Dig into Meal Bundles Fit for All Royal Gatherings LOS ANGELES, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Round Table Pizza, a leading pizza franchise owned by FAT Brands Inc. known for its commitment to quality and authenticity, is giving its fans the royal treatment with a freshly baked catering program, featuring four meal bundles boasting fan-favorite menu items, and perfection in every bite. Each catering bundle brings bold flavor, and incorporates signature offerings, including specialty pizzas, irresistible ...

Starbucks saw a coordinated walkout by more than 1,000 unionised baristas across the United States on Thursday, aligning their open-ended strike with one of the company's busiest days of the year: Red... ...

Core Viewpoint - Cracker Barrel's share price has declined by 30% since the company reaffirmed its commitment to a transformation plan that has not restored investor confidence, leading to calls for significant changes in leadership and strategy [1][2][3]. Share Price and Market Performance - The share price of Cracker Barrel has seen a 70% decline over the past five years, with a current market value of approximately $667.8 million, down from $2.0 billion when CEO Julie Masino was appointed [10]. - Short interest in Cracker Barrel stock is high, around 25%, indicating that short sellers expect further declines in the stock price despite the existing losses [4][5]. Leadership and Governance - Biglari Capital is urging shareholders to vote against the election of certain directors, including CEO Julie Masino, at the upcoming annual meeting, emphasizing the need for a new leader with turnaround experience in the restaurant sector [3][6]. - The board's insistence on continuing the current transformation plan is viewed as a significant risk to the company's survival, as it fails to acknowledge the need for change [2][4]. Shareholder Actions - Shareholders are encouraged to participate in the upcoming meeting to hold the board accountable for the substantial loss in shareholder value and to signal that the current status quo is unacceptable [6][8]. - Independent proxy advisory firms have recommended voting against the election of incumbent directors, reinforcing the call for leadership change at Cracker Barrel [11].

Core Points - Over 1,000 unionized Starbucks baristas initiated a strike at 65 stores across major U.S. cities, protesting stalled labor negotiations with the company [1][2] - The strike coincided with Starbucks' Red Cup Day, a significant event for the company, aimed at disrupting operations during one of its busiest periods [1][2] - Workers are demanding better staffing, increased hours, higher pay, and resolution of over 700 pending unfair labor practice cases [5][7] Labor Relations - The union, Starbucks Workers United, claims the company is engaging in union-busting tactics and has refused to negotiate a fair contract [2][5] - The strike is expected to continue through the holiday season if no agreement is reached, with more stores potentially joining [5] - A Starbucks spokesperson stated that the strike would impact less than 1% of its coffeehouses, with most locations remaining operational [7][8] Company Response - Starbucks has expressed disappointment over the strike, noting that the union represents less than 4% of its workforce and urging a return to negotiations [8] - The company claims to offer competitive pay and benefits, averaging over $30 per hour for hourly partners [10] - Since December 2021, over 12,000 workers at nearly 650 stores have unionized, but progress on a first contract has stalled despite ongoing negotiations [11]

Core Insights - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. has announced a franchise agreement for its Heal Wellness brand in London, Ontario, marking a step in its asset-light expansion strategy across Canada [1][3] - Heal Wellness specializes in quick-service offerings such as smoothie bowls and smoothies, targeting health-conscious consumers [1][3] Company Expansion - The London franchise is part of Heal's strategy to establish itself as North America's leading smoothie bowl chain, focusing on organic growth and strong unit economics [3] - Heal currently operates 27 locations and has over 168 in development, contributing to Happy Belly's portfolio of 626 contractually committed retail franchise locations across various stages of development [5] Market Potential - London is identified as an ideal market due to its vibrant neighborhoods, strong daytime traffic, and a large student population from Western University, which has approximately 44,000 students [3] - The franchisee will utilize Happy Belly's proven operational strategies to enhance unit economics and expedite the opening process [3]

Core Points - Thousands of baristas are striking on Red Cup Day, aiming to finalize their first contract with Starbucks amid ongoing labor negotiations [1][2][5] - The strike involves over 65 stores across 40 US cities, disrupting a major sales promotion that typically sees a significant increase in customer visits [2][3] - The union has organized multiple strikes since 2023, with the current work stoppage being the fourth and the third since the new CEO took over [3][4] Labor Relations - Baristas have been attempting to ratify their collective bargaining agreement since December 2021, but negotiations collapsed in December 2022 [5][6] - Starbucks claims the union walked away from negotiations, while the union insists it is ready to bargain and is awaiting new proposals from Starbucks [6][7] - The union has reported increased interest in joining since Starbucks' recent restructuring, which involved closing over 600 stores and laying off thousands [7][8] Regulatory Environment - The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been understaffed, causing delays in union elections and leaving some baristas without full protections under labor laws [9][10] - The lack of sufficient NLRB staffing has hindered the ability of new stores to unionize, complicating the labor landscape for Starbucks [11] Shareholder and Legislative Pressure - Shareholders and lawmakers are increasingly concerned about labor tensions affecting Starbucks' turnaround efforts, with over 100 lawmakers urging the company to negotiate fairly [13][14] - A group of shareholders has expressed worries about the impact of labor disputes on the company's reputation and stock price, which has declined over 5% this year [15][16] - The company's recent fiscal report indicated a 1% increase in Q4 comparable sales globally, marking the first sales increase in seven quarters [15]

Core Points - Starbucks Workers United initiated an open-ended strike on Red Cup Day, impacting over 1,000 baristas in more than 65 stores across at least 40 cities [1] - The strike follows a failure to reach a collective bargaining agreement, with the union demanding better hours, higher wages, and resolution of unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks [3][4] - The strike poses a risk to Starbucks' business during the crucial holiday season, which is vital for the company's performance turnaround under new CEO Brian Niccol [2] Company and Union Dynamics - Starbucks and the union have not engaged in active negotiations since talks broke down late last year, despite entering mediation in February [4] - Workers United claims to represent over 12,000 workers across more than 550 stores, while Starbucks states the union represents only 9,500 workers at 550 cafes [4] - The union is prepared to escalate the strike, threatening to make it the largest and longest in the company's history if demands are not met [5] Company Response - Starbucks maintains that it offers competitive pay and benefits, averaging over $30 per hour for hourly partners, and has expressed willingness to negotiate [7] - The company has stated it is prepared to serve customers across its nearly 18,000 stores during the holiday season despite the strike [6] - Starbucks' Chief Partner Officer emphasized the company's commitment to bargaining and expressed hope for a swift resolution if the union returns to the negotiating table [8]

Core Viewpoint - A fast casual pizza chain, Papa John's International Inc., is experiencing a significant decline in its Momentum scores amid broader industry challenges and disappointing financial results [1][4]. Company Performance - Papa John's Momentum score in Benzinga's Edge Rankings fell from 74.62 to 29.39 within a week, primarily due to third-quarter results that missed consensus estimates [4]. - The company's net income dropped sharply from $42 million last year to just $4 million, and same-store sales decreased by 3% year-over-year [5]. - The stock has declined by 10.65% over the past month and 5.82% year-to-date, following the withdrawal of a bid by Apollo Global Management to take the company private [5]. Industry Context - The fast casual pizza sector is facing broad-based headwinds, including trade, tariffs, and other macroeconomic issues, which are impacting overall performance [1].

What's next for the salad chain after another dismal earnings report?Sweetgreen (SG +2.68%) may be on its way to having one of the worst years in restaurant stock history. Year to date through Nov. 10, shares of the fast-casual salad chain are down 83% for the year, and down 88% from its peak last November. It's unusual for a restaurant stock to suffer such a rapid decline, especially when there isn't an obvious culprit. There hasn't been a crushing recession or a blunder like Chipotle's E. coli crisis back ...

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