News

San Francisco – – September 29, 2026 -- U.S. restaurant and foodservice sales are projected to hit a record $1.55 trillion this year, a 4.8% increase from 2025, according to the National Restaurant Association, as OpenTable releases its first U.S. Restaurant Impact Report quantifying the sector's economic ripple effects. Dining at OpenTable restaurants rose 11% year-over-year, with average per-person spend up 3% to $60, based on OpenTable data covering July 2025 through June 2026.

Restaurant meals trigger $138 in additional nearby spending

60% of diners spend money at neighboring businesses before or after a meal, averaging $138 per visit, per a Ripple Research survey of 1,501 U.S. consumers conducted July 28–August 4, 2026. That figure climbs to $171 for Gen Z diners and $158 for Millennials, pointing to generational differences in local economic contribution.

Santa Clara, Calif. – – September 29, 2026 -- Forward Networks has made Forward Predict generally available, a network-change verification tool that customer IG Group says cut firewall change delivery time by roughly 95 percent and saves engineers more than 30 hours of manual work monthly.

Forward Predict verifies network changes before deployment using a mathematically accurate digital twin

The tool, built on Forward Enterprise's digital twin, models BGP, routing, path, ACL, NAT and firewall-rule changes to show connectivity, security and compliance impact before they reach production. Forward positions the capability as the verification layer required for AI agents to propose network changes safely at machine speed.

Marina del Rey, Calif. – September 29, 2026 -- CommanderAI has launched a mobile app for iOS and Android that extends its AI-powered sales and CRM platform to field representatives in the waste, recycling, and scrap industries, letting reps prospect and close accounts directly from trucks and job sites.

Reps convert roadside sightings into leads with photo-to-lead capture

The app allows a field sales representative to photograph a sign, a truck, or a job site and automatically generate a new prospect record, populated with company and decision-maker data. Outreach can begin on the spot, closing a gap that previously forced reps to log opportunities in notebooks until they returned to a desk.

Dallas – – September 29, 2026 -- Topgolf is replacing its legacy event menu with four new chef-driven buffet concepts and increasing buffet frequency to one station per 30 guests, up from one per 50, in its first major events-program update in recent years.

Four new buffet concepts replace fixed-price legacy menu

The new lineup includes Modern Mediterranean (build-your-own salad and bowl bar with chicken shawarma and grilled steak), Cantina Kitchen (a southwest taco and nacho bar with chicken tinga and fajita beef), Taste of Topgolf (sliders and Roman-crust pizza with vegetarian options) and Chef's Table, a premium entrée menu featuring beef tenderloin and herb salmon for executive events. Planners can add à la carte proteins, sliders, sides and whole pizzas, including gluten-friendly, vegan and vegetarian options.

Indianapolis – September 29, 2026 -- Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) has signed Danish driver Christian Lundgaard to a multi-year contract to pilot the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda starting in 2027, adding a three-time INDYCAR winner to the winningest team in series history.

Lundgaard brings a career-best third-place championship finish to CGR's 2027 lineup

At 25 years old, Lundgaard has 16 podiums and 21 top-five finishes across 87 career INDYCAR starts. In 2026 he won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Road America while securing his career-best third-place finish in the championship standings and his first oval podium. He joins teammates Alex Palou and Kyffin Simpson at CGR next season.

Albany, N.Y. – September 29, 2026 -- Foss & Company has closed four historic rehabilitation investments in Buffalo, Albany, Fredonia and Kingston, New York, creating or preserving 156 affordable housing units by pairing state and federal Historic Tax Credits with New York State Homes and Community Renewal's (HCR) Small Building Participation Loan Program (PLP).

Four New York buildings convert to 156 affordable units via blended financing

The Eckhardt Building, a 1940s former department store in Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore Historic District, is now complete with 28 apartments restricted to an average of 65% Area Median Income (AMI) and roughly 22,000 square feet of commercial space leased to a nonprofit child day care provider.

Dallas – September 29, 2026 -- The global rare earth magnets market is projected to grow from roughly $21.98 billion in 2025 to $30.01 billion by 2030, a 6.4% compound annual growth rate, according to ResearchAndMarkets.com, with electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics and consumer electronics driving demand. Persistence Market Research puts the 2026 market at $15.8 billion, rising to $30.4 billion by 2033 at a 9.8% CAGR, and identifies North America as the fastest-growing region at 11.3% annually. Texas is emerging as the geographic center of that domestic build-out.

Campbell, Calif. – September 29, 2026 -- Vivalink, a digital healthcare solutions provider, published survey data showing 79% of more than 150 U.S. adults with cardiac conditions would participate in a home-based cardiac rehabilitation program if recommended by a provider.

Patients favor hybrid or home-based rehab over clinic visits

When given a choice, 68% of respondents said they would prefer a primarily home-based or hybrid rehabilitation approach over traditional in-clinic programs.

Insurance coverage ranks as the top barrier to participation

Fifty-eight percent of respondents ranked insurance coverage as their top consideration for participating in home-based care. Sixty percent said they would not pay out of pocket for such a program, while 87% said confirmed insurance coverage would increase their likelihood of participating.

Birmingham, Ala. – September 29, 2026 -- The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has promoted Gregg Horn to Senior Vice President of Research and Josh Blount to Vice President of Technical Resources, elevating two veteran staffers to lead the trade group's core technical operations.

Horn takes charge of research after 40 years with the association

Horn joined DIPRA in 1986 as a Regional Engineer, became Director of Regional Engineers in 1990, and served as Vice President of Technical Resources since 2013. In his new role, he will lead DIPRA's technical research efforts, Standards activities and comparative studies of substitute materials, while facilitating the Technical Committee, Environmental Subcommittee and other groups addressing research on Ductile iron pipe. He is a Life Member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and has served on committees within AWWA, ASCE, ASTM and ISO.

West Des Moines, Iowa – September 29, 2026 -- Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, will expand its West Des Moines manufacturing facility by 14,000 square feet in a multi-million-dollar investment to meet rising commercial and military aviation demand.

Facility ships more than 25,000 engine nozzles monthly

The site produces advanced fuel distribution systems, including original equipment components and spare parts, and operates as an FAA-certified Part 145 repair station for engine nozzle systems and powerplant accessories.

Expansion targets delivery performance and job growth

James Bagg, vice president and general manager of Engine Control Systems at Collins Aerospace, said the investment strengthens fuel-distribution technology for commercial and military aviation and will add jobs to meet customer demand.