Diners’ desire to customize their food has become a long-standing trend, and some operators have found self-serve condiment bars to be a point of differentiation that can improve guests’ experiences and keep them coming back.


Healthful items, ethnic influences and lower price points are reshaping catering menus as restaurateurs gear up for the crucial holiday season in an increasingly crowded field.

When a new Freebirds World Burrito unit is about to open, fervent fans frequently pitch a tent city on the grounds in order to be among its first patrons. And this year, as the chain 
doubles in size, fandom has been especially intense.


When brainstorming concepts, restaurateurs say they tap the same well of inspiration to conceive their...