Evercore ISI’s David Palmer explains why he’s watching the casual dining space heading into 2026

It has been a choppy year for the restaurant business and the food industry as high hopes early in the year were dashed by some weak consumer sentiment and the cost of tariffs. Value deals and discount campaigns have helped turn some brands around, but many are still struggling. Here to discuss what to watch for in the next year is David Palmer, senior managing director at Evercore ISI.Uh David, good to see you. Happy holidays. >> Thank you. Happy holidays to you.>> Um is this does this all rotate around co ...