Restaurant Chains That Are Making Big Changes In 2025
For many restaurant chains, 2024 was a rough year. As food prices climbed, Americans tightened their belts and opted to dine out less. Rising wages and operating costs further squeezed the industry, forcing many restaurant chains to close locations and file for bankruptcy.
But don't count any out just yet. The outlook for 2025 seems to be cautious optimism as many chains fight for survival and look for creative ways to win back and hold on to customers. As consumer habits evolve, favoring convenience, value, and purpose-driven brands, restaurants are adapting with speed and intention. Hungry for a comeback, many are betting on a blend of affordability, sustainability, AI, and upgraded customer experiences to define their 2025 playbook.
To get there, chains are cooking up everything from digital ordering to smaller restaurant formats and reinvented menus to spark buzz, build loyalty, and keep the crowds coming. From nostalgic favorites to modern mainstays, these fast food and casual dining chains are shaking it up to stay in the game.
Read more: Pizza Chains That Might Not Be Around Much Longer
Remember the $5 footlong? From increased foot traffic to nearly $4 billion in revenue, the famous footlong proved incredibly successful for Subway. But while the days of its $5 bargain are long gone, the sandwich chain continues to pay homage to the famous footlong. In 2024, Subway added footlong desserts -- think ruler-sized cookies and untwisted 12-inch pretzel sticks. In 2025, the footlong is still a big part of Subway's value meal offering. Paired with a small drink and a bag of chips or two cookies, the new 12-inch meal of the day is available for $9.99 or $6.99 for the same deal with a 6-inch sandwich.
Subway will also swap Coca-Cola products for Pepsi across all franchises in 2025, keeping Coke products out of its stores for at least 10 years under the new agreement. The change reflects its customers' alleged preference for Pepsi products. As an added perk, Pepsi will also provide Subway stores with new fountain drink equipment.
Drink stations aren't the only part of the Subway stores that will look different. As part of its Fresh Forward 2.0 plan, Subway will remodel stores globally with a brighter decor accented by messaging and signage that reflects the locality. In addition to wall graphics and paint colors, Fresh Forward also aims to add more technology, including ordering kiosks and new kitchen display screens, to Subway locations to create operational efficiency and improve the customer experience.
McDonald's rang in the new year by dropping its new McValue menu in an effort to lure back budget-conscious consumers who had complained about creeping price increases at the Golden Arches over the past few years. Included in the McValue menu is the $5 Meal Deal. First launched in 2024, it's been such a hit that Mickey D's has said it's here to stay in 2025. For five bucks, you can choose between a McChicken or McDouble, with four McNuggets, fries, and a small drink. The McValue menu also includes in-app promotions and local deals.
Another 2025 move that has McDonald's fans cheering is the return of the beloved Snack Wraps. Its previous discontinuation of the product -- which includes chicken strips drizzled with honey mustard, sprinkled with cheese, and wrapped in lettuce and a warm tortilla -- sparked mourning and petitions for its return among grief-stricken fans. New chicken tenders will also debut at McDonald's in 2025, and the chain will continue its franchise-wide rollout of the McCrispy. These offerings, along with the brief return of the Chicken Big Mac in 2024, are proof that the Golden Arches brand is still committed to improving its poultry game.
McDonald's is also pushing ahead with its CosMc's concept. The small-format restaurant focuses on specialty beverages, like flavored coffees and juice combinations, to quick bites and treats, including McFlurries and McPops, which are essentially filled donut holes. Some CosMc's locations will close in 2025, but two new locations will also open.
In 2024, Wendy's seemingly unveiled plans to use dynamic pricing in 2025. However, many fans heard "surge pricing," a practice laced with negative connotations, and were outraged. Wendy's soon backtracked, claiming that it will start rolling out AI-enabled menu boards throughout the year that won't be used to raise prices during busy periods but will instead make it easier for the chain to change its displays of featured items.
Taking their tech investment up one more notch, voice-enabled AI ordering will launch at drive-thrus at up to 600 locations in an effort to increase order accuracy and improve efficiency for team members. Somebody has to make sure those burgers stay square. Wendy's fans shouldn't be as icy towards the introduction of new Frosty options coming in 2025. Frosty Swirls will include the traditional chocolate or vanilla base and add a flavored sauce, while Frosty Fusions will contain ice cream, sauce, and fun mix-ins such as crushed Oreos, toffee pieces, or Pop-Tarts, rivaling McDonald's McFlurry.
Did you know there's a road named Colonel Sanders Lane that leads to a building that looks like a replica of the White House? There sure is in Louisville, Kentucky, and for nearly 30 years, it's been home to the KFC headquarters. But in early 2025, the fried chicken brand decided to relocate closer to its parent company Yum! Brands in Plano, Texas. So far, there's no indication that it's also changing the brand name to Texas Fried Chicken.
KFC's other plans for 2025 include expanding its KFC Original concept. Launched in 2024, the 16 KFC Original pilot locations boast a specialized menu that includes the "Original Recipe" chicken along with both classic and new items. KFC Original customers can also listen to a curated original playlist and access upgraded technology such as digital menu boards and ordering kiosks.
Another pilot first launched by KFC in 2024 is set to expand in 2025. Saucy is a KFC spin-off restaurant that sells chicken tenders drenched in any of 11 specialty sauces. Flavors include Spicy Mango Chutney, Creole Honey Mustard, and Chimichurri Ranch. Combining sauces is also allowed -- even encouraged, with over 4,000 possible combinations. Besides off-the-wall sauce flavors, Saucy also offers unique drink flavors, such as Hot Honey Watermelon and Tropical Black Tea.
Still reeling from the famous fry change fallout of 2024, Chick-fil-A is hoping its 2025 changes lead to customers eating more chicken. If you're among those who think Chick-fil-A's iconic waffle fries now taste off, you might be more excited about some of its planned menu additions, including the return of the Grilled Spicy Deluxe Sandwich, the Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich, and Key Lime Frosted Lemonade. Chick-fil-A is also betting big on beverages with the rollout of new Icedream Spins and Floats. With the new Icedream treats only tested in limited markets so far, you can always request a "frosted" soda (thanks TikTok) or simply order a fountain drink and an Icedream and mix them together to create your own.
Chick-fil-A also plans to open more restaurants overseas, including more locations in Canada and Puerto Rico, and to put down roots in Europe and Asia. The last time Chick-fil-A tried to open locations in Europe, it didn't go so well. The U.K.'s first Chick-fil-A closed abruptly amid protests from LGBTQ+ groups. Maybe the chain's plan to source local chicken will soften its market entry this time.
Corporate social responsibility and sustainability continue to be Chick-fil-A priorities in 2025. Through its Shared Table program, the chain reduces food waste and helps feed those in need. Chick-fil-A actually achieved its 2025 goal of diverting 25 million pounds of landfill waste early in 2024. Imagine how much bigger our landfills would be if the 38 million pounds of food managed by Shared Table since 2020 had landed there instead of being donated to help fight hunger.
Taco Bell is also betting big on fried chicken and fries in 2025 with the return of its fan-favorite Nacho Fries and Crispy Chicken Nuggets, with the latter also added to new burritos and tacos. The returning Decades menu will pay tribute to the early 2000s with nostalgic favorites like the Doritos Locos Tacos and the Double Decker Taco.
Like many of its fast food competitors, Taco Bell is also laser-focused on its beverage offerings this year, expecting sales to reach $5 billion in the next five years. Taco Bell is testing expanded beverage offerings at its Live Más Cafe, which opened in Chula Vista, California, in late 2024. The new restaurant concept offers traditional Taco Bell food items alongside an abundance of beverages ranging from coffees to chillers and teas. While the chain has yet to announce more Live Más Cafes, maybe we'll see additional locations pop up in other states in the future.
Whether you're ordering at a Live Más Cafe or a Taco Bell, don't be surprised if the voice taking your drive-thru order sounds more like a robot than a human soon. Like KFC, Taco Bell is part of the Yum! Brands family, which is investing heavily in AI technology across its restaurants. Both employee and customer responses to AI ordering have apparently been extremely positive at Taco Bell restaurants so far.
Ordering a pizza may not be at the top of your list in an emergency, but Domino's Pizza has been throwing free pizza lifelines through its Emergency Pizza promotion. The strategy must be working because it's sticking around for 2025. Placing an order of $7.99 or more in the app and being a Domino's Rewards member is all it takes to score this free, medium, two-topping pizza, which is redeemable whenever you need it most.
Domino's fans no longer have to contemplate ordering from competitors such as Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, or Little Caesars to get stuffed crust pizza. In March 2025, it launched its own version of the crust stuffed with mozzarella, seasoned with garlic, and sprinkled with Parmesan. You'll soon be able to order that stuffed crust pizza from Domino's through DoorDash, thanks to a new partnership bringing the pizza chain into the DoorDash Marketplace across the U.S. in May 2025. Domino's will also launch on DoorDash in Canada later this year. The chain had previously been stuck in an exclusive deal with UberEats, which coincidentally ends in May. However, there is one Domino's item you won't be able to add to your DoorDash cart: a bottle of Yellow Tail and Domino's Red Blend. The collaboration wine is only available in select states through Instacart or Drizly or in retail locations that sell Yellow Tail.
After starting 2025 by shutting down rumors that it was bankrupt, there are changes in the works for Chipotle. Its latest CEO, Scott Boatwright, has taken the reins of the fast-casual burrito chain, and he certainly had to hit the ground running when a Spanish news outlet covered the closure of Chipotle's spinoff venture Farmesa Fresh Eatery and social media lit up with rumors that Chipotle was closing instead.
Plenty of people believed the rumors. After all, Chipotle came under scrutiny for skimping on portions in 2024. At first, the brand claimed it hadn't made any changes to how many scoops of chicken or guac it was doling out per order, but later vowed to provide consistent portions in bowls and burritos. New equipment rolled out across Chipotle locations in recent years -- from produce slicers to rice cookers and chip fryers -- may help ensure consistency and efficiency for its team members. Automation and modernization are also on the 2025 wish list, including a digital makeline that adds ingredients to bowls and salads and the Autocado, a robot that turns an avocado into guacamole.
Expect to see more Chipotle locations in 2025, as the brand is planning to add more than 300 new locations both in the U.S. and internationally. Many of these locations will feature a "Chipotlane," a dedicated drive-thru line to pick up digital orders. These locations tend to perform better than Chipotlane-free locations. With all the ordering taking place in advance, Chipotlanes are super quick, unlike traditional drive-thrus that get slowed down by human-to-human ordering.
The newest CEO of Starbucks is no stranger to Chipotle. Brian Niccol swapped carnitas for coffee when he stepped down as CEO at Chipotle in August 2024 to turn the 53-year-old coffee brand around after a recent slump. He's had a busy first year on the job so far, and it looks to continue with the changes Starbucks has planned for 2025.
One of his first orders of business was trying to find 200,000 Sharpies. That's right, the handwritten name on your cup is coming back, along with several other OG Starbucks touches intended to reinstitute the cozy coffee house vibe. Milk and sugar stations will return, and dine-in customers can enjoy free refills of brewed coffee and tea. Meanwhile, the chain's restrooms are now reserved exclusively for paying customers.
In a nod to its olden days, Starbucks will also strip its menu of drinks and food that are complicated and slow to make (say bye to the likes of the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Creme Frappuccino). The chain says it will reduce its menu by 30%, but it hasn't given up introducing new items, as proven by the fact that the Starbucks 2025 spring menu included three brand-new additions. Beyond shrinking its menu, the coffee brand is also cutting staff. Layoffs announced in February affected 1,100 corporate employees as well as freezing open positions.
Outback Steakhouse was actually a trailblazer back in 1997 when it was one of the first sit-down restaurants to offer takeout. That groundbreaking offering has been a blessing and a curse, providing a way for Outback fans to enjoy their Aussie Cheese Fries from the comfort of their own home but also reducing the number of dine-in customers.
In 2025, the casual chain's strategy is focused on improving the quality of both segments of its business, increasing the appeal of its onsite experience. Takeout menu items will be reduced as the chain cuts items that don't do well in transit, such as those that don't retain heat or grow soggy. Other menu cuts are coming, including unpopular items and those that are harder to prepare. It's a good thing slicing, seasoning, and deep frying an onion isn't too complicated.
Speaking of which, if you've ever taken advantage of one of the chain's free Bloomin' Onion offers or its $15.99 steak and lobster special, don't expect those deals to return in 2025. Its new CEO, Mike Spanos, has said he's archiving these types of limited-time-only promotions in favor of more permanent value-forward menu items. Outback also plans on slowing down the opening of new restaurants. Instead, all existing restaurants will be evaluated for possible makeovers.
Applebee's 2025 changes reflect the chain's efforts to gain traction with Gen Z, such as the return of the Date Night Pass and bulking up the menu with healthier and more globally diverse items. Those lucky enough to purchase an Applebee's Date Night Pass, which was limited to 3,000 members in February 2025, get $50 in free food and non-alcoholic beverages each month throughout the year. If you're an Applebee's rewards member and missed out, you can still score a $100 gift card for your next date night as part of its monthly Date Night Challenge giveaway.
If your Applebee's pairing preference happens to be pancakes or waffles, you're in luck because Applebee's is also joining forces with IHOP for a new dual-branded restaurant. Launched by Dine Brands, the parent company to both restaurants, the concept previously opened its first North American locations in Canada and Mexico. The first hybrid Applebee's IHOP in the U.S. opened in Texas in February 2025. At least 30 Applebee's locations acquired from franchisees will also get a remodel this year as part of the brand's multi-year Lookin' Good program, aimed at modernizing locations with a focus on supporting its carryout operations.
As TGI Fridays celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025, the chain is looking to regain strength since filing for bankruptcy in 2024. It's doing so under the leadership of a boomerang CEO, Ray Blanchette, who held the title from 2018 to 2023, left, and was lured back to rebuild the struggling brand after a tough few years.
Blanchette and the team are looking to the casual dining chain's roots for menu inspiration. To celebrate six decades, the TGI Fridays menu will feature classics such as a half rack of ribs, burgers, chicken caesar salad, and boneless wings and fries, all priced at $19.65 for two -- a creative tribute to the restaurant's founding year.
If you can still find a TGI Fridays open near you, consider yourself lucky. The chain has closed a string of restaurants in recent years. It does, however, plan on further global expansion in untapped markets such as India and Singapore. Hopefully, you'll be able to continue to grab loaded potato skins and a beer before your flight as the TGI Fridays in partner locations like airports and hotels continue to perform well and could be spared from any additional closings.
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