The Peach Cobbler Factory, Corbett’s Burgers and Soda Bar, Urban Bird Hot Chicken, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, and Pablito’s Tacos lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending August 3, 2025.
1) The Peach Cobbler Factory Accelerates Growth in Larger U.S. Cities
Everyone knows that America’s love for Peach Cobbler was born and nurtured in the rural areas and smaller towns of the South. So, today it’s no surprise that The Peach Cobbler Factory (PCF) brand and its franchisees are thriving in the Southern states near their roots!
2) Beloved Burger & Soda Bar Concept Launches Regional Franchise Expansion in North Carolina and Beyond
Corbett’s Burgers and Soda Bar, a hometown favorite known for serving up classic American comfort food with a nostalgic twist, is officially expanding its footprint across North Carolina and into South Carolina through franchising. After winning over hearts (and appetites) since its founding in Cary, Corbett’s has grown to five thriving locations – and now, it’s ready to bring its timeless burger shop experience to even more communities.
3) Urban Bird Hot Chicken Announces Grand Opening of 22nd Location in Deer Park, Texas
This new location marks a significant milestone in Urban Bird’s footprint across Texas, offering residents in and around Deer Park the brand’s full menu of bold-seasoned chicken sandwiches, tenders, house-made sides, and refreshing lemonade.
4) Mountain Mike’s Pizza Maintains Strong 2025 Momentum and Experiences Record Growth Through Midyear
Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain for over 45 years, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis, massive 20-inch Mountain-sized pizzas and dough made fresh daily, is celebrating a robust first half of 2025 marked by expansion into new territories, impressive milestones and standout industry recognition.
5) Pablito’s Tacos Partners with West Coast Franchise Developers For Fresh Nationwide Franchise Launch
Famed California taco hotspot, Pablito’s Tacos, has just announced its new partnership with West Coast Franchise Developers as it embarks on a fresh franchise push across the nation. The company, currently boasting multiple locations stretching from Burbank to Van Nuys, is seeking new franchisees to join its franchise network and bring its premium menu to new communities.
6) Q&A With Ari Opsahl, CEO, Outlaw Light Beer
Outlaw Light Beer is rewriting the rules of domestic beer – with bold flavor, disruptive pricing and a brand built for modern drinkers.
7) South Block Expands in Northern Virginia with New Reston Location Opening Fall 2025
Nutritious, fast-casual brand brings made-to-order smoothies, fresh flavors and good vibes to more of Fairfax County later this year.
8) Subway Sends Fans to Their “Happy Place” with Immersive Restaurant Takeover and Interactive Fan Experience
Subway continues to immerse fans in the unforgettable world of Happy Gilmore 2 with a new pop-up experience on August 8, transforming one of its Southern California restaurants into a “Happy Place” – the titular hero’s surreal and serene dream world.
9) Paris Baguette Kicks off Second Half of the Year With 135 Cafés Awarded and 34 New Cafés Opened
With plans to open 100 bakery cafés by the end of the year, the French-inspired brand continues along an impressive development trajectory, reviving the neighborhood bakery café concept as they expand.
10) Dog Haus Bets Big on Fan Favorite betr burger – Now an LTO Heavy-Hitter
Craft casual burgers, brats and brews powerhouse doubles down with limited-time burger created in collaboration with Josh Elkin for the recent Jake Paul look-alike competition, available nationwide.
11) Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken Makes USA Today’s Top 10 Fast Food Fried Chicken List for Third Consecutive Year
After placing first in 2023, Lee’s secured a top 10 spot again in 2024 and climbed to an impressive third place this year, showcasing the brand’s commitment to quality and flavor.
12) Golden Corral Welcomes Back All-You-Can-Eat Wings Featuring Traditional Bone-In and NEW Boneless Wing Option
America’s leading buffet adds bold flavor to the dinner lineup with bone-in buffalo wings, new boneless wings, three flavorful sauces, and refreshing summer Minute Maid lemonades.
13) Summit Realty Partners Brokers 40th Tropical Smoothie Cafe Deal
Led by Chris McMahon and Travis Ginsberg, the Summit team has prioritized securing high-traffic retail properties in prime locations for Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise owners across New England.
14) Your Next Best-Selling Dessert Just Got Easier to Order
Cotton Blues Cheesecake originated as a popular dessert at the Cotton Blues restaurant in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and has since gained national recognition. The cheesecakes are crafted using a proprietary recipe with seven high-quality ingredients, noted for their rich, luscious texture and absence of fillers.
15) Huddle House Dishes up Southern Comfort, One Hashbrown Casserole at a Time
It’s time to gather round the hashbrown! Huddle House, the neighborhood gathering place that brings friends and family together over delicious food served from the heart, is bringing back a hearty guest favorite for a limited time only! After hearing from guests who have been asking for their return, Huddle House aims to satisfy with these delicious offerings.
16) Polly’s Pies Celebrates Iconic Banberry Pie with Month-Long Promotion and Kickoff Event in Orange
Crafted with the same timeless recipe that’s delighted guests for decades, Polly’s Banberry Pie is made with banana cream filling, topped with fresh, sweet strawberries and finished with a ring of real whipped cream.
17) Smokey Bones Shakes up the Bar With Bold New Beverage Lineup
Smokey Bones’ new beverage lineup introduces more than a dozen new sips, with and without spirits, to mix up the offerings. The new beverage menu will be available at all 51 Smokey Bones restaurants.
18) JINYA Ramen Bar Celebrates its 15th Anniversary with Two Celebrity Collabs
The internet’s Pasta King, Gianluca Conte, better known as QCP – an entertainer, author and media sensation with millions of followers across his social platforms – is bringing his signature Italian flair to JINYA’s menu with the launch of his Ciao Ramen on Aug. 4 at participating locations. Meanwhile, celebrated San Diego mixologist and TikTok star Julianna McIntosh, aka @join_jules, introduces the playful and refreshing Jul-A-Rita cocktail.
19) Whataburger Introduces the New Dr Pepper Blackberry Shake: A Fresh Spin on Two Texas Icons
What happens when you take two Texas originals and swirl them together with a rich, fruity twist? You get the new Dr Pepper Blackberry Shake, a delightfully refreshing mashup that brings together the legendary taste of Dr Pepper and Whataburger’s signature Shakes.
20) Ovation’s Summer 2025 Release Brings Competitive Intelligence to Guest Experience
As its customer base continues to grow, the guest experience platform is rolling out some of its most requested features – built specifically to support multi-unit restaurant operators.