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The ICR Conference concluded Wednesday in Orlando. And perhaps the biggest takeaway is that operators are cautiously optimistic about current sales trends and returning traffic. Several brands pre-released fourth quarter results to coincide with their presentations, with most of them showing improved trends.
With that said, restaurant sales ended on a fittingly down note in 2024. Sales at restaurants and bars declined 0.3% in December from November, according to retail sales data from the U.S. Census on Thursday. They were up just 2.4% in the month compared with the same period a year ago, which was lower than the 3.6% increase in menu prices over that same timeframe.
Steak ‘n Shake is switching from vegetable oil to beef tallow to cook its french fries. The burger chain, operated by Sardar Biglari, claims it’s making the change so its shoestring fries can be cooked in the “authentic way” for the best taste. But there’s also been growing consumer backlash against the use of seed oils like corn, sunflower, soybean and canola.
Get all the headlines in today’s Restaurant Daily podcast.
