New Market Growth in 2026: Insights from Scaling Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and CKE Restaurants

Successful expansion isn’t about opening more locations. It’s about knowing which markets will actually perform once real demand, labor costs, and operating conditions come into play.

In this session, Rodrigo Torre from CKE Restaurants joins Fourth to share how he evaluates new market growth, across states and internationally, and what to look for before committing capital and resources.

With prior leadership roles at Yum! Brands including Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, Rodrigo brings firsthand experience scaling brands across hundreds of markets. The conversation focuses on how forecasting, labor assumptions, and early operational signals shape unit economics long before opening day.

Tune in to hear:

• How to identify which new markets are worth the investment
• What really drives unit economics in new markets
• Why early labor and scheduling decisions matter
• How to assess readiness and reduce expansion risk