Dirty soda grows at Swig, Taco Bell, PepsiCo

Utah-based drink chain Swig coined “dirty soda” back in 2010. Fifteen years later, the trend is fueling innovation everywhere from PepsiCo to McDonald’s, infusing the sluggish beverage category with new life. “Dirty soda” drinks use pop as a base, followed by flavored syrups, cream or other ingredients. While Swig claims credit — and the trademark…

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Cracker Barrel Q4 2025 Earnings

In an aerial view, a Cracker Barrel sign featuring the old logo hangs on a sign outside of a restaurant on Aug. 27, 2025 in Florida City, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Cracker Barrel Old Country Store said Wednesday the restaurant chain is focusing on enhancing its experiences for guests after it faced intense…

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Matcha mania turns the green powder into gold

A recent surge in matcha’s popularity has led to a global matcha shortage, driven by soaring demand and limited production in Japan, where high-quality matcha is grown. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images TOKYO — When Chitose Nagao retired after nearly three decades in advertising to start a matcha cafe, she never imagined lines…

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The rise of upscale Indian restaurants in the U.S.

Semma restaurant in New York, NY. Courtesy: Steven Hall Executive Chef Vikas Khanna has plated hundreds of thousands of dinners over the past 20 years — and he’s seen firsthand just how much Indian cuisine has evolved in the U.S. Khanna, a world-renowned Indian restaurateur, created Junoon, his high-end Indian restaurant in New York City,…

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How GLP-1s, Wegovy, Zepbound are reshaping the economy

Eternalcreative | Istock | Getty Images Miracle drugs, obesity treatments and skinny jabs. Call them what you will, few drugs have had a more transformative effect on Wall Street and waistlines over recent decades than GLP-1s. Familiarly known under the brand names Wegovy and Zepbound, Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are a class of medication used to…

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Chipotle teams up with Zipline to test drone food delivery

Chipotle is teaming up with drone delivery leader Zipline to test autonomous food delivery. Beginning Thursday, select customers in the greater Dallas area will have the option to use the so-called Zipotle delivery through an early access program in the Zipline app. Zipline’s autonomous aircraft will deliver orders to customers’ homes from a Rowlett, Texas Chipotle…

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Starbucks expands test of coconut water beverages

Starbucks’ Coco Matcha and Coco Cold Brew drinks. Courtesy: Starbucks Starbucks will expand its test of coconut water beverages to hundreds of more stores, as it leans further into health and wellness. Starting Thursday, the coffee giant will test its Coco Matcha and Coco Cold Brew drinks in more than 400 stores across major cities…

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Is it here to stay or just a fad?

Bubble tea may have started as a playful drink, but it has grown into an industry worth billions.  The global bubble tea market size will grow from $2.83 billion in 2025 to $4.78 billion by 2032, according to a report from Fortune Business Insights. This year, three Chinese bubble tea chains — Mixue Group, Guming…

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