chipotle mexican grill

With Panera and Chipotle Earnings, 'Fast Casual' Is Hot

Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill are the leaders in this new trend of '€˜fast casual'. That's the position between fast food and more formal restaurants with waiter service. It’s also the sweet spot in price. Both companies are out with solid quarterly earnings.

McDonald's November Sales Figure Rises

McDonald's said Monday that a key sales figure rose in November, as U.S. customers snapped up the world's biggest hamburger chain's breakfast offerings and limited-time Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches. The increase follows a decline in October.

Has McDonald's Menu Gotten Too Expensive?

McDonald's in October suffered its first monthly decline in comparable-store sales since 2003 -- and October is usually a good month for the burger giant. So what did Ronald do wrong? Too much focus on premium menu items, too little on what its customers really want: Low cost eats.

Wall Street Watch this Week: A Bummer Earnings Season Begins

Earnings season is here, and that's not necessarily a good thing. The profitability of all S&P 500 companies is expected to post its first year-over-year decline in nearly three years. Even information technology, a perceived bright spot, is struggling (excepting Apple).

Your Starbucks Fix Is About to Cost More

If your New Year's resolution was to pinch more pennies, Starbucks has some bad news. The coffee king is raising prices due to rising costs of coffee and milk. And they aren't the only restaurant chain getting ready to pass higher expenses on to their customers.

Don't Give Up On This Yummy Stock

The market wasn't overly impressed with Yum! Brands' quarterly report on Tuesday night. The company that watches over Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut has seen domestic business fall by 2% to 3% at each of its three chains. But Yum! fared substantially better in China, with its popular KFC scoring a whopping 19% spike in comps.

Test-Driving Chipotle's New ShopHouse Eatery

The hugely successful Chipotle Mexican Grill is branching out, at least tentatively: ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen has just opened in Washington D.C.'s Dupont Circle. Our reporter scouts the location, sampling lunch and taking in the already impressive crowd.

Five Restaurant Stocks Worth Sampling Now

Legendary investor Peter Lynch espoused the philosophy "Buy what you know." Well, who doesn't know restaurants? We know where the crowds are, and we know what we like to eat. Here are five chains that managed to grow during the market lull, positioning themselves perfectly for the future.

Do-Good Firms Brighten a Dismal Economy

Do you get a warm fuzzy feeling when you open your cupboards? If you use products made by companies like Method, King Arthur Flour Company, and Seventh Generation, you're supporting businesses officially certified as do-good corporations by the nonprofit B Lab -- where the "B" stands for "benefit."

Chipotle's Growth Plan May Fall Prey to High Food Costs

While Chipotle's fresh Mexican fare has many fans in the U.S., the company has also been adding new restaurants in Europe and is looking at further expansion worldwide. It reported impressive first quarter numbers -- but will higher food costs put the brakes on its expansion plans?

Beyond the Meal, Should You Buy P.F. Chang's Stock?

Asian food is growing in popularity, but casual dining is on a downward slide. Caught in the middle, chain restaurant P.F. Chang's could go either way. Here's a look at a stock that seems promising, but may be a bad bet.

Daily Blogwatch: Two Stocks Hotter Than Apple

Among today's top online stories for investors: Why holiday spending will surprise; two stocks hotter than AAPL; and are insiders trying to tell us something with all this selling?