West Palmdale is getting a new health-focused dining spot. Organic Hour | Restore Cafe & Juicery is planned for Rancho Vista Plaza, a shopping center off Rancho Vista Blvd. and 30th Street, according to construction records.

The project is being developed by Rachel Mae, a wellness entrepreneur who already operates Restore Holistic Fitness & Wellness in the same shopping center. The new cafe will occupy a 1,282-square-foot space, with construction valued at an estimated $500,000 and a targeted start date of October 2026.

Organic Hour is designed as a counter-service spot with indoor seating, expected to open early in the morning for breakfast and lunch. The menu will lean heavily into wellness staples — think pressed juices, matcha, smoothies, protein shakes, scramble bowls, avocado toast, sandwiches, and wraps, with gluten-free and dairy-free options available.

The cafe fits neatly into Mae's broader wellness brand. Through her practice, she works with clients globally on nutrition, functional lab testing, and lifestyle programs, while Restore Holistic offers strength training, infrared sauna, red light therapy, and breathwork. Organic Hour appears set to extend that same philosophy into everyday dining.

Krispy Kreme is leaning into autumn with two new seasonal offerings designed to make fall gatherings and football watch parties a little sweeter.

The brand's latest creation, the Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnut, is made with apple cider dough, spiced with cinnamon, and finished with Krispy Kreme's iconic glaze — delivering the warm, nostalgic taste of the season in every bite.

Alongside it comes the Fall & Football Dozen, a curated box featuring football-shaped doughnuts filled with white Kreme and dipped in chocolate icing, Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts, Maple Cheesecake Doughnuts topped with graham-flavored crunch, and classic Original Glazed doughnuts.

To sweeten the launch, Krispy Kreme offered fans a limited-time deal: a dozen Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnuts for just $5 with the purchase of any regular-priced dozen at participating shops for four days only.

Both items join Krispy Kreme's broader Autumn Seasonal Collection, which also includes fall-inspired beverages. The new additions follow the summer success of the brand's Blueberry Flavored Original Glazed Doughnut, suggesting seasonal spins on the signature glaze are becoming a welcome tradition.

In-N-Out Burger, the West Coast institution with over seven decades of devoted fans, is rolling out two notable menu changes in 2026.

 The chain announced via Facebook that it will stop using sesame flour in hamburger buns across 10 states and will swap iodized table salt packets for sea salt.

The sesame flour removal is largely seen as an allergy-driven move. Sesame joined the official "Big 9" list of major food allergens in 2021, and federal labeling requirements followed in 2023. In-N-Out had already drawn criticism in 2024 when customers in Texas and Colorado discovered sesame-free buns weren't available to them — the 2026 rollout may finally address that gap.

The salt switch is more about flavor than health. Sea salt's coarser texture and subtle minerality offer a more pronounced taste compared to standard iodized table salt, though both carry similar sodium levels.

These changes follow a 2025 ingredient update in which the chain replaced high-fructose corn syrup in its ketchup with real sugar. In-N-Out framed the moves as part of an ongoing commitment to "the freshest, highest-quality food possible." Fans online were mostly enthusiastic — though some couldn't resist lobbying for beef tallow fries while they were at it.

KFC has quietly closed more than 300 U.S. locations over the past year — and California took the biggest hit of any state.

According to an analysis by AI search visibility platform Local Falcon, at least 312 KFC restaurants shuttered across the country between mid-July 2025 and early July 2026, representing roughly 7.6 percent of the chain's entire American footprint.

California, which has the largest KFC presence in the nation, lost 44 locations during that period — more than any other state. Still, the Golden State is hardly KFC-free: around 375 locations remain open, and roughly 3,761 restaurants operate nationwide.

The closures paint a complicated picture for the brand. Local Falcon's data also revealed that KFC's average Google rating of 3.42 stars ranked last among eight major chicken chains surveyed — well behind Chick-fil-A's leading 4.3-star average.

Not everything is trending downward, however. Parent company Yum! Brands reported in its most recent quarterly results that KFC opened 660 new restaurants across 55 countries, posting 7 percent unit growth globally.

The contrasting numbers suggest KFC is reshaping its footprint rather than simply retreating — leaning into international expansion while trimming underperforming domestic spots.

As summer fades and guests start craving comfort and routine, September offers restaurants a packed calendar of marketing opportunities to keep tables turning all month long.

The month is loaded with national food and drink observances that span every daypart and cuisine style. Savory standouts include International Bacon Day, National Cheeseburger Day, National Guacamole Day, National Dumpling Day, and National Corned Beef Hash Day — each a ready-made excuse for a limited-time special or social media moment.

Beverage programs get their own spotlight with dedicated days for coffee, craft beer, Chianti, rum punch, and hot mulled cider — a natural bridge between summer sipping and cozy fall pours. Sweet tooths are covered too, from Chocolate Milkshake Day and White Chocolate Day to Cherries Jubilee and Strawberry Cream Pie.

Beyond the food holidays, Hunger Action Month and National Food Bank Day create a powerful chance to tie promotions to give-back initiatives, deepening community goodwill while supporting local food security.

Operators are also encouraged to celebrate the people in guests' lives — grandparents, neighbors, working parents, and step-families all have dedicated days. Even pirates and Hobbits get their moment. With a little planning, every week in September becomes a fresh reason to visit.

The 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games are going hyperlocal when it comes to food. LA28, the organizing committee, has launched the L.ocal A.uthentic Program — billed as the largest integration of food trucks and mobile vendors in Olympic history.

The initiative invites food truck operators, pop-up vendors, and food cart owners from across the L.A. region to apply for a chance to feed millions of spectators during the Games. Selected businesses won't just get a coveted spot at competition and non-competition venues — they'll also receive mentoring, help scaling production, guidance on insurance and permitting, and tools to strengthen their financial models long after the torch goes out.

LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover called the Games "an extraordinary opportunity to show the world what makes Los Angeles special," adding that the goal is for visitors to experience the L.A. that Angelenos know and love.

The broader food operation expects to serve more than 17 million meals across the Olympics and Paralympics, with a focus on sustainability. The program also aligns with LA28's target of directing 75% of procurement spending to L.A.-region businesses and 25% to small businesses specifically.

Vendor applications are open now through November 16 via the RAMPLA procurement platform.

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