Chick-fil-A Ends Little Blue Menu Test

Chick-fil-A will transition its final Little Blue Menu location into a traditional restaurant this January. The move ends a five-year experiment for the delivery-focused concept, which first opened in Nashville in 2021.

Little Blue Menu was designed as a test-and-learn platform. It debuted with innovative items like pizzas topped with Chick-fil-A nuggets, alongside burgers, onion rings, sweet potato tots, and chicken wings. The original Nashville site closed in 2023. The remaining College Park, Maryland, location opened later that year, operating with a menu available exclusively for delivery, mobile pickup, and catering via the chain's app or third-party services.

In a statement, Chick-fil-A confirmed the concept's closure. Little Blue Menu is one of several ventures from the company's Red Wagon Ventures subsidiary, established in 2017 to explore services beyond the core restaurant business. Another concept from this group is the beverage brand Daybright, which launched last year.

Taco Bell Collaborates with Olivia Rodrigo

Taco Bell has partnered with Grammy Award-winning singer Olivia Rodrigo to create a new version of its Baja Blast beverage. The drink is called You Seem Pretty Pink for a Baja Blast.

The pink beverage and its custom packaging draw inspiration from Rodrigo's new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. The company stated that Rodrigo brought the idea to the brand after making Baja Blast a regular part of her routine for years. The limited-time offering will first debut at Taco Bell's Live Mas Cafes in California, Las Vegas, and Texas on August 29. A systemwide rollout follows on September 24.

Long John Silver's Reports Growth

Long John Silver's is reporting a financial turnaround under its current ownership. Founded in 1969 in Lexington, Kentucky, the chain once exceeded 1,000 units before filing for bankruptcy in 1998.

After ownership changes involving Yum Brands and LJS Partners, the system contracted significantly by 2020. A pivotal shift came in 2022 when Four Oaks Partners acquired the brand. The new owner implemented intentional closures of underperforming and co-branded locations to optimize the network.

Since 2022, the chain claims systemwide sales have grown by 9%. Average unit volumes are up nearly 40%. The company also reports 16 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth. The chain's history of navigating challenges mirrors its namesake, the pragmatic survivor from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

The source for this report is Nation's Restaurant News. More details on industry performance can be found in our fixtures and stats sections.