Longhorn Steakhouse

The tables are turning in the casual dining industry. Outback Steakhouse, which sold itself to a private equity group, is gearing up to go public. At the same time, publicly held Benihana is looking for a way out.

If you're finding it a bit easier to snag a table at your favorite restaurant lately, don't go crediting your debonair charm or your glowing Yelp review. Eateries really are less crowded these days.

Spending for the lovers' holiday this year is expected to climb 5.8% over 2009, and that spells opportunity for investors. Here are some greeting card, candy, jewelry, flower and restaurant stocks that could get a lift from sweethearts looking for that special something.

These days, you can go just about anywhere for a cheap lunch. Taco Bell has their 79-89-99 cents menu; Burger King and McDonald's have similar values. But the real questions is "How much quality do you get for your loose change?" There's nothing wrong with bean burritos from Taco Bell. In fact,...

Whenever I dine out, I always strive to keep the bill under $20 per person, tip included. Of course, it all depends on the quality, décor and type of restaurant, but for most middle-of-the-road type establishments, getting out with a bill of under $40 for two is quite an accomplishment --...

Although McDonald's retired the "super-sized" option from its menus in 2004, chain restaurants continue to redefine the size of a typical serving of food, often doubling or tripling official government serving sizes, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. While a typical...