Trending this week: IHOP, Applebee’s parent company confirms corporate layoffsTrending this week: IHOP, Applebee’s parent company confirms corporate layoffs

This week on Nation's Restaurant News, the top story was IHOP, Applebee’s parent company confirms corporate layoffs. Dine Brands, the parent company of Applebee’s, IHOP, and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, has laid off about 9% of its nearly 600-employee workforce at its Pasadena, Calif. headquarters. The announcement came on Friday.

In a statement emailed to Nation’s Restaurant News, vice president of human resources Christie Cook said, “Dine Brands announced a reduction in its workforce as part of a strategic plan to better align with current market conditions. This decision was not made lightly. We deeply value the contributions of all our team members and are committed to supporting those affected during this transition.

In other news, Yum Brands, parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and the Habit Burger & Grill, reported fourth quarter and full-year 2024 results Thursday before market and the headline, once again, is the considerable outperformance of Taco Bell. On the quarter, the chain's domestic system turned in same-store sales growth of 5%, while the full-year was up by 4%.

Also, Waffle House is adding a temporary surcharge to combat the continuing egg shortage driven by the so-called bird flu, or highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPIA).

As the latest outbreak of bird flu continues to spread nationally — causing more than 20 million deaths of egg-laying chickens last quarter, according to the USDA — egg prices have skyrocketed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, egg prices rose 36.8% in 2024, which is astronomical compared to the average 2.9% inflation across all consumer categories. In many states, eggs are going for more than $8 a dozen, like in Jersey City, where an NRN reporter spotted a dozen large eggs for $8.69 at a Stop & Shop.

See what else was trending on NRN.com this week.