By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc (DNKN.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday raised its full-year profit forecast after share buybacks and steady sales at U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants bolstered third-quarter results amid stiff competition in its core U.S. market.

Shares in the company, which gets almost 75 percent of revenue and more than 80 percent of profit from its domestic Dunkin’ Donuts cafes, were up 1.6 percent in midday trading on the Nasdaq.

Oct 24 (Reuters) – Chili’s Grill & Bar parent Brinker
International Inc on Wednesday said a cool-down in sales
at established restaurants was stretching into the current
quarter, sending its shares down more than 10 percent.

The Dallas-based company, which also owns the Maggiano’s
Little Italy chain, also reported a fiscal first-quarter profit
that just missed Wall Street’s estimate and issued a
second-quarter earnings forecast below analysts’ target.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted its worst quarterly restaurant sales growth performance in nine years on Friday, lifting the curtain on the fast-food industry’s ruthless fight for customers in a weak economy.

The world’s biggest fast-food chain is battling more than the bleak global economy that is curbing appetites for purchases of its hamburgers, salads and smoothies. Resurgent chains like Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Yum Brand Inc’s (YUM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Taco Bell now are challenging McDonald’s in the United States with revamped menus, celebrity endorsers and a renewed focus on low-priced food.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) posted its worst quarterly restaurant sales growth performance in nine years, signalling broad pressure on an industry where resurgent chains like Burger King and Taco Bell are fighting aggressively for diners who are spending less to eat out.

The world’s biggest fast-food chain also reported on Friday its second quarter in a row of earnings that missed Wall Street’s estimates. McDonald’s said sales at established restaurants, a closely watched gauge of restaurant performance, are down so far this month.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) missed profit expectations for the second quarter in a row as sales at established restaurants grew at their slowest pace in more than nine years because of stepped-up competition and a weak global economy.

The world’s biggest fast food chain also said sales at existing restaurants have fallen so far in October.

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday that restaurant sales growth would cool in 2013 and some analysts said that might signal the end of the hyper growth investors had come to enjoy.

The chain’s shares tumbled more than 12 percent in after hours trading on Thursday.

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday reported quarterly profit that missed Wall Street’s view and said it expects growth in sales at established restaurants to cool in 2013, sending shares down more than 12 percent after hours.

The Denver-based burrito chain has been one of the restaurant industry’s best-performing names, but shares have been weak since this summer – when Chipotle surprised investors with news that the sluggish U.S. economy had slowed growth in its formerly industry-leading same-restaurant sales.

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – Kroger Co (KR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the No. 2 U.S. grocery seller for decades, wants to shake its stock out of the doldrums and said its market share gains and strong research into shopper behavior support its aggressive new earnings growth projections.

Years of investments aimed at understanding customers and keeping prices low have helped the operator of supermarkets such as Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Smith’s and Food 4 Less deliver quarter after quarter of same-store sales gains and generous dividend payments.

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) – Kroger Co (KR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the biggest U.S. supermarket operator, on Tuesday raised its long-term earnings growth target with plans to expand in existing markets and buy back stock, sending its shares up more than 4 percent.

Kroger, whose grocery chains include Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Smith’s and Food 4 Less, set its long-term earnings per share growth target at 8 percent to 11 percent, up from 6 percent to 8 percent previously, Chief Executive David Dillon said at the company’s investor conference in New York.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Starbucks Corp’s (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) U.S. stores on Tuesday will begin selling the coffee chain’s new Verismo coffee and espresso brewer, which aims to grab a piece of the fast-growing single-serve market dominated by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc (GMCR.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Nestle SA (NESN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

Shares of Green Mountain tumbled when Starbucks first announced plans for the Verismo in March.