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Birdcall, Golden Corral, Blue Mint Thai, Red Lobster, and Chili’s lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending July 5, 2026.
1) Birdcall Maps Out Major Midwest Expansion Plans
Birdcall has unveiled plans to add nearly 100 new locations across six states as part of a targeted franchise growth strategy throughout the Midwest. The Colorado-born fast-casual brand aims to bring its all-natural chicken menu, chef-inspired offerings, and tech-forward dining experience to untapped markets across Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
2) Golden Corral Celebrates America’s 250th With Unmatched Value Deals Throughout 2026
Golden Corral is commemorating America’s 250th anniversary with the launch of its value-driven America $2.50 Value Deals campaign to help families dine together for less. The year-long initiative features a rolling lineup of exclusive monthly promotions across its buffet, beverage, and To Go selections, starting with a special weekend breakfast buffet rate for children.
3) Blue Mint Thai Franchising Heats up With Three Letters of Intent for a Possible Ten Franchises in the Greater Austin Metro Area and Frisco, Texas
Blue Mint Thai is accelerating its franchise expansion after signing three letters of intent for ten potential new locations across Frisco and the Greater Austin metro area. Built on three generations of authentic family recipes, the fast-casual brand offers a scalable, operationally disciplined business model targeting high-growth territories within the under-franchised Asian culinary sector.
4) Red Lobster’s Crabfest Is Back with More Ways to Crab Than Ever Before
Red Lobster has brought back its highly anticipated summer Crabfest promotion, offering its most customizable menu lineup to date for a limited time. Diners can personalize their seafood experience through the interactive “Crab Your Way” option – choosing between Snow or Bairdi crab legs and six distinct flavor profiles – or opt for the new, double-portion Crabfest Boil mixed with shrimp, potatoes, and corn.
5) Chili’s Turns Heads this Summer with New $6 Bombshell Marg
Chili’s Grill & Bar has introduced a reality TV-inspired Bombshell Margarita as its latest monthly drink special at participating locations nationwide. Available for six dollars, this vibrant blend of el Jimador Blanco Tequila, dragonfruit, and strawberry puree is designed to accompany guests as they catch up on summer drama with friends.
6) Jollibee Launches All-New Chicken Nuggets Nationwide
Jollibee has introduced all-new Chicken Nuggets to its menu, bringing its signature crispy and juicy fried chicken expertise to a bite-sized format. Made with 100% all-white meat chicken breast, these golden snacks are served in mini buckets in portion sizes ranging from 5-piece to 30-piece options and can be paired with the brand’s iconic gravy or five other flavorful dipping sauces.
7) Pizza Inn Celebrates America’s 250th by Honoring U.S Armed Forces with Collectible Glasses
Pizza Inn has partnered with Pepsi and Folds of Honor to launch a limited-time promotional campaign featuring a collectible series of All-American Glasses. Available for in-store purchase with an adult buffet, the program rolls out a new glass design honoring a different branch of the U.S. Armed Forces every two weeks, with proceeds funding educational scholarships for military families and first responders.
8) Del Taco Enters Myrtle Beach Market With Socastee Debut
Del Taco has expanded into the Myrtle Beach market with its debut restaurant opening in Socastee, South Carolina. Owned and operated by franchise partner Impeccable Capital, the new location introduces the brand’s freshly prepared Mexican and American favorites to the Grand Strand coast alongside convenient features like a double drive-thru and electronic pickup lockers.
9) Teriyaki Madness Makes Corpus Christi Debut With $6 Bowls and Can’t-Miss Opening Day Offers
Teriyaki Madness has expanded its Texas presence by opening a new restaurant in Corpus Christi. Local franchise owners are introducing the brand’s signature bowl-centric menu, featuring customizable teriyaki chicken, steak, and tofu dishes, to the coastal community with special grand opening offers.
10) SPB Hospitality Welcomes Back Restaurant Development Veteran Keith Wheaton
SPB Hospitality has appointed industry veteran Keith Wheaton as its new Senior Vice President of Franchise Development to help drive the company’s long-term growth strategy. Wheaton brings extensive leadership experience to the role, where he will oversee the expansion of the brand’s diverse portfolio of restaurant concepts.
11) New Restaurant Development Remained Concentrated in Sun Belt and Western Markets During First Half of 2026
A new semi-annual analysis from RestaurantData.com reveals that 76.9% of tracked U.S. restaurant openings and development pipeline activity occurred within the Southwest, Southeast, and West regions. The report indicates that independent operators and casual dining formats led the market segment volume, with Houston emerging as the top city for new unit activity.
12) Krispy Krunchy Chicken Celebrates National Fried Chicken Day With $1,000 Giveaway
Krispy Krunchy Chicken celebrated National Fried Chicken Day by launching a digital sweepstakes that awarded ten lucky fans with a hundred dollars each. Participants entered the interactive giveaway by liking the promotion post, following the brand, and tagging a friend on the company’s official Instagram and Facebook channels.
13) Paris Baguette Makes Miami Debut With Highly Anticipated Wynwood Bakery Café
Paris Baguette has made its Miami debut with the opening of a new bakery café in the vibrant Wynwood district. Managed by franchise partner Cesar Paoli, the neighborhood destination features a custom hand-painted mural honoring the area’s creative roots alongside the brand’s signature artisan pastries, cakes, and handcrafted beverages.
14) Perkins Kicks Off Summer with NEW Smashed Burgers and Soda Pop
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery has expanded its seasonal lineup with the introduction of a new menu featuring three distinct Smashed Burgers and nostalgic soda shop-inspired beverages. The fresh options can be ordered as part of the brand’s popular value combo, which complements the return of seasonal guest favorites like Pancake Flips and Key Lime Pie.
15) The Smoked Taco Brings Low-and-Slow Heat to Sandy
The Utah-born BBQ-taco concept, The Smoked Taco, is expanding its footprint in the South Valley with the opening of a new restaurant in Sandy. This eighth location will feature the brand’s signature 12-hour smoked meats and cheese-crusted tortillas alongside the exclusive debut of a limited-time Nashville Hot Chicken taco.
16) Juice It Up! Continues Northern California Growth With New Roseville Location
Juice It Up! has expanded its presence in the greater Sacramento region with a new store opening at Sunrise Pointe in Roseville. Owned and operated by local franchisees Paul and Sonja Grotke, the location provides the community with handcrafted smoothies, fresh-squeezed raw juices, and signature açaí bowls designed to fuel an active lifestyle.
17) Soulman’s Bar-B-Que Turns Up the Heat with New Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Limited-Time Offer
Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has introduced a limited-time Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage across all of its North and East Texas locations for the summer season. Built on the brand’s signature house blend, the small-batch specialty item combines slow-smoked Texas barbecue flavor with creamy cheddar cheese and a subtle jalapeño kick.
18) One Year In, Dishio Emerges from Stealth with 350+ Restaurants Using AI to Drive Repeat Revenue
Dishio has emerged from stealth mode after capturing more than 350 restaurant customers in its first year of operation by unifying fragmented guest data to drive repeat revenue. Under the newly established parent company Dishio Holdings, the platform leverages an AI-powered creative engine to automatically generate personalized marketing assets based on customer behavior and restaurant performance metrics.
19) Newk’s Eatery Named to Fast Casual 2026 Top 100 Movers & Shakers
Newk’s Eatery secured the number 25 spot on the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, a distinction acknowledging the brand’s steady growth and operational upgrades like self-order kiosks. The brand’s momentum was further highlighted as marketing director Madison Newcomb received Woman of the Year honors for her impactful leadership of the company’s charitable initiative, Newk’s Cares.
20) Bad Daddy’s Goes Red, White & Bleu with July Burger Drop
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar has introduced its new limited-time Red, White & Bleu Burger as the July selection for its ongoing flavor drop series. This patriotic, chef-crafted menu item layers a seasoned seven-ounce beef patty with whipped bleu cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, pickled red onions, and scratch-made specialty mayos on a toasted brioche bun.
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