering, and food cost control Real examples of day-to-day tasks you can hand off to AI starting this week What to do right now so your restaurant doesn’t get left behind

What separates “smooth during rush” restaurants from the rest? In this episode of Restaurant Pulse, we break down the 3 must-have tools top operators rely on—and the one most independents are still missing. You’ll learn: The modern POS features that actually move the needle (speed, error reduction, real reporting) Why a Kitchen Display System (KDS) turns chaos into flow during peak hours The underrated third pillar: automation + data (inventory, scheduling/payroll, one dashboard) Brought to you by: The Restaurant Association — insights and tools for operators who want speed, accuracy, and profit. #restaurantowner #restaurantassociation #restaurantgrowth