Articles

Over half of Banana Ball game-day visits in 2026 came from 30+ miles away. See who’s filling the stands and where they shop.

Black Friday still draws about 4% of Q4 visits for department stores, electronics and apparel. See which categories are best positioned this year.

Planet Fitness visits rose 6.7% year over year in Q3. See where same-store traffic grew and which region lagged.

McDonald’s October promotions drove its busiest weeks of 2026, even as visits trailed last year. See how gas prices shaped traffic.

CAVA’s Q3 visits climbed 16.3% YoY as the chain kept expanding. Find out how Portillo’s returned to same-store growth on a very different schedule.

Denny’s and IHOP narrowed their visit declines in Q3 2026 while Waffle House kept growing. See the strength each legacy breakfast chain can build on.

Taco Bell visits fell 10.1% YoY in Q3 2026 after the cyclospora outbreak. See how quickly the chain bounced back, and how KFC and Habit did.

Casual dining visits rose just 0.2% in Q3 2026, yet four chains posted strong growth. Find out what each is getting right.

DICK's acquired Foot Locker to diversify customer reach. Foot Locker targets younger, urban, fashion-conscious shoppers; DICK's appeals to suburban, family-oriented consumers. Their combined entity offers brands wider demographic access and enhanced market penetration.

Retailers are finding diverse paths to success in 2025. Smaller formats, like Sprouts' compact stores and Kohl's scaled-down concepts, drive visits by reaching new audiences and offering convenience. Conversely, giant experiential stores like Buc-ee's and Scheels also thrive by becoming destinations. Creative use of physical space is key to engaging shoppers.

Discount & dollar chains, despite a slow 2024, are poised for renewal in 2025, outperforming other non-discretionary sectors. Top performers like Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Five Below are seeing increased loyalty, driven by expanded assortments. These chains are primed to serve value-seeking consumers amidst continued economic uncertainty.

Rite Aid's closure creates opportunities. CVS gains significantly, diversifying its customer base to include older, middle-income shoppers. It expands reach into semirural and key urban areas, highlighting shifts and new potential in pharmacy retail.