Extra Serving: A restaurant industry podcast · 2026-07-20 · 55 min
On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including the origin of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, the troubling rise in bankruptcies and closures, and a wave of new marketing campaigns aimed at winning back customers. They start with some explosive news related to the recent outbreak of cyclosporiasis: Investigators believe the origin of the outbreak was Taylor Farms in Michigan, and specifically iceberg lettuce provided to Taco Bell and potentially other restaurants. The news led to Taco Bell removing lettuce from the menu in select states. The duo breaks down what cyclospora is, how these outbreaks happen in the supply chain, and what this means for both Taylor Farms and Taco Bell as they work to contain the situation and restore consumer confidence. They discuss the broader implications for restaurant food safety protocols and how quickly brands need to respond when these incidents occur. Next, they tackle a sobering trend that's been accelerating in recent months: the increasing number of restaurant bankruptcies and store closures across the industry.
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