The Sweet Spot Is Between Fast Food and Fast Casual

El Pollo Loco just told the Los Angeles Times it has found the sweet spot for cost-conscious guests: flame-grilled chicken that sits above traditional fast food and below premium fast casual. The company's third-quarter results back the headline — system-wide comparable sales up 5.0% for a fourth straight quarter — but the mix underneath is mostly check, not a rush of new visits. Meanwhile Ruby Tuesday replaced its day-of-week deals with everyday meals starting at $9.99 and kept them off the delivery apps. In today's members-only Savor Intelligence report: why the price band between QSR and fast casual only works if you own the channel, and why your reservation book just showed up inside ChatGPT.