Heather Haddon

The value wars are great for consumers, but coming at a time of record high beef prices for chains. Profits at the nation’s biggest burger chains are under pressure—they’re serving up discounts anyway. wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

More deals are coming! McDonald’s plans to launch new deals and discounts to stay ahead of competitors in the battle for fast food dollars wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

A recent mandate at Cracker Barrel highlights a new era of belt-tightening that is stripping work travel of whatever shred of glamour it had left. Eat at Cracker Barrel when traveling and no booze! wsj.com/lifestyle/work… via @WSJ

It's a big week for Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol as he speaks to investors about his plans--on top of a big year+ in turnaround mode of the world's largest coffee chains. Have you noticed friendlier baristas, writing on cups? wsj.com/business/hospi…

Hard day at Cracker Barrel-company lays off several dozen corporate workers as it seeks to trim cost. wsj.com/livecoverage/s…

Embattled Southern-style chain Cracker Barrel is seeking to rebuild its critical holiday business after the logo controversy. Many customers care less about the politics, just want better food wsj.com/business/earni… via @WSJ

McDonald's wants its franchisees to up their game--and make their burgers and fries across the globe more affordable. wsj.com/livecoverage/s… via @wsj

Not talking turkey, but burgers, fries, chicken sandwiches and all the other foods powering the American restaurant economy. So great to dive deep into fast-food with @EmilyRPeck .

The science of late night munchie food is much more involved than you might think. Welcome to Taco Bell's R&D lab and its GOAT innovation chief: wsj.com/business/retai…

Cracker Barrel is keeping its CEO after a calamitous rebranding campaign, but investors chose to dump one of the chain’s board members wsj.com/business/crack… via @WSJ

It's never easy to run a restaurant, so how do you get diners to leave their kitchens? Prove you are a better value than just eating at home, hammer specific deals, bone up on service. wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

The latest in the saga: Proxy Firms Recommend Booting Cracker Barrel Director—but Not the CEO wsj.com/livecoverage/s… via @wsj

KFC for years was the reigning champ of chicken in the U.S. Now it ranks 4th. How did the chicken chain lose customers, and how is it fighting to gain them back? KFC is shaking up its ranks to regain its chicken stature. Will it work? wsj.com/business/hospi…

There’s so much more to the Cracker Barrel story then you may know: How the revamp of Cracker Barrel landed the restaurant chain in a cultural-war firestorm and why it continues to challenge the company wsj.com/business/the-c…

It was a project months in the making, and days in execution--some of Starbucks's biggest cuts and closures in years. Will it lead to a better company? That's the bet: wsj.com/business/hospi…

Cracker Barrel has cut ties with the ad firm that designed that logo that got so much backlash. Prophet, a global marketing firm, had worked for Cracker Barrel on its modern remodels as well, now suspended wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

Cracker Barrel Monday  apologized for how it communicated the logo changes but didn’t pivot from plans to keep updating the brand--and said its values remain the same. Think this will help? It is complicated to be a consumer brand today: wsj.com/business/hospi…

Chili’s cheese pulls are yielding record sales--and bonuses for their workers wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

News: McDonald’s is lowering the cost of its combo meals, after consumers were left sticker-shocked by Big Mac meals that climbed to $18 in some places. The price of 8 combo meals will include 15% discounts on the sum of their parts wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ

It's crispy chicken summer, and there's a reason for it. Consumers are preferring chicken to beef, and it's cheaper to make these days wsj.com/business/hospi… via @WSJ