CHICAGO — For years, the restaurant industry looked to the "gasoline barometer" as a primary indicator of consumer sentiment. The logic was simple: when prices at the pump dropped, discretionary spending at the drive-thru rose. However, as of July 2026, that historical correlation has fractured. Despite a recent softening in global energy prices, the American […]

A comprehensive analysis of global dietary patterns among young people has unveiled a concerning trend: children and adolescents worldwide are not consuming adequate amounts of nutrient-rich, sustainable plant-based foods. The study, published in BMJ Global Health, highlights significant disparities and a worrying decline in healthy plant food intake as children age, particularly in high-income nations […]