The moves are a response to the emergence of new burger chains, such as Five Guys, and the growth seen by fast-casual restaurants, such as Panera Bread and Chipotle.
This has scared off customers, who have been defecting to fast-food chains such as Dunkin' Donuts or Panera Bread, which sell reasonable coffee for as little as a quarter of the price of a fancy Starbucks brew.
It remains Canada s largest fast-food restaurant franchise (think Dunkin Donuts crossed with Panera Bread ) and has had recent success in the lower 48.