The top story of 2024 was Outback Steakhouse parent Bloomin’ Brands closing 41 restaurants. David Deno, CEO of the Tampa, Fla.-based casual-dining company, which also owns the Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and fast-casual Aussie Grill brands, said in an analysts’ call after releasing earnings for the Dec. 31-ended fourth quarter: “We periodically review our asset base and, in our latest review, we made the decision to close 41 underperforming locations. The majority of these restaurants were older assets with leases from the ‘90s and early 2000s.
Panera Bread’s “biggest menu transformation in history" was also a top story this year. Panera’s menu overhaul includes nine new items and reimagined recipes and portion sizes, for a total of 20 menu updates. The new menu items include sandwiches like the Toasted Italiano sandwich with Black Forest ham, soppressata and provolone; and salads like the Southwest Chicken Ranch with romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, Ranch dressing, and chipotle aioli.
Another top story was KFC's new tenders-focused concept called Saucy. KFC debuted a new concept on Dec. 20 in Orlando, Fla., called Saucy. According to the company, Saucy is a “flavor-forward dining destination” featuring chicken tenders and 11 sauces — a nod to KFC’s Original Recipe with 11 herbs and spices.
Click the gallery to see what else made it on the top 10 stories of 2024.
