The Daily

The Restaurant Industry Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?

October 4, 2026·37 min·5-min readnarrativenews
Podzilla Summary (5 min)
TLDR
The American restaurant industry is in crisis, with rising costs and shrinking margins pushing many owners to abandon traditional models in favor of radical experiments like pay-what-you-can dining. Despite high menu prices, most restaurants are not profitable, forcing a reimagining of wh

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Guest

B

Brett Anderson

narrative on The Daily

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Brett AndersonMichael BarbaroDylan AlversonAlice WatersAndre SoltnerTom Colicchio

Companies

National Restaurant AssociationThe New York Times

Topics

Business NewsInflationLong Form JournalismRestaurantsSmall Business

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