Waiting for Nicole to appear

Starbucks’ annual holiday cups roll out today, but it’s likely that the usual divisiveness their festive designs cause will be overshadowed this year.

Stocks boomed to all-time highs yesterday after Donald Trump’s election victory, with the S&P 500 closing up 2.5%. Crypto also rallied, with bitcoin soaring past $76K to a fresh record. Financial stocks led the gains, with banks and credit-card cos spiking. Shares of Trump ally Elon Musk’s Tesla jumped 15%. Today, investors have eyes on the Fed’s rate decision.

🎙️ Volume up: Tune in to the latest episode of “Snacks Mix” on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for a digestible dive into the market’s election reaction. 

Getting the KidsPack… whether you’re 5 or 35. AMC, the world’s biggest movie chain, swung to a loss in Q3 and its sales ticked down after hits like “Deadpool & Wolverine” couldn’t top last year’s #Barbenheimer magic. But AMC’s CEO expects November will mark the beginning of an industry-wide turnaround that rivals seem to be feeling already. America’s third-largest theater chain, Cinemark, last week reported record quarterly sales of $922M after moviegoers splurged on pricier tickets and blue-razz Icees. Industry execs seem optimistic that theaters are on the rebound after Hollywood strikes and pandemic shutdowns.

It’s been a long intermission… since 2019’s record-breaking year for the global box office. Now theaters are trying to get butts back into seats with experiences that beat streaming on the couch. North America’s eight biggest theater chains recently said they’ll jointly invest $2.2B in modernizing 22K screens. And this year Regal owner Cineworld invested in 4DX theaters (picture: moving seats, mist, Smell-O-Vision). As theaters bank on more immersive experiences, Imax predicts 2025 will be its best year ever with $1.2B in earnings.

We (still) come to this place… for magic. The pandemic was a grand experiment in whether movies should skip big screens entirely and go straight to streamers. But that didn’t end up becoming the new norm as folks continued to opt for the in-person experience of clapping when Nicole Kidman comes on screen or shrieking with strangers during horror flicks (which are crushing it at the moment).

Undercooked… Fast-food earnings didn’t hit the spot. Yum Brands — the owner of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell — had a disappointing quarter as same-store sales fell 4% at its pizza and fried-chicken chains. Yum’s global comparable sales dipped as KFC and Pizza Hut dragged down results. The KenTacoHut legend blamed it on “geopolitical conflicts and challenged consumer sentiment.” Rival Restaurant Brands International also unboxed a bummer quarter, as Burger King and Popeyes stores saw weaker US sales.

The taco belle of the ball… Yum’s Taco Bell chain was a standout, reporting same-store growth of 4%. The brand, known for late-night comfort food like the Crunchwrap Supreme, makes up 75% of Yum’s US profit. Buzzy items like the Big Cheez-It Tostada, which returned to menus in September, and the debut of a $7 value meal drove sales growth. Yum boss David Gibbs said that last quarter consumers perceived Taco Bell to be the most value-friendly chain, a grande advantage when folks are ditching inflated fries.

You need value + spice… In an industry where everyone’s laser-focused on discounts, fast-food chains need extra flavor to stand out. Gibbs said Taco Bell’s edge is that it can provide both value and innovation. Low prices alone didn’t drive the chain’s sales growth; the rollout of new items like Cheesy Street Chalupas helped.

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