THE INTELLIGENCE
News, insight and analysis
POPEYES ARRIVES ON THE EMERALD ISLE The fried chicken brand, hailing from New Orleans, has announced it will open its first store in Ireland this spring.
The company has said that it will be creating 500 jobs in Ireland through this and future openings. CEO Tom Crowley outlined the country as “an exciting opportunity for us, as it is a vibrant market with a strong and growing demand for convenient, high-quality food.”
THE CHAIRMAN ON TOP OF ASIA’S 50 BEST
When Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking for 2026 was unveiled, Hong Kong dining destination The Chairman was named the number-one restaurant, in a list that includess eight new entrants. The Chairman, which showcases forgotten luxury Cantonese ingredients and traditions from southern China, was previously named the best in Asia in 2021. The list spans 17 cities across the region. Bangkok leads the ranking with nine entries.
MCDONALD’S EXPANDS ITS MCVALUE PLATFORM The burger giant is building on the successful 2025 debut of McValue. This new platform will see diners offered a brand new under-$3 menu and a $4 breakfast meal deal. The company has announced that there will be at least 10 menu items available throughout the day – for breakfast these could be sausage McMuffin or sausage biscuit, while at lunch or dinner the menu could include McChicken or McDouble. On the menu for the $4 breakfast meal deal, customers can choose a sausage McMuffin or sausage biscuit (pictured right), served with hash browns and a small McCafé coffee.
Alert to customers’ sensitivities to price while retaining a desire to enjoy dining out, other QSR operators are likely to follow McDonald’s in extending the value platform.
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RENÉ REDZEPI STEPS BACK FROM NOMA Mere weeks before Noma initiated a 16-week residency in Los Angeles, an online firestorm caused the chef and founder René Redzepi to step back from the restaurant. Former members of staff started a campaign on Instagram, detailing past instances of alleged physical and psychological abuse taking place in the restaurant, which has been named best in the world five times. Redzepi has previously acknowledged wrongful behavior but new allegations made it hard to remain within the restaurant, as diners were getting ready to join the LA pop-up at $1,500 per person.
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