fast food restaurants

Burger King is dusting off its crown and going public again. The world's No. 2 hamburger chain, which is in the midst of overhauling its menu and stores, says it expects to relist its shares on the New York Stock Exchange within the next three months.

When Burger King set about to fix its ailing empire, the fast food giant started by scrutinizing everything on the menu -- even the mayonnaise.

McDonald's and other fast-food establishments recently garnered praise from First Lady Michelle Obama for making great strides toward "making America healthier." But how admirable have their efforts really been? Here's a closer look at the likely effects of changes to the happy meal -- and a different business's better efforts.

Kentucky Fried Chicken says it is shutting down its fryers for good in Fiji, saying the government compromised its so-called famous blend of 11 herbs and spices by stopping KFC from importing key ingredients. Fiji says that's just an excuse.

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.

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.

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.

The New Year brings new hope to the restaurant industry, which suffered heavily during the harsh, eat-at-home recession. As a result, the number of restaurants have dwindled nationwide. But Goldman Sachs says this is very good news for three companies in particular.

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.

McDonald's Corp. plans to raise prices in 2011 in anticipation of higher commodity costs and a hope that an improving economy will mean diners returning to fast-food restaurants instead of cooking at home. The company projects that commodity costs will rise 2-3% in 2011, Chief Financial Officer...