Breaking News

Restaurants Made Up Over Half Of New U.S. Job Gains in December

• Foodservice and drinking places added 27,000 jobs in December while the U.S. added 256,000 jobs overall. That’s a labor market that’s still tight enough to keep wage pressure elevated, even as operators push harder on scheduling and productivity.
• For operators: expect continued competition for hourly talent and plan for higher recruiting/retention spend; don’t bank on wage relief just because traffic is soft. Use the monthly job data as a leading indicator for when OT, staffing agencies, and turnover costs will spike. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

Tech Tracker: Doordash Confirms Data Security Incident

• DoorDash confirmed a data security incident in late 2025 in which an unauthorized party accessed limited contact information for some customers, Dashers, and merchants following a social engineering attack on an employee.
• The company reported that payment information, Social Security numbers, and other highly sensitive data were not compromised. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

Industry

GLP-1 Users Spend More at Restaurants Despite Cutting Back on Alcohol and Retail Food Purchases

• GLP-1 medication users are spending more at restaurants while cutting back on alcohol and retail food purchases, based on recent U.S. restaurant industry findings. The article examines how these changing consumption patterns are influencing restaurant visits, beverage sales, and overall spend behavior. It highlights implications for foodservice operators as GLP-1 adoption expands. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

2026 Restaurant Trends: Experience, Global Roots, Personalization

• Chefs and restaurant operators are identifying key food, menu, and operational trends expected to shape U.S. restaurants in 2026, based on industry interviews and observations.
• The article outlines shifts in menu development, ingredient usage, and dining formats that chefs are prioritizing amid changing consumer preferences and cost pressures. It focuses on how these trends may influence restaurant concepts and kitchen strategies in the coming year. SOURCE | FORBES

Liquor Liability Insurance Costs Blamed for Brewery Closure

• Rising liquor liability insurance costs are being cited as a key factor behind the closure of a South Carolina brewery, according to state-level reporting. The article focuses on how recent changes in alcohol liability laws have driven sharp increases in insurance premiums. It outlines the impact on breweries, bars, and other alcohol-serving businesses operating in the state. SOURCE | SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC RADIO

Menu Prices Remain Stubbornly High as Overall Inflation Moderates

• Menu prices at U.S. restaurants remain elevated even as overall inflation shows signs of easing, according to recent economic and industry data. The article examines pricing trends across foodservice, citing ongoing labor, food, and operating cost pressures. It focuses on how sustained menu price increases are affecting restaurant margins and consumer spending behavior. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

NRA: Value, Comfort Will Define 2026 Menu Trends

• Value and comfort are expected to dominate menu trends heading into 2026, while buzzworthy items still need to pass an operations test. The piece stresses that trends only work when they protect throughput, food cost, and waste.
• For owners, it’s a warning against adding labor-heavy, low-margin items during a value war. The best play is trend-aware menu engineering that delivers the feeling of novelty without slowing the kitchen. SOURCE | RESTAURANT DIVE

How 3 Retailers Are Upgrading Meal Bundles

• Quick-service restaurants and convenience stores are expanding bundled meals and value offers in response to price sensitivity and shifting traffic patterns. The article examines how operators are using bundling strategies to protect visit frequency and average check sizes. It focuses on competitive dynamics between QSRs and c-stores in the U.S. foodservice market. SOURCE | RESTAURANT DIVE

Restaurant Menu Prices are Steadying, Doordash Study Says

• U.S. restaurant menu prices are beginning to stabilize after extended increases, according to a recent study from DoorDash. The article analyzes pricing data across restaurant segments and markets to track inflation trends within foodservice.
• It highlights differences in price movement by restaurant type and geography. The findings are framed within broader cost and demand conditions facing U.S. restaurant operators. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

Restaurants Are Losing Traffic, Not To Competitors, But To Consumer Caution

• The U.S. restaurant industry in 2026 is contending with value-conscious consumer behavior, labor shortages, rising costs, and technological shifts as operators seek to boost customer value, operational efficiency, and growth amid inflationary pressures.
• Key challenges highlighted include adapting to changing dining habits, investing in tech like AI, strengthening customer relationships, and managing talent and expansion decisions. SOURCE | BUSINESS INSIDER

3 Ways The Toast-Uber Alliance Reveals a Changing Restaurant Tech Landscape

• The Toast–Uber partnership highlights shifts in the restaurant technology ecosystem as platforms deepen integrations across POS, delivery, and operations. The article outlines how tighter tech alliances are reshaping data sharing, ordering flow, and system interoperability for restaurants. It focuses on implications for operators navigating an increasingly consolidated restaurant tech landscape. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

Regulatory

What to Know About the New Laws that Impact California Restaurants and Food Businesses in 2026

• New California laws taking effect in 2026 introduce higher minimum wage rates, new requirements for third-party delivery apps (including refunds and tipping protections), and expanded labor organization rights for gig workers, along with food-industry-specific changes such as tortilla folic acid requirements and allergen menu labeling.
• The legislation also includes broader regulatory shifts affecting restaurants and bars, such as streamlined building plan approvals and the continuation of outdoor dining allowances. SOURCE | EATER LA

Penny Shortage Prompts Restaurant Industry To Demand Federal Intervention

• The restaurant industry is urging federal action after the U.S. stopped minting pennies, leading operators like McDonald’s and Burger King to round cash change and prompting the National Restaurant Association to ask the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve to keep pennies circulating and for national rounding rules. The shortage is causing checkout friction and could cost operators an estimated $13–$14 million per month, and the Association is also seeking legislative guidance on temporary rounding standards. SOURCE | NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS

Independent Restaurant Coalition Calls To Expand ‘No Tax On Tips’ Policy To Include Service Charges For All Restaurant Workers

• The Independent Restaurant Coalition’s Restaurant Service Charge Tax Fairness Act / “No Tax on Tips” advocacy calls on Congress and the Treasury to expand federal tax relief for tipped income so that service charges distributed to all restaurant workers—including back-of-house staff like dishwashers, cooks, and prep cooks—qualify for the same tax treatment as tips, arguing current proposals would leave many workers excluded and penalize restaurants using equitable compensation models. SOURCE | INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT COALITION