Roy Rogers, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025, la Madeleine, Bojangles, and Red Lobster lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending June 29, 2025.
1) Roy Rogers Restaurants Long-Anticipated Return to Cherry Hill
Roy Rogers appeals to guests across generations with its emphasis on quality and variety, differentiating itself from a typical quick-service restaurant. Its menu caters to all three dayparts and late night, with a focus on the brand’s core staples, also known as the Roy Rogers iconic Triple Threat: USDA choice top round roast beef, hand-breaded fresh-fried chicken and chicken tenders, and great-tasting burgers.
2) Maido, Lima, Is Named No.1 in the List of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025
Maido, the Lima restaurant run by chef-owner Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura, is named The World’s Best Restaurant 2025, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna.
3) la Madeleine Signs Deal To Bring 3 New Cafes to Houston and College Station, Texas
French-inspired bakery and café la Madeleine has signed an agreement with SM Franchise LLC to develop three new locations in Houston and College Station, Texas, over the next two years.
4) Bojangles Rolls Out New Breakfast Bo-Rito – A Bold, Portable Take on Classic Morning Favorites
Bojangles is unwrapping something big for breakfast. Fans can now dig into the all-new Breakfast Bo-Rito, a combination of the brand’s most beloved breakfast staples.
5) Flip for New Pancake Flip Platters at Perkins American Food Co.
Ready to flip the breakfast script? Give the limited-time-only Perkins Pancake Flips a try. Filled and folded, savory or sweet, with mouthwatering options such as: Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake, Bacon & Cheddar, and Ham & Sausage.
6) Deloitte: Restaurant AI Investments Heat Up, But Adoption Still Appears to be on the Back Burner
Survey indicates restaurants leverage AI technology to enhance customer experiences and improve operations from the dining room to the kitchen and drive-thru, yet risks and challenges remain.
7) Red Lobster Brings Bold Flavors and Summer Fun to Crabfest with All-New Seafood Boils
Red Lobster is making a splash this summer with the return of its biggest crab event of the year – Crabfest! This year’s lineup is packed with exciting new flavors, including all-new Seafood Boils designed to bring fun and flavor straight to the table.
8) Hot Off the Grill: Wahlburgers Launches New Menu and Limited-Time Summer Hits
Following overwhelming positive customer feedback, the brand is adding successful promotional items to the core menu and leveling up the lineup with even more crave-worthy dishes. With indulgent desserts, shareable starters, stacked sandwiches, and bold smash-style builds, the new menu delivers on all fronts.
9) Chick-fil-A Tops Quick-Service Restaurants for 11th Straight Year Despite Slowest Growth in Two Decades, ACSI Data Show
Quick-service restaurants maintain a steady customer satisfaction score of 79 (on a 100 point scale), while full-service restaurants – despite slipping 2% to 82 – remain one of the highest-rated industries in the Index, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Restaurant and Food Delivery Study 2025.
10) Panera Bread Says Ciao to an Italian Summer With Limited-Time Menu Launch Celebrating the Flavors of Italy
This summer, Panera is bringing the flavors of Italy to a cafe near you with the launch of three new, Italian-inspired menu items, each crafted to capture the essence of old-world flavors with a bold twist.
11) Konala Doubles Down on Growth with Multi-State Corporate Expansion
Konala, the fast-growing healthy fast-food franchise, is expanding its corporate footprint across state lines with two newly secured locations in key Western markets. Following recent multi-unit franchise deals in Utah, Montana, and New Jersey, the brand is doubling down on growth through both franchising and corporate development.
12) OISE Ristorante Opens Its Newest Location in Fort Myers – A Unique Culinary Adventure Awaits
With an inviting atmosphere and a shareable menu full of recognizable but also fun and creative dishes, OISE promises a dining experience that’s both familiar yet refreshingly new.
13) Sullivan’s Steakhouse and Eddie Merlot’s Honored Among 2025 Wine Spectator Award Winners
Dividend Restaurant Group dining concepts Sullivan’s Steakhouse and Eddie Merlot’s have been named in the Wine Spectator’s 2025 Restaurant Awards list, which recognizes restaurants with wine lists that offer compelling selections, complement their cuisine and appeal to a broad spectrum of wine enthusiasts.
14) Frozen Cocktail Brand Fat Tuesday Finally Hits California – 3,600 sq ft Flagship Now Open in San Diego
After four decades of serving customers from Bourbon Street to Miami Beach to the Vegas Strip, iconic frozen cocktail brand and national bar chain, Fat Tuesday, is finally expanding to California.
15) Atlanta Gains New Soul Food-Focused Restaurant: Collard Green Cafe Expands with Corporate Location
Collard Green Cafe, the popular Southern soul food restaurant founded by Chef James Paige and known for its flavorful menu served with a side of Southern hospitality, has just announced the opening of its newest corporate-owned location in Conley, GA, serving Metro Atlanta.
16) Hot Head Burritos Builds Midyear Momentum With New Stores, Menu Hits and National Recognition
With the first half of the year in the books, Hot Head Burritos is maintaining rapid growth, backed by new restaurant openings, menu innovations and effective campaigns that connect with today’s diners while reinforcing its position as a go-to for fast, fresh and flavorful meals.
17) SUPER CHIX Opens Its 6th Location in Washington
Residents and businesses in the surrounding community, as well as travelers, have a new great choice for a fresh, superior-quality fast-casual lunch with healthy options, and dinner guests will discover a new quality eatery they can enjoy with family and friends.
18) Nick the Greek Continues To Grow Texas Footprint With New Houston Restaurant
With nearly 90 locations in operation and dozens more in development, Nick the Greek is poised to reach 100 restaurants systemwide by the end of 2025, highlighting the growing demand for high-quality Greek street food across the U.S.
19) Himes Breakfast House Brings Elevated Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch Classics to Riverview
Founded in 2021 by husband-and-wife team John and Jess Christen, Himes Breakfast House has quickly become a local Florida favorite for its upscale comfort food, heartfelt hospitality and family-first approach.
20) Shawarma Press Expands Franchising Footprint as More Americans Clamor for Fresh Mediterranean Flavors
As Mediterranean cuisine has flourished from a niche food trend to a nationwide staple in the fast casual industry, Shawarma Press is steadily expanding with brick and mortar franchise locations and digital kitchen concepts.