Americas
Fast food holiday specials move beyond food
The arrival of December is intrinsically linked to Starbucks red cups and other festive themed items on menus across the nation and 2025 is no exception. Quickly gaining traction on social media is the candy cane crunch shake from Five Guys, which is a limited-time offer. McDonald’s has already brought back seasonal items, McRib and the Holiday Pie and, in a new move into retail, has partnered with Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch to launch The Grinch Meal, a new limited-time bundle inspired by the classic movie. It features a new dill pickle McShaker fries and includes a pair of Grinch themed socks, with other clothing items on offer to purchase.
Slight upward trend in restaurant sales
The National Restaurant Association has reported consumer spending in restaurants continued to trend higher in September, unlike other retail sectors that saw mixed results. Eating and drinking places registered total sales of $100.7bn on a seasonally adjusted basis in September, according to preliminary data from the US Census Bureau. That was up 0.7% from August’s upward-revised sales volume of $100bn. September represented the sixth sales gain in the last seven months, with only a modest dip in May interrupting the upward trend. As a result, eating and drinking place sales stood 6.7% above their year-ago levels in September – the seventh consecutive month with 12-month gains above 6%.
Asia Pacific
Lucky Cup reaches 10,000 stores
The coffee chain that was Founded by Mixue in 2017 reached a new milestone in 2025, Focused on offering low-priced coffee drinks, it has become one of China’s largest coffee chains after Luckin Coffee (30,000 stores) and Cotti Coffee (15,000 stores). Its USP is coffee drinks priced around $1 and aimed at a customer group of students and workers in smaller Chinese cities. Lucky Cup added more than 2,800 new stores (net) between 2022 and 2023, with growth hitting faster speeds this year. In October alone the chain opened more than 1000 stores, including around 100 in Beijing. It has also opened its first overseas stores, signalling a clear ambition to join Luckin in international expansion.
The Michelin Guide celebrates Thailand’s dining scene
The 2026 edition of The Michelin Guide to Thailand saw the announcement of a new 3-star restaurant as Sühring was promoted, thus becoming Thailand’s second restaurant to receive the Guide’s highest distinction. It also saw the announcement of eight restaurants holding two stars and 33 being awarded one star. There were five green stars, the Guide’s award for sustainable restaurants and 137 Bib Gourmand awards. Gwendal Poullennec, international director of The Michelin Guide, said “Thailand remains a vibrant destination for unique and diverse culinary experiences, with this year’s Michelin Guide brimming with exciting surprises and fresh developments. The latest edition showcases a broader range of cuisines, reflecting Thailand’s dynamic and ever-evolving food scene, driven by remarkable energy and creativity.”
Europe, Middle East, Africa
CEO of Domino’s Pizza UK steps down following controversial comments
Andrew Rennie has announced he is leaving his post heading up Domino’s Pizza UK. It follows a challenging time for the brand after it launched a chicken-focused sub-brand called Chick ‘N’ Dip earlier this year. Rennie described the move as a ‘bold new chapter’ – to meet the growing demand for fried chicken in the UK. He also seemed to suggest that here was no ‘massive growth’ left in the pizza sector in the UK, in an interview with the Financial Times. It is true that Domino’s reported declining pizza sales in the past few months, with inflation playing a part in customer demand. Chief operating officer Nicola Frampton will step in as interim CEO while the company look to recruit a replacement.
Popular British pub chain opens first Spain site
J D Wetherspoon, the large pub chain, famous for selling food and drinks at accessible prices across the UK, has announced its first foray abroad as it gets ready to launch the Castell de Santa Bàrbera pub in the departures area of Spain’s Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport. Alicante is a popular with British holidaymakers and the pub new doubt will likely be an attractive option for travellers returning home. The venue will offer a menu broadly in line with that of the group’s UK pubs, including breakfast items, burgers and pizzas along with dishes tailored to the local market such as garlic prawns and Spanish omelette. Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin stated a company intention to continue overseas openings in the future.
Tina Nielsen
