Alicia Kelso

Executive editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.

Alicia’s Recent activity

How Checkers & Rally's plans to adjust as other brands adopt its double drive-thru model

Dec 01, 2022

Checkers and Rally's CDO Kris McDonald feels optimistic about the company's growth even as more brands adopt its model because it doesn't have to test, it can just "tweak and refine" what already exists.

McDonald’s is testing a new to-go format

Dec 01, 2022

The test restaurant near Fort Worth, Texas, includes an order-ahead drive-thru lane, pickup shelves, self-order kiosks and designated parking areas for delivery drivers and curbside pickup customers.