Consumer and retail news: 10 things you need to know today
McDonald's
1. This McDonald's menu is unlike anything we've seen from the company McDonald's Canada is opening a new cafe that sells quinoa and kale salads instead of burgers. The concept, named McCafé after McDonald's coffee line, will also serve coffee, danishes, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, and fancy desserts.
2. Chipotle CEO: 'I'm deeply sorry'
Chipotle founder and co-Chief Executive Officer Steve Ells on Thursday apologized to patrons who fell ill after eating at the company's restaurants, pledging that sweeping new food safety practices will prevent such outbreaks in the future.
3. Best Buy is offering a $100 discount on the Apple Watch
Anyone considering an Apple Watch but put-off by the steep price tag should head over to Best Buy, because the retailer is offering $100 off all Apple Watch models. That means that you can buy the cheapest edition — the 38 millimeter Sport model — for only $250.
4. It's not just fun and games — this pop-up Target store in NYC could help shape the retailer's future
Target is giving shoppers in New York City a glimpse of what the future of holiday shopping might look like, with a new pop-up location in Manhattan. For example, shoppers use radio-frequency identification, or RFID, keys to pick items instead of shopping carts. The retailer can also learn from how consumers move through the store.
5. McDonald's all-day breakfast is apparently working
All-day breakfast appears to be a winner for McDonald’s Corp. in the early going, at least according to one report. According to the market research firm NPD Group, McDonald’s decision to sell Egg McMuffins or biscuit sandwiches after 10:30 a.m. has brought new or lapsed customers into the chain’s restaurants in the program’s first two months.
6. Now's the time to buy shares of Chipotle
CLSA is stepping into the Mexican food breach, recommending that investors buy shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill as it initiates coverage on the stock. This is interesting timing, given that Chipotle shares have been pressured lately, following an E. coli outbreak. According to CLSA, the reaction in Chipotle's share price offers an opportunity to buy equity in the company at a discount.
7. Jos. A. Bank sales are down 35%, and Men's Wearhouse shares are getting punished
Men's Wearhouse is booking a $90.1 million charge for its failed investment in Jos. A. Bank. Shares are down 20% since Wednesday's close. "Through the first week of December, the quarter-to-date comparable sales at Jos. A. Bank were down 35.1%," the company said in a press release.
8. There's one massive shift in the way people buy things that PayPal's CEO is really excited about
PayPal CEO Dan Schulman says that the emergence of mobile-payments technology, including in-app and in-store payments, has really started to take shape this year, completely changing the way people think about paying. That means more people are now shopping directly within mobile apps as opposed to going to retail stores, and even when they do, they're starting to consider the use of mobile payments instead of cash.
9. Those popular hoverboards are exploding everywhere, officials warn
Those "hoverboards" you've been seeing everywhere are a hot gift this holiday season. Really hot, because they keep bursting into flames. Roughly 20 people have been sent to the hospital with hoverboard-related injuries since September, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
10. 14 awesome gifts for the foodie in your life
When it comes to food and drink, some want only the very best. We've put together a list of 15 gifts that are perfect for the foodie in your life, from the top cooking tools to cleverly curated subscription boxes packed with everything from international snacks to chocolate.