The Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States, CAVA, Houston TX Hot Chicken, Ono Hawaiian BBQ, and Moxies, lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending January 25, 2026.
1) Yelp Announces its 2026 Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States
Yelp has released its 13th annual Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2026, naming New York City’s modern Italian restaurant Ci Siamo as the top dining destination in the country.
2) CAVA Names JeRayle Franklin Senior Director of Talent Acquisition
CAVA has appointed JeRayle Franklin as Senior Director of Talent Acquisition to lead its enterprise-wide recruitment strategy and support the Mediterranean brand’s rapid nationwide expansion.
3) Houston TX Hot Chicken Accelerates Nationwide Expansion With 26 New Franchise Commitments
Houston TX Hot Chicken is accelerating its national footprint with 26 new franchise commitments across Illinois, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New York, building on its momentum of over 100 units sold.
4) Ono Hawaiian BBQ Opens New Drive-Thru Location in Maricopa, AZ with Island-Style Grand Opening
Ono Hawaiian BBQ is expanding its Arizona presence with a new drive-thru location in Maricopa, featuring a grand opening celebration on January 23 with live performances and a buy-one-get-one-free special.
5) Moxies’ Florida Momentum Reaches West Palm Beach with March Opening
Moxies is expanding its Florida footprint with a new premium casual dining destination set to debut at CityPlace in West Palm Beach on March 19.
6) Nothing Bundt Cakes Named America’s #1 Food Brand for Second Year in a Row
Nothing Bundt Cakes has been named America’s No. 1 Food Brand for the second consecutive year and is celebrating with a nationwide BOGO Bundtlet offer and a VIP sweepstakes to its Dallas headquarters.
7) Shell-ebrate the Return of Red Lobster’s Iconic Lobsterfest with Craveable New Dishes and Drinks
Red Lobster has officially relaunched its annual Lobsterfest event featuring a diverse lineup of new seasonal dishes like Lobster Pasta au Gratin and the return of the classic Lobsterfest Duo.
8) Jersey Mike’s Subs Launches Mike’s Hot Italian Sub For a Limited Time
Jersey Mike’s Subs is celebrating its 70th anniversary with the nationwide launch of Mike’s Hot Italian, the first-ever grilled Italian sub in the brand’s history featuring hand-chopped meats and signature pepper relish.
9) JINYA Ramen Bar Makes Its New York Debut with First Long Island Location
JINYA Ramen Bar is making its highly anticipated New York debut with the opening of a new Lake Grove location on January 21, featuring signature slow-simmered broths and handcrafted noodles.
10) Red Robin Introduces New Big YUMMM Deals Value Menu Starting at $9.99
Red Robin is elevating the casual dining experience this year with the January 26 launch of its Big YUMMM Deals value menu, offering several meal combinations and bottomless sides starting at $9.99.
11) From Disney to Blockbuster, Hollywood Entertainment to Robeks, Mitch Baker Launches Ignito Advisors
Former Robeks Vice President of Marketing Mitch Baker has launched Ignito Advisors, a Phoenix-based consultancy offering fractional CMO and brand strategy services for growth-oriented franchise and restaurant brands.
12) Angry Chickz Wraps 2025 With New Markets, Store Openings and National Industry Recognition
Angry Chickz concluded 2025 with significant momentum, achieving a 21% increase in same-store sales while expanding its footprint into Texas and signing multi-unit development deals for several new states.
13) Paris Baguette Hits Record 77 Café Openings in 2025, Prepares for 400th North American Location
Paris Baguette achieved record-breaking growth in 2025 with 77 new café openings and the start of a new $200 million manufacturing facility, positioning the brand to surpass 400 North American locations in 2026.
14) Sloan’s Ice Cream Fuels National Expansion with New Texas Franchise Growth and Multiple Store Openings
Sloan’s Ice Cream is accelerating its national footprint with new franchise signings in San Antonio and an upcoming opening in Plano, marking Texas as a primary growth market for the whimsical dessert brand.
15) CRISP & GREEN Proudly Partners With Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson East & Husband Andrew East
CRISP & GREEN has partnered with Olympic Gold Medalist Shawn Johnson East and entrepreneur Andrew East as brand ambassadors to champion healthy, chef-crafted menu options that fuel busy lifestyles.
16) City Barbeque Brings Smoky Flavor to Rocket City
City Barbeque is expanding its presence into Alabama with the grand opening of its first slow-smoked barbeque location in Huntsville on February 9.
17) Kung Fu Tea Elevates Guest Experience with Tattle’s AI-Powered Guest Feedback Platform
Kung Fu Tea has partnered with Tattle to implement an AI-driven guest feedback platform across its 350+ locations, aiming to enhance operational performance and beverage quality through automated sentiment analysis.
18) Kura Sushi USA, Inc. Unveils New Perfect Pair Lunch Combo
Kura Sushi USA is bringing back its Perfect Pair limited-time lunch combo, offering diners a choice of select ramen and hand roll combinations for $13.75 on weekdays through March 31.
19) Mexican Sugar Coming Soon to Austin’s The Domain
Mexican Sugar is expanding its footprint in Texas with a new nearly 11,000-square-foot location at The Domain in Austin this spring, offering scratch-made Latin cuisine and an extensive collection of over 150 tequilas and mezcals.
20) Nick the Greek Opens Second Nashville Location
Nick the Greek continues its rapid national expansion with the opening of a second Nashville location in the Inglewood neighborhood, marking a significant step toward the brand’s goal of reaching 100 restaurants by mid-2026.