Whataburger’s CEO is retiring. Ed Nelson, a longtime company executive who has been chief executive since 2020, will step down at the end of 2024.
The 250-unit Playa Bowls chain has a new owner. Private-equity firm Sycamore Partners said it has acquired the superfruit specialist from Tamarix Equity Partners and other investors.
And in other M&A news, the 16-unit fast-casual concept Wildflower has been acquired by a Tokyo-based multi-brand restaurant conglomerate. Create Restaurants Holdings said it has bought Wildflower from founder Louis Basile Jr. for $28.2 million.
McDonald’s marketing is apparently working. The combination of a $5 Meal Deal and the company’s collectors cups appear to have improved traffic at the Chicago-based fast-food chain.
Consumers still have mixed feelings on restaurant AI, according to a new survey by in-store music provider Mood Media. While many respondents said they see benefits from the technology such as improved accuracy and faster service, 30% view AI as an “unwanted evolution” in restaurants.
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