Casual‑dining chains surge while Wendy’s sales keep sliding
Cheesecake Factory, BJ’s, IHOP and Chili’s posted double‑digit sales gains and rising foot traffic in Q1, boosting their share prices. By contrast Wendy’s logged its sixth straight quarter of same‑store revenue decline, prompting activist investor Nelson Peltz’s Trian to consider a take‑private bid. The split hints at a broader consumer shift toward sit‑down experiences over drive‑thrus.