The iconic sandwich-franchise firm Subway IP LLC (Subway), founded as a partnership in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1965, had grown rapidly, and by 2024, it was the second-largest restaurant chain in the world, with approximately 37,000 restaurants. While the company had experienced some difficult years beginning in 2014, it began to rebound in 2022 with the introduction of the Subway Series menu and the Grab & Go smart fridge, an automated vending .....more

Teaching note for product W42186.

In December 2023, McDonald’s Corporation (McDonald’s) announced an ambitious growth plan that involved reaching 50,000 restaurants by 2027. In order to reach this unit count goal, McDonald’s planned to open approximately 7,000 new restaurants in China. The Chinese fast-food market was one of the world’s largest and was expected to grow in 2024 and beyond. Yet, it was littered with strong competition from both large US chains and local competitors. .....more

Teaching note for product W37579.

The iconic American fast-food chain Checkers Drive-In Restaurants Inc. (Checkers & Rally’s), headquartered in Tampa, Florida, found early success through its streamlined layout and operations. Nevertheless, it had financially struggled prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, impelling it to reflect on its existing strengths and to take strategic steps amid the pandemic to make an impressive recovery. In 2023, armed with newfound confidence from its previous .....more

Teaching note for product W34534.

Teaching note for product W37154.

In February 2024, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner announced that the company planned to test dynamic pricing at select US locations sometime in 2025. However, the company’s announcement generated a significant negative public reaction, to such an extent that Wendy’s felt compelled to offer US$1 burgers as part of a special “March Madness” promotion. As the company looked toward 2025, how should Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner plan to implement dynamic pricing in .....more

Teaching note for product W35287.

In late 2022, McDonald’s, one of America’s oldest and most iconic fast food companies, introduced a mostly automated store in Fort Worth, Texas. The only human employees at this store were in the kitchen and did not interact with consumers during the ordering or pick up of food. While some consumers liked this concept, it also received very negative reviews on social media, with some responses addressing the ethics of replacing human labour with robotics. .....more