Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Starbucks has laid off more than 200 workers. The coffee shop giant said in a federal worker layoff notice that 104 employees have been laid off as part of a previously announced restructuring. Another 120 workers are being laid off because they’ve opted not to move to Nashville, where the company is opening a support center. The first separations are expected to take place by Oct. 18, with the rest by November 1.

Consumers are visiting and spending more at restaurants. But not at chains. According to Bank of America credit card data, sales at restaurants increased 3.3% in July. Transactions grew 1.8%. The bank said that younger and lower-income consumers led that growth and suggested that restaurants took business from grocers. But the results are strongest at independents and regional chains, while some national brands are not participating.

Chick-fil-A’s delivery-led concept Little Blue Menu will transition its last remaining location in College Park, Maryland, into a traditional restaurant. The move is scheduled for January, concluding the experiential brand’s 5-year stint. Little Blue Menu debuted in Nashville in 2021, offering innovations such as pizzas topped with Chick-fil-A nuggets, as well as burgers, onion rings, sweet potato tots, and chicken wings. That location closed in 2023, and the company opened its College Park location later that year, featuring a menu available via delivery, mobile pickup, and catering with orders placed through the chain’s app or third-party delivery apps. In a statement, Chick-fil-A said Little Blue Menu was designed to be a test-and-learn concept. It is one of several concepts to come out of the company’s Red Wagon Ventures subsidiary, founded in 2017 to create services beyond the core restaurant business. The beverage concept Daybright, which opened last year, is also part of Red Wagon Ventures.

Guest Check: The fast-casual pizza restaurant is in a bit of a free fall, and has a whole new team in place to try and stop it. It could be easier than they expect.

For the first time in brand history, Chipotle is launching two limited-time menu items simultaneously: Pollo Asado and Chili Lime Chips. Pollo Asado was initially introduced as an LTO in March 2022, marking the chain’s first chicken innovation ever. At that time, then-CEO Brian Niccol said the success of the item led to the test, and eventual rollout, of Chicken Al Pastor. Meanwhile, Chili Lime Chips are available to rewards members now and will become available to all customers on Sept. 4. They are inspired by the viral "walking taco" trend, in which consumers use packaged seasoned chips to crush over burrito bowls or pour their burrito bowl directly into a chip bag. This dual-LTO launch comes after CEO Scott Boatwright promised more menu news this year, stating that consumers who buy an LTO are going to spend more throughout the year.

Pizza Hut is officially no longer part of Yum Brands. Private equity firm LongRange Capital announced that it has completed its acquisition of the 68-year-old pizza chain, excluding Mainland China, from Yum for approximately $1.5 billion. Yum sold its Pizza Hut brand in mainland China to Yum China Holdings for $1.2 billion last month. In a statement, Pizza Hut interim CEO Eduardo Luz said that as a standalone business, there will be more focus on Pizza Hut and that LongRange is well positioned to invest in the brand and build on its legacy. The completion of these two acquisitions for a total of $2.7 billion marks the beginning of a new chapter for the legacy pizza chain, which has been part of Yum's story since its beginning in 1997 but has struggled with sales, footprint, and market share erosion throughout the past decade-plus and is on track to close about 250 restaurants this year alone. In his interim role, Luz takes over for Aaron Powell, who resigned after five years leading the global brand.

A wave of layoffs has hit the food delivery business. Uber on Wednesday said it is laying off 10% of staff, or about 3,300 people, as part of a restructuring to simplify operations. One day earlier, Grubhub parent Wonder confirmed it laid off 7% of its workers, or about 150 people, in a streamlining effort of its own. The layoffs come after years of rapid expansion at both companies.

Guest Check: This year, guests can choose from pecan, tiramisu, the ever-present pumpkin spice, and more.

Amy Ellis Durini is returning to KFC as its global chief brand officer effective Nov. 1. In this newly created role, she’ll report to Scott Mezvinsky, who was named CEO early last year. Durini will lead KFC’s global brand strategy, overseeing brand, loyalty, and retail, as well as new concept development and innovation. She joins KFC from Taco Bell International, where she most recently served as chief marketing and strategy officer. But it’s a return of sorts. Prior to joining Taco Bell, she served as global director of marketing at KFC. Her new role also reunites her with Mezvinsky, who was president of Taco Bell North America and International before moving to the helm at KFC.

Inspire Brands CEO Paul Brown is reportedly stepping down for a medical leave to recover from an injury, according to the Wall Street Journal. Scott Murphy, president of Dunkin’, which is part of the Inspire Brands portfolio, will serve as interim CEO. Inspire Brands is also the parent of Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Arby’s, Jimmy Johns, and Baskin-Robbins. The Atlanta-based portfolio company, which is owned by Roark Capital, earlier this year confidentially filed for an IPO, which the report said could take place as soon as early next year.