Side Dish, the Uncle Herschel Edition

Hello and welcome to Side Dish, our weekly round-up of industry news, hot goss and things you might have missed. Now, let’s get to it...

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• The “old-timer” is back! Cracker Barrel ditched its new logo after critics piled on.

• The coffee equivalent of the fluffernutter is having a mo’ on Cape Cod. Meet The Fluffy Seagull Latte.

• Thai Diner’s new chicken finger spinoff is worth the wait. Here’s what to order.

• In more fried chicken news, KFC dropped its Pickled Menu in Canada, including a Pickle Pepsi. We’re green with envy?

• Game, set, ca-ching. The Honey Deuce is the cash cow of the U.S. Open.

• We’ve had disco aperitivo and aperitiki. Now, Punch gets down with the Strega Drop and the Dirty Negroni in the ‘red sauce-ification' of the movement.

• Red Lobster’s new CEO is betting on Black...diners. Will his plan work?

• It’s that time again. When chefs try to make cabbage happen. This time, it’s in London.

• Can your daily matcha latte thin your hair?

• Consumer wallets are closed tight and restaurant traffic is slumping as confidence hits historic lows.

• Dessert-scented perfumes are everywhere, and weight-loss drugs may be part of the reason why.

• Sushi at Saint Laurent, lattes at Ralph’s...Is the fashion x hospitality trend reaching a fever pitch?

• Dollywood turns 40 with a pink cream soda from Dolly + Coke. Cherry meets cotton candy. With a hint of diabetes.

• From pecan waffles to gravy-smothered hash browns, chefs share their ride-or-die Waffle House orders.

• Less QR codes, more connection. Why culture is the real third place your restaurant needs.

• Custom oysters are the new house wine, with chefs branding their own bivalves on Southern menus.

• Smoothie of the week: Oishii strawberries. Say what?

• Passengers are suing United and Delta for selling “window” seats that don't come with, well, windows.

• Not on our bucket lists this fall: hitting the beach in North Korea.

• Virgin Atlantic is bringing a new collection of dementia-friendly short films on board with simple storylines, calming moments and scenes that might spark memories. I'm not crying, you’re crying.

• Hertz unleashed its Gold Squad, golden retrievers greeting travelers and pushing perks at airports.

• Skip the gridlock this holiday weekend. AAA reveals when to leave for smoother Labor Day travel.

• The new wealth index is in, Fisher Island’s 33109 tops the list of most expensive ZIP codes at $11.9M.

• 17 hours to Auckland feels dreamy when you snag Air New Zealand’s economy Skycouch for a lie-flat nap.

• Amtrak’s new Acela debuts with 5G Wi-Fi, cushy upgrades and a café menu that doesn’t feel dated.

• The 1% are flying to Europe to dodge U.S. tariffs and shop luxury goods tax-free.

• Southwest is grounding refunds for plus-size passengers unless the flight isn’t full. One more seat, one more rule.

• From Paros to the Maldives, hotel boutiques are outpacing big-city stockists in fashion sales.

• A-listers are lining up at the new Rolex Hamptons boutique where even the margaritas are VIP.

• From morgues to mirror cabins, 15 spooky Airbnbs are waiting to host your haunted fall getaway.

• Airport lines could move faster: new TSA eGates match your biometrics to your boarding pass.

• Is the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet past its prime? Hotels are rethinking waste and luxury.

• Looking for worry-free travel? The Global Peace Index ranks the world’s safest countries.

• From Venice to Cinque Terre, Italy is cracking down on bad tourist behavior, with fines up to $2,900.

• Pinterest crowned Switzerland the ultimate fall escape. Searches surged 367% this season.