Was “Australian Mexican” ever going to be an easy sell in America? Guzman y Gomez, the Australian-born Mexican fast-food chain, is shutting down its entire U.S. business after a six-year experiment failed to gain traction. The company announced Friday it will close its Chicagoland restaurants immediately and exit the U.S. market, ending an expansion that began with a single Naperville, Illinois store in January 2020. The [...]
California just approved supersizing its first Costco — but the fight isn’t over
California's first Costco is about to become its biggest — if the lawyers don't get there first. The Fresno City Council voted 5-0 Thursday to approve a 219,000-square-foot Costco at Herndon Avenue and Riverside Drive in northwest Fresno, clearing the way for what would be one of the largest Costco stores in California and one of the biggest anywhere. The new warehouse would replace the chain's 1985-era Shaw Avenue store — [...]
Buc-ee’s Ohio Expansion Is Heating Up After First Store Opens Near Dayton
Ohio's first Buc-ee's is officially open — and a second location just took a major step closer to reality. The Texas-based travel center chain opened its first Ohio store in Huber Heights, just outside Dayton, on April 6, 2026. The store is located at 8000 State Route 235, near the busy I-70 and State Route 235 interchange. For Buc-ee's fans, the Huber Heights opening was a major moment. The chain has built a cult [...]
Texas Costco Shoppers Are Buying This $14 Bakery Dessert Faster Than Stores Can Restock It
Texas Costco shoppers may want to check the bakery section closely on their next warehouse run. A massive 3-pound caramel flan has been making the rounds among Costco fans, and it is exactly the kind of oversized dessert the warehouse chain is famous for: big enough for a party, cheap enough to feel like a deal, and unusual enough to get shoppers talking. While the dessert is not exclusive to Texas — it has been documented [...]
Buc-ee’s “Big 3” Virginia expansion plans: 1 open, 1 clears major hurdle, 1 pushed to 2031
Virginia's Buc-ee's era is officially expanding — but the chain's map across the commonwealth is getting more complicated. The Texas-based travel center chain opened its first Virginia location in Mount Crawford, in Rockingham County, on June 30, 2025. The store sits off Interstate 81 at Exit 240, near Harrisonburg, and includes the familiar Buc-ee's formula: a 74,000-square-foot convenience store, barbecue, Beaver Nuggets, [...]
CAVA Is Expanding in Columbus — and It Says a Lot About Where Faster Food Is Headed
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus, a hotbed of restaurant concept testing, just got another sign that the fast-casual restaurant wars are shifting beyond burgers, burritos, and chicken sandwiches. CAVA, the Mediterranean fast-casual chain known for customizable bowls, salads, pitas, dips, and spicy harissa-style flavors, has opened a new restaurant at 1370 Polaris Parkway in Columbus. According to the company's press release, the [...]
