Continue to Site >>>
Financing

A look at some of the biggest restaurant stories of 2025

The Week in Restaurants: In this week’s episode of the restaurant news discussion podcast, we look at some of the most important stories of the year. By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 19, 2025

What were the biggest stories of 2025?

This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast The Week in Restaurants should probably be renamed The Year in Restaurants. 

We discuss the biggest stories of the year. We talk about the industry’s value war. Challenges in the fast-casual sector. The Hooters bankruptcy. And the impact of immigration on the industry. 

And as always, Senior Technology Editor Joe Guszkowski talks technology on Tech Check.

Check it out.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts. 

Subscribe on Spotify.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

News  The Week in Restaurants  2025 Year in Review 
Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants.
View All Articles by This Author

Multimedia

How Technomic's 2026 trend predictions are panning out

Operators and brands caught in the crosshairs in Minneapolis

Mexican spirits expert Max Reis goes beyond tequila and mezcal

Kevin Lee is leading a restaurant renaissance in Oklahoma City

The Latest

Financing

Fat Brands lenders want Andy Wiederhorn suspended

Premium
Financing

Inside the Starbucks turnaround

Premium
Technology

Why a Dunkin' franchisee is using AI to count its doughnuts

Listen to your daily news: RB PodcastsNew episodes weekdays
Restaurant Daily
A Deeper Dive
Menu Talk
The Week in Restaurants
Working Lunch

More on this Topic

Financing

Fat Brands lenders want Andy Wiederhorn suspended

Financing

Inside the Starbucks turnaround

Financing

How will Chipotle lift itself out of its sales slump?

Financing

Chipotle and Taco Bell had very different years in 2025

Financing

Bob Evans is acquired by private-equity firm 4x4

Financing

Why did Yum Brands buy Habit Burger?

Exclusive Content

Financing

Inside the Starbucks turnaround

The coffee shop giant has spent the past 18 months returning to its roots as a coffee shop where customers want to stay. Now the company plans to go on offense.

Technology

Why a Dunkin' franchisee is using AI to count its doughnuts

Tennessee-based Bluemont Group was throwing away millions of dollars' worth of unsold doughnuts a year. Enter Do’Cast, an AI camera system that is helping it match supply with demand.

Financing

Chipotle and Taco Bell had very different years in 2025

The Bottom Line: The two Mexican chains have long been among the industry’s most consistent performers. But that changed last year, at least for one of them.

Trending

Financing

Fat Brands lenders want Andy Wiederhorn suspended

Premium
Financing

Inside the Starbucks turnaround

Premium
Technology

Why a Dunkin' franchisee is using AI to count its doughnuts

More from our partners

Jeff’s Bagel Run: How a 26‑Unit Brand is Rewriting the Bagel Experience

Catering to special dietary needs with RATIONAL

Elevate the dining experience and boost loyalty with beloved brand names

Need to cook for 4,000 people a day? These chefs use RATIONAL technology

Vegetarian and Vegan Meals Made Easy with Pre-Cooked, Plant Proteins