Fox-news/food-drink/food/restaurants

• Fast-food restaurants using new technology to reshape how customers place orders - Fast-food giants including McDonald's and Papa Johns race to implement AI-powered ordering systems to reduce errors and speed up customer service.
• Customer threatens to kill fast-food workers during heated dispute: 'She wanted her money back' - Fast-food workers in Missouri received death threats from an angry customer during a refund dispute, according to a Facebook post, with one employee being just 16 years old.
• From lobster feasts to barbecue mutton, America’s most iconic buffets revealed - America's best buffets still celebrate abundance the old-fashioned way, from Vegas luxury spreads to family-run smorgasbords that draw diners nationwide.
• Cracker Barrel ditches beloved Southern New Year's tradition of black-eyed peas without warning - Cracker Barrel quietly stopped serving black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, ending a beloved Southern tradition that was thought to bring good luck to Southerners.
• State officials move to ban paper straws at restaurants, citing 'concerning health risks' - Florida bill would ban paper straws following Trump's executive order regarding regulations. State lawmakers say alternatives contain dangerous chemicals.
• Chili's trolls fast-food giants as value meals face backlash from price-weary consumers - Fast-food chains are facing consumer pushback as Chili's targets McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King over rising prices and misleading "value meal" offers.
• DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI app for finding local food - DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.
• McDonald's locks doors to keep out individuals who present 'a risk' in crime-ridden Minneapolis area - A viral McDonald's notice reveals new safety measures in Uptown Minneapolis amid rising crime. The restaurant is locking its doors even during business hours.
• Restaurant bill would ban plastic utensils and condiment packets from on-site dining in most circumstances - Proposed New Jersey legislation would require a 180-day education campaign before banning single-use restaurant utensils for dine-in customers in most circumstances.
• Taco Bell fans declare 'Christmas miracle' as beloved menu item returns nationwide - Taco Bell fans call it "a Christmas miracle" as the beloved Quesarito returns nationwide Dec. 18 for a limited time, while the fast-food chain makes a plea to one NBA star.