RJ Hottovy walks through the casual dining trends of the year. He says that demand has normalized and visitation trends have stabilized as consumers play “wait and see” with tariffs. The value proposition is what’s keeping casual strong. Chili’s, owned by Brinker (EAT), is seeing strength. He also looks at Darden Restaurants (DRI), which just reported earnings, and Restaurant Brands (QSR). He warns that overcrowding in search of population centers could hit the sector. He likes Cava (CAVA) and Dutch Bros (BROS).
Next Gen Investing
20 Jun 2025
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