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Texas Roadhouse, chick-fil-a, James Beard Awards. Nation's Restaurant News | Published: July 16, 2026 | By Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, Lisa Jennings Get all the headlines in today's Restaurant Daily podcast. July 16, 2026 Texas Roadhouse is testing delivery in a few restaurants, via a white-label partnership with DoorDash. The chain has long resisted delivery due to concerns about its impact on food quality, and sales have been so strong that it hasn't really needed it. But if it works, it could be a source of incremental sales down the line. Chick-fil-A is modernizing more than 200 playgrounds within its domestic system by the end of this year. They will now feature multisensory designs and interactive games, and are part of the chain's broader objective of creating a place of connection for families and the community. Some operators, for example, provide free Icedream to families who leave their phones in a designated box during mealtimes, or host events like sneaker decorating competitions. The company has also launched a new collection of kids' meals toys, including 3D playsets and activity books. Will the James Beard Awards ceremony be leaving Chicago? The James Beard Foundation on Wednesday launched a national search for the next site for the multi-day event, often called the Oscars of the food world. The ceremony, which celebrates independent chefs and restaurateurs, has only been held in New York and Chicago since it began in 1991. It has been held at Chicago's Lyric Opera for 11 years, and it will remain there for the next two. But for 2029 through 2033, cities are invited to make a bid for the event, including Chicago. The Beard Awards have become quite an economic generator. This year's ceremony in mid-June was estimated to generate about $17 million for the local economy. Get all the headlines in today's Restaurant Daily podcast. Leigh Anne Zinsmeister Managing Editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister is a managing editor for Informa's Foodservice Media, with brands including Nation's Restaurant News, Restaurant Business, and Foodservice Director. Leigh Anne works on all of the brands' special reports, including Nation's Restaurant News' annual Technomic Top 500 report. She also manages the group's digital engagement team. Leigh Anne lives in New York City, but also claims Phoenix, Dallas and Cleveland as hometowns. Leigh Anne holds a bachelor's degree in print journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she also studied European history. Leigh Anne Zinsmeister's experience: * Group Managing Editor, Foodservice Media (June 2026-present) * Group Managing Editor, Informa's Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-June 2026) * Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021) * Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020) * Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018) * Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016) * Wire Editor, Gannett's Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014) Group Managing Editor, Foodservice Media (June 2026-present) Group Managing Editor, Informa's Foodservices Vertical (Aug. 2021-June 2026) Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-Aug. 2021) Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020) Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018) Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016) Wire Editor, Gannett's Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014) Lisa Jennings Executive Editor, Restaurant Business Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Her experience includes other industry publications as well as the daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., where she was Food Editor. Her work has been cited in the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, FoodBeast, The Huffington Post, Time.com and more. Content Spotlight The Technomic Top 500: another tough year for chain restaurants. Top 500 chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, but sectors like coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken thrived Featured. Jul 16, 2026 Jul 8, 2026 Content Spotlight Get to know Rick Cardenas, the Darden CEO who started there as a busser. The executive shares his advice, along with his most-binged TV show, favorite sports team, and most-used app

Shake Shack vs. Texas Roadhouse: which popular restaurant chain is the better stock to buy in 2026? Shake Shack's 15% revenue growth and improving margins clash with Texas Roadhouse's $342M free cash flow and lower valuation multiples. Key points. * Shake Shack leverages a high-growth, urban-focused model with expanding international licensing and digital ordering platforms. * Texas Roadhouse maintains a massive domestic footprint and strong net margins through a company-operated steakhouse strategy. * Which restaurant stock deserves a spot in your portfolio for 2026? * Motley Fool Issues Rare "Total Conviction" Buy Alert" As dining habits shift in 2026, investors must weigh the high-growth potential of Shake Shack (SHAK +4.05%) against the steady, cash-generative powerhouse that is Texas Roadhouse (TXRH +1.31%) to determine the better buy. SHAK & TXRH: performance comparison. SHAK (Shake Shack) TXRH (Texas Roadhouse) Key Financial metrics. SHAK - Shake Shack + 4.05 % (+ $ 2.28) TXRH - Texas Roadhouse + 1.31 % (+ $ 2.46) Market Cap 52wk Range $ 51.60 - $ 142.20 Gross Margin Dividend & Yield Market Cap 52wk Range $ 153.82 - $ 197.00 Gross Margin Dividend & Yield $2.86 (1.51%) Shake Shack excels as a fast-casual leader, focusing on premium ingredients and a modern digital experience. Conversely, Texas Roadhouse dominates casual dining with a massive, mostly company-operated network of steakhouses. While both navigate rising costs, they offer distinct risk-reward profiles for investors seeking exposure to the restaurant industry. The case for Shake Shack. Shake Shack operates in the fast-casual space, selling premium burgers, chicken, and its namesake shakes to an urban-centric customer base. Its footprint includes 390 company-operated locations and 289 licensed units across the United States and several international hubs. The company relies on a single national broadline distributor for nearly 95% of its ingredients, and such customer concentration adds a layer of risk to the business. In FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $1.5 billion, representing approximately 15% growth over the prior year. The company reported net income of just over $45.7 million. This result reflects a net margin of roughly 3.2%, up from 0.8% in the previous fiscal year. On its FY2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 1.7x, representing total debt relative to what shareholders own in the business. Free cash flow, calculated as cash from operations minus capital spending, was $56.5 million for the fiscal year. The case for Texas Roadhouse. Texas Roadhouse operates a large-scale casual dining system primarily consisting of its flagship steakhouse brand. The company operates a portfolio that includes Bubba's 33 and Jaggers, though the namesake steakhouse remains the primary engine among consumer discretionary stocks in the dining space. As of late 2025, the system included 816 restaurants, with a heavy focus on company-operated locations rather than a pure franchise model. In FY 2025, total revenue reached nearly $5.9 billion, a growth rate of approximately 9.5% compared to the previous year. Net income for the period was close to $405.6 million. This generated a net margin of roughly 6.9%, showing a slight decrease from the 8.1% net margin reported in 2024. In its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio is roughly 1.3x. The current ratio is approximately 0.5x, suggesting the company maintains a leaner cushion for immediate obligations. For the same fiscal period, free cash flow was about $342 million, providing significant cash to fund operations and expansion. Risk profile comparison. Supply chain concentration is a primary concern for Shake Shack, as the company relies on a single distributor and a limited pool of beef processors. It also faces operational risks from licensed units where it lacks day-to-day control over brand standards. Finally, the rapid expansion of digital ordering via platforms such as kiosks increases exposure to potential data breaches and cybersecurity threats. Commodity cost inflation poses a significant threat to Texas Roadhouse, as its profitability is highly sensitive to fluctuating beef prices. The business also carries geographic concentration risk, with approximately 21% of company-operated restaurants located in Texas and Florida. Furthermore, persistent labor market pressures and rising wages could strain operating margins if the company cannot retain enough qualified personnel. Valuation comparison. Texas Roadhouse trades at a lower earnings multiple, while Shake Shack appears more attractive based on its total revenue relative to market value. | Metric | Shake Shack | Texas Roadhouse | Sector Benchmark | | Forward P/E | 52.4x | 29.6x | 93.3x | | P/S ratio | 1.6x | 2.1x | n/a | Sector benchmark uses the SPDR XLY sector ETF. Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers. Which stock would I buy in 2026? In the current 'K-shaped' economic environment in the U.S., where the wealthy continue to see their situation improve while the average consumer feels squeezed, affordable dining options like Texas Roadhouse and Shake Shack are a good place to look for restaurant investments. Where to invest $1,000 right now. When its analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is 929% - a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. They just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... *Stock Advisor returns as of July 6, 2026 While the U.S. economy continues to grow, Texas Roadhouse's customer remains somewhat wary of increasing spending. The company reported labor and food cost inflation that outpaced the growth in foot traffic. That suggests some weakness for the chain. Texas Roadhouse's locations are overweighted in Texas and Florida, the latter of which is particularly sensitive to consumer spending cuts during tight economic times. Shake Shack, meanwhile, reported that foot traffic to locations increased for the third-straight quarter in the first quarter of 2026. The company is pushing a 'We Really Cook' campaign designed to differentiate the chain from others through its commitment to fresh ingredients and on-site cooking. For 2026, analysts expect Shack Shake sales to grow neaerly 16%, though with roughly the same net income. Texas Roadhouse, on the other hand, is seen growing sales by about 11%, and while net income will grow, it won't keep pace with revenue, so the overall net margin should decline. Shake Shack's growth is appealing, and while its forward price-to-earnings ratio is a premium, its lower price-to-sales ratio suggests there is value to capture for a long-term investor compared to Texas Roadhouse. Should you buy stock in Shake Shack right now? Before you buy stock in Shake Shack, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Shake Shack wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of its recommendation, you'd have $395,679!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of its recommendation, you'd have $1,294,805!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 929% - a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. *Stock Advisor returns as of July 11, 2026.

Texas Roadhouse sports bar concept coming to Reynoldsburg. A new sports bar from Texas Roadhouse is headed for Central Ohio, with plans in the works for a Reynoldsburg location at the former TGI Friday's site on Taylor Road. Video Muted The restaurant would go at 2928 Taylor Road, replacing the building that previously housed the last remaining TGI Fridays in the area before it closed in 2024. If approved, plans call for tearing down the existing structure and building a new 6,686-square-foot Bubba's 33 restaurant. Bubba's 33 is a full-service sports bar and casual dining concept owned by Texas Roadhouse Inc. The menu leans heavily into comfort food staples like burgers, pizza, wings, sandwiches, and beer, with plenty of TVs throughout the space for watching games. The concept first launched in 2013 and has grown to more than 50 locations across the country. According to company figures, each location averages about $122,000 in weekly sales. "Bubba" was founder Kent Taylor's nickname, and "33" is a nod to 1933, the year Prohibition ended in America. This Reynoldsburg location is part of a bigger Central Ohio expansion for Texas Roadhouse Inc. The company is also working on two local locations of its fast-casual burger chain Jaggers at 1351 Polaris Parkway and 837 Refugee Road in Pickerington. Texas Roadhouse has said it expects to open multiple Bubba's 33 and Jaggers locations each year as both brands continue to grow. There is no official opening timeline yet for the Reynoldsburg restaurant, but this is one to keep an eye on if you live on the east side or frequent the Taylor Road corridor. Chelsea Wiley, first of her name, Queen of the Seven Andals... wait. That's not right. Joking aside, Chelsea is a writer and photographer born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She is an avid reader and a lover of animals. Columbus in your inbox Join 13,000 locals. Free, daily.