Urban Bird Hot Chicken, Restaurant Turnarounds, Hot Head Burritos, QDOBA, and Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom lead RestaurantNews.com’s Top 20 stories for the week ending April 20, 2025.
1) Urban Bird Hot Chicken Opens 18th Location in Grand Prairie, With 11 More Scheduled for 2025
Known for its bold Nashville-style flavors, crispy hand-breaded chicken, and loaded fries, Urban Bird continues to spread its wings across Texas.
2) From Decline to Dominance: Restaurant Turnarounds
The restaurant industry is at a tipping point. Some brands are collapsing – Red Lobster and TGI Fridays, for example, went bankrupt and are restructuring – while others, even in casual dining, are thriving. What separates the winners from the losers?
3) Hot Head Burritos Wraps Q1 with Growth, Innovation and Industry Recognition
Hot Head Burritos entered 2025 with strong momentum, advancing its growth strategy through new restaurant openings, nationwide industry recognition and new menu innovations jam-packed with flavor that cater to a variety of diets and lifestyles.
4) QDOBA Mexican Eats Opens Newest Restaurant on CSU Pueblo Campus
Aladdin Campus Dining opened the highly anticipated QDOBA, a leading fast-casual Mexican restaurant named by USA Today’s “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” for six years running, on the campus of Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo).
5) Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom Celebrates Great Falls Opening
Famous pizza and taproom commemorated its grand opening with ribbon-cutting, giveaway and local charity support.
6) Krystal Celebrates Opening of First Location in Tyler
Iconic Southern brand kicks off a new era of growth with strategic expansion into high-traffic, non-traditional spaces.
7) Golden Corral Favorites to Debut in Southern Pines, NC
Golden Corral, the nation’s go-to buffet for quality, variety and value, will debut its highly anticipated fast-casual concept Golden Corral Favorites – created to meet modern guests’ dining preferences without compromising on the quality and flavors they know and love.
8) East Coast Wings + Grill Ignites Taste Buds with Limited-Time Sweet Heat Wave Menu
Available now at participating locations, the new menu features six crave worthy creations starring the mouthwatering duo of peach and mango: two fruity powerhouses that balance smoky sweetness with a satisfying kick.
9) Curry Up Now to Bring Reimagined Indian Classics to Flower Mound
Curry Up Now in Flower Mound will serve up the brand’s renowned flavor-forward fare, including craveable favorites like Tikka Masala Burritos, Deconstructed Samosas, Indian Street Foods, Naughty Naan and Sexy Fries.
10) Happy Joe’s Brings Pizza, Ice Cream and Smiles to the Sunshine State
The newest Happy Joe’s location features fan-favorite menu items, including using real smoked Brisket on their BBQ Brisket pizza, and the iconic Taco Joe pizza, a Midwest favorite topped with ground beef, refried beans, taco sauce, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes.
11) Love Is Sweet for Texas Couple Preparing To Become Mr. & Mrs. Blizzard
When Olivia Morris fell in love with Bradley Blizzard, she had no idea her future last name would lead to a dreamy collaboration with one of the most iconic treats in America.
12) Harrington Family Continues Huddle House Expansion in Georgia
Father-son duo Scooter and Wil Harrington are expanding their relationship with Huddle House and bringing the iconic brand to Soperton, GA. The franchisees currently own and operate seven other Huddle House restaurants across South Georgia.
13) Grand Opening Celebration of Holmdel Paris Baguette Café on April 19 as the Brand Continues to Dominate the Bakery Café Space
Paris Baguette is looking to reach the 1,000-unit mark in the U.S. & Canada by 2030 and working to expand through meaningful partnerships with local entrepreneurs who show a genuine interest in uniting their neighbors through connections over fresh baked goods and artisan coffee beverages.
14) Dickey’s Expands Its Footprint in Canada with New Location Coming Soon to Sherwood Park
With 866 locations across eight concepts worldwide, Dickey’s is building on its Alberta success by teaming up with local entrepreneurs Nabeil Moussa and Ahmad Arwell to bring its signature slow-smoked flavor to Sherwood Park.
15) Cheba Hut Blazes into the Heartland with First Stop in Lincoln
Aaron and Andrea Remaklus, the homies behind the expansion, signed an area development agreement in January and are wasting no time amping up brand growth in the Midwest.
16) Sammy’s Sliders Enters Q2 Targeting Raleigh to Serve Up Next Phase of Franchise Growth
Led by award-winning chef Sammy Gianopoulos and franchising veteran Sam G. Ballas, Sammy’s Sliders is ramping up its franchise expansion in North Carolina, with a strong focus on Raleigh and the surrounding Research Triangle area.
17) Panera Introduces First-Of-Its-Kind Croissant Toast Sandwiches to Lunch and Dinner Menus, Launches “It Just Meals Good” Brand Platform
The Croissant Toast Sandwiches headline a spring lunch and dinner menu refresh that also features the introduction of new menu items including the Strawberry Chicken Caprese Salad.
18) Mr Brews Taphouse Taps into Little Rock with First Arkansas Location
Mr Brews Taphouse, the full-service craft brew pub slinging burgers and brews with a side of ex-beer-ience, is officially open for business in the Natural State.
19) The Butchery Announces Manhattan Beach Location, Bringing Premium Meats and Artisan Provisions to South Bay
The full-service butcher, kitchen, and gourmet grocer expands north with first Los Angeles County opening in summer 2025.
20) Dog Haus and Josh Elkin Flip The Game with the Bacon & Sausage Breakfast Chimichanga
Rolled in a flour tortilla and fried to golden perfection, the Bacon & Sausage Breakfast Chimichanga is packed with three scrambled eggs, chopped cheese breakfast sausage, crispy bacon, tater tots and miso ranch.
