Kristen Hawley

The push toward exclusive delivery deals continues. The Yum! Brands deal is a catalyst for aggressive market growth as online ordering and delivery brands compete for restaurant business and market share.

As expected, Yelp is focusing a lot of energy — and money — on its products for restaurants in an effort to own the entire process, from booking to post-meal review.

Recent data shows that independent restaurants are faring better than chains, and are expected to grow at a faster rate. Don't discount larger corporations yet, though — innovation and creative ideas are happening across the industry.

Chipotle executives sounded optimistic as they admitted the chain has many obstacles to overcome in order to regain consumer trust and market share.

This integration is one small example of a larger trend: restaurant technology companies working to integrate seamlessly to provide the best solution for restaurateurs in a sea of options.

Get enough advice to run a restaurant business in just two minutes and 30 seconds with Danny Meyer.

As restaurants streamline their operations and hone app-based loyalty programs, technology dictates the divide between those who can participate and those who can't.

Creating a comprehensive "best of" list is a complicated and Herculean task. Few are better suited to comment (and rank!) the state of American dining than Eater's national critic.

Where to eat is important — but suggestions of what to eat are even more influential these days. But chasing after one famous and photogenic dish means you might miss out on all the rest.

As competition in the quick service market intensifies, having a rebellious streak that engages potential customers and differentiates concepts from dozens of similar brands no longer seems like a risk, but a necessity.