Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America, Layne’s Chicken Fingers, Krispy Kreme, East Coast Wings + Grill, and Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending February 1, 2026.
1) Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2026
OpenTable research reveals that over half of Americans plan to dine out this Valentine’s Day as celebrations expand to include friends and solo dining alongside the release of the 2026 Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list.
2) Layne’s Chicken Fingers Ranked No. 366 on Entrepreneur’s 47th Annual Franchise 500
Layne’s Chicken Fingers has solidified its position as a rising national brand by earning the No. 366 spot on Entrepreneur’s 2026 Franchise 500 list following a year of record-breaking growth.
3) Krispy Kreme Returns Fan Favorite Chocomania Collection, Featuring All-New Doughnuts Glazed with HERSHEY’S Chocolate
Krispy Kreme has partnered with HERSHEY’S to launch the Chocomania Collection, a limited-time lineup featuring four new doughnuts entirely glazed in rich chocolate.
4) East Coast Wings + Grill Enters 2026 with Profitable Franchise Owners, Disciplined Growth and a Philosophy Proven Under Pressure
East Coast Wings + Grill enters 2026 with strong franchise-level profitability and a 14.72% net operating income, proving the resilience of its data-driven business model despite industry-wide economic pressure.
5) Layne’s Chicken Fingers Doubles Footprint, Welcomes 10 New Franchisees to the System in 2025 as It Ramps up for Another Record-Breaking Year
Layne’s Chicken Fingers achieved historic growth in 2025 by doubling its restaurant count and reaching 40 open units, setting the stage for continued expansion and record performance in 2026.
6) Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay Set to Land at Orlando International Airport
Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay is expanding its travel portfolio with a new location at Orlando International Airport (MCO), offering signature handcrafted burgers and milkshakes to millions of passengers.
7) Del Taco Brings Back Spicy Jack Quesadillas for a Limited Time
Del Taco is leaning into nostalgia with the limited-time return of its fan-favorite Spicy Jack cheese, now available in classic and chicken quesadillas at locations nationwide through March 23.
8) Friendly’s Introduces New Core Menu Highlights and Expands Happy Ending Menu
Friendly’s is refreshing its dining experience with an updated core menu and an expanded Happy Ending Menu, featuring new entrees like the Turkey Stack and Stir Fry alongside classic comfort favorites.
9) Best POS Systems for Restaurants: POSUSA Releases 2026 Ranking Guide
POSUSA has launched its updated 2026 guide to the best restaurant POS systems, providing side-by-side comparisons of leading platforms like SkyTab, Toast, Square, and Lightspeed to help operators improve efficiency.
10) A Milestone Year: Dog Haus Celebrates 15 Years and a New Era of Growth
Dog Haus enters 2026 with its largest development pipeline in history, celebrating 15 years of growth with domestic expansions into the Midwest and South alongside new international ventures.
11) Nothing Bundt Cakes Brings Back Banana Pudding Cake and Debuts Trendy Dubai Chocolate Flavor
Nothing Bundt Cakes is celebrating spring with the return of its fan-favorite Banana Pudding Cake and the debut of a limited-edition Dubai Chocolate flavor inspired by the latest global dessert trends.
12) Newk’s Eatery Caps 2025 with 10 Franchise Deals, Five New Locations and Key Leadership Hire
Newk’s Eatery concluded 2025 with strong momentum, securing 10 franchise deals and opening five new locations, including a high-traffic site at the University of Georgia.
13) The Wait is Over: Pan Pizza Has Entered a New Era at Papa Johns
Papa Johns is officially launching its reimagined Pan Pizza, featuring a crispy garlic parmesan crust, an indulgent six-cheese blend, and edge-to-edge toppings.
14) New Research Reveals How QSR and Fast Casual Restaurant Brands Win on Speed, Spend and Profitability
Starfleet Research has released a new global study revealing that while 74% of restaurant operators value predictive insights, only 18% feel very confident in their current ability to forecast daily sales and labor demand.
15) Applebee’s Offers Football Fans 20 Free Boneless Wings on Super Bowl Sunday
As the official NFL sponsor, Applebee’s is celebrating Super Bowl LX by offering guests 20 free boneless wings with any $40 online or mobile app purchase on Sunday, February 8.
16) Gong cha Global and Stray Kids’ Felix Extend Global Ambassadorship
Gong cha Global has officially renewed its partnership with K-Pop star Felix of Stray Kids, extending his role as Global Brand Ambassador into 2026 with new campaigns across the United States, Korea, Japan, and Australia.
17) Wasserstrom Acquires High-Caliber Foodservice Equipment & Design Firm
Wasserstrom Company has acquired Ohio-based Breckenridge Kitchen Equipment & Design to enhance its national equipment project management and advanced kitchen design capabilities.
18) Nick the Greek Grows Los Angeles County Presence With Burbank Opening
Nick the Greek continues its rapid California expansion with the opening of its 10th Los Angeles County location in Burbank, offering authentic Greek street food near Hollywood Burbank Airport.
19) Krystal Brings Signature Sliders North With First-Ever New Jersey Location
Krystal is making its Northeast debut this March with the opening of its first New Jersey location in Union, led by brand partner and former New York Giants star Victor Cruz.
20) Birdcall Spreads Its Wings with New Franchise Agreement in Starkville, Mississippi
Birdcall is expanding into Mississippi with a new franchise agreement to bring its award-winning all-natural chicken and elevated fast-casual dining to the historic State Theatre in Starkville this August.