fast food chains

McDonald's Sales Drop for First Time Since 2003

McDonald's is having trouble stomaching the competition. The world's biggest hamburger chain said Thursday that global revenue fell for the first time in nearly a decade in October, as the company faced intensifying competition and a challenging economy.

How Burger King Can Win After IPO: A Fast Food Expert's Recipe

The competition has been eating Burger King's lunch for awhile, but its recent changes gave it a boost. Now, its new status as a public company could light a fire under the No. 3 burger chain, says analyst Steven West. Here's his recipe for Burger King's post-IPO success.

Easing Ronald McDonald Out of a Job

He's becoming notably absent these days. Fighting back against more upscale chains, McDonald's is more focused now on selling profitable coffee drinks and salads -- and downplaying its namesake clown, who's more associated with Big Macs and Happy Meals.

Food Fight: KFC and Franchisees Disagree on Ad Strategy

A judge in Louisville, Ky., has ruled that KFC must cooperate with franchisees on advertising, but that it can nix campaigns that it believes could hurt the brand. Disagreement over whether KFC should emphasize its fried or grilled chicken sparked the dispute.

McDonald's CFO on How It Aims to Supersize Growth

McDonald's boosted its profit last year with the launch of new beverages and expansion in emerging markets. Can it keep up the growth this year as food prices rise? Chief Financial Officer Peter Bensen discusses the fast-food giant's strategy with DailyFinance.

The Taco Bell Beef Suit: Not All Processed Foods Are Evil

A new lawsuit against Taco Bell claims processed beef used by the fast food giant contains mostly fillers. Taco Bell vigorously denies the claim, but the litigation is drawing new attention to the years-long controversy over processed meats.

Starbucks Unveils New 'Coffee'-less Logo

Starbucks, the world's largest coffee-shop chain, on Wednesday unveiled a new logo that retains its iconic green mermaid but no longer includes the word "coffee," reflecting the company's efforts to expand sales through a broader array of menu and consumer-product items.

McDonald's Is Out to Shake Up the Milkshake

The ice cream drinks have been a fast-food favorite for decades. Now, McDonald's is considering giving them a new look -- serving the shakes in see-through plastic cups instead of the current white paper cup familiar to customers the world over.

Pretzel Logic: Will Auntie Anne Lead Focus to an IPO?

Little-known Focus Brands owns chains like Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky's and Moe's Southwest Grill. It now also owns Auntie Anne's, founded by Annie Beiler (pictured). Her pretzels could help Focus go public at some point.