Current Events in April 2023

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) this week rolled into Wisconsin, waving badges, seizing computers, and taking the personally identifiable information of millions of Americans off the market.

It’s about time.

Coming to the rescue is “Operation Cookie Monster,” a high-level all-hands-on-deck effort where the DOJ utilized 45 FBI field offices and international partners from Sweden to Romania to seize Genesis Market’s motherlode of consumer usernames and passwords for email, bank accounts, and social media.  

All in all, millions of passwords and email addresses were provided from a wide range of countries and domains. These emails and passwords were sold on Genesis Market and were used by Genesis Market users to access the various accounts and platforms that were for sale. Then, down stream, cybercriminals used this data for purposes ranging from identity theft to phishing attacks to credential stuffing. 

“Genesis falsely promised a new age of anonymity and impunity, but in the end only provided a new way for the Department to identify, locate, and arrest on-line criminals,”  said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “The Department of Justice is shining a light on the internet’s darkest corners – in the last year alone, our agents, prosecutors, and partners have dismantled the darknet’s largest marketplaces – Hydra Market, BreachForums, and now Genesis. Each takedown is yet another blow to the cybercrime ecosystem.” 

Were you part of the personal data that Genesis had?

While the DOJ prevented Genesis from pushing consumer ID information any further, you, me, and everyone else is still at risk because of what’s already rung the cash register for the data seller on the black market.

The FBI has reached out to Have I Been Pwned (HIBP), a free resource for people to quickly assess whether their access credentials have been compromised (or “pwned”) in a data breach or other activity. Victims can visit HaveIBeenPwned.com to see whether their credentials were compromised by Genesis Market so that they can know whether to change or modify passwords and other authentication credentials that may have been compromised.

And whether you know that you’re a victim or just think you’re a Genesis victim, it would be smart to see if any of your email addresses at any time in the last several years turned up on the dark web.

When ConsumerAffairs checked Have I Been Pwned against our personal email accounts, there were breaches that have widespread implications: Adobe, Dropbox, and Zynga (the creator of Words with Friends) which exposed 173 million unique email addresses alongside usernames and passwords.

Prepared in conjunction with the FBI, HIPB provides the recommended guidance for those that find themselves in this latest collection of data. Those steps are detailed in the section with the gold background on this page.

Used car prices, after reaching record highs, have finally started to come down. As we recently reported, the average used car sale price is nearly 5% less than it was in September.

But prices for some used cars are still rising, and an analysis by iSeeCars.com identifies several “lightly used” car models that sell for more than what consumers are paying for the 2023 version. The standout example is the Ford Maverick pickup.

Introduced in 2021, the compact pickup that debuted with a $20,000 starting price point has been so popular with buyers that Ford had to suspend orders last year. The 2023 Maverick has been so hard to find that used models are commanding high prices.

How high? The iSeeCars analysis found the average used Maverick sells for $36,777, 12.3% more than a new model.

You might as well buy a new one

While the Maverick may be an extreme example, there are other in-demand used vehicles that are selling for prices that, on average, exceed the cost of the same vehicle new. Here are some models you might want to pass up until prices start to fall:

• Toyota Corrola Hybrid: sells for 7.9% more than a new one

• Mercedes-Benz G Class: sells for 4.6% more than a new one

• Toyota Sienna: sells for 3.7% more than a new one

• Toyota RAV4 Prime: sells for 3.5% more than a new one

• Toyota Corolla Cross: sells for 2.9% more than a new one

• Kia Carnival: sells for 2.2% more than a new one

• Ford Bronco: sells for 1.7% more than a new one

• Honda Civic (hatchback): sells for 1% more than a new one

• Honda Accord Hybrid: sells for 0.4% more than a new one

• Chevrolet Corvette: sells for 0.4% more than a new one

Popular or just hard to find

In some cases, these models are hard to find new. In other cases, they’re just highly popular with consumers.

Beyond the hybrid and mainstream models that dominate this list, three special interest vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Ford Bronco, and Chevrolet Corvette, also continue to be in high demand and short supply, keeping their used prices above their new prices.

On the flip side, iSeeCars identified several “lightly used” models that sell at a significant discount to a new model. A used Audi e-tron has an average sale price that is 27.8% below the new sticker price.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio also is much cheaper than a new model with an average sale price 26.9% below the sticker price of a new one.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) opened the tax filing season back in January, and now the April 18 deadline to file is quickly approaching. 

With just a few days left, it’s crunch time for taxpayers to get all their ducks in a row to make sure their taxes are filed – or take the right steps to file an extension. Below are some tips and resources from the IRS for taxpayers to prepare for the upcoming deadline. 

Preparing for filing

For taxpayers who have already filed their taxes, or those who are still gathering all of their documents, there are a number of resources to keep on hand throughout tax season and beyond. 

• Saturday hours at Taxpayer Assistance Centers: Earlier this tax season, the IRS announced that Taxpayer Assistance Centers would expand to offer services to taxpayers on Saturdays. These special Saturday hours are available to taxpayers free of charge and with no appointment required. There are two remaining Saturdays available for those who may still have questions about filing their taxes: April 8 and May 13 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Taxpayers can come with any questions about their IRS accounts or current filing documents. 

• Interactive Tax Assistant: For those who may not want to go to a Tax Assistance Center, this virtual service allows taxpayers to ask their tax questions to experts virtually. This service can help with everything from finding deductions, determining your filing status, claiming dependents, and more. 

• IRS Free File: This software from the IRS allows taxpayers who qualify to file their federal taxes (and some state taxes) for free. The guided tax prep software takes taxpayers through the paces of filing their taxes, including finding deductions, exemptions, and credits. 

• Online IRS Account: Having an active online account with the IRS can be helpful for consumers to keep track of all of their pertinent tax information – from this year and years past. This will include past payments, full tax return transcripts, and adjusted gross income history. 

• Find a Tax Professional: For taxpayers who may not know where to turn to get their taxes filed by an expert, the IRS website has tools available to help them find a trusted, reliable source. 

• Where’s My Refund: If you’ve filed your 2022 taxes already this year, this tool can help you track down your refund. Taxpayers should give the IRS around 24 hours to process their returns before tracking information is available. 

Do you need to file an extension?

Though the tax filing deadline is quickly approaching, any taxpayer can file an extension with the IRS. The Free File tool also allows taxpayers to electronically fill out the extension request form for free, bumping the deadline to file to October 15. 

Taxpayers in certain states – California, New York, Mississippi, and Arkansas – have exemptions to file later due to storms and other natural disasters. To see which areas specifically qualify for these extensions, taxpayers can visit the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page. 

It’s also important for taxpayers to know that an extension to file doesn’t equate to an extension to pay taxes. To avoid paying interest or penalty fees, taxpayers should ensure that all payments are made on time. 

To also request extensions for tax payments, the IRS recommends that taxpayers complete Form 4868 or select “extension” as their payment method when going to make an online payment. Taxpayers can also create payment plans with the IRS to make their tax payments in increments over time. 

After years of consumer lawsuits claiming Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder caused cancer, the pharmaceutical giant has proposed spending $8.9 billion to settle all of the cases, which number close to 40,000.

The company continues to deny that talc in the product caused cancer but said it is willing to spend the money to put the issue behind it. In a statement, the company said the claims "are specious and lack scientific merit."

But who exactly would get a share of the money? Personal injury lawyers representing plaintiffs in one of the cases say women who used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer – along with their families – would likely be eligible for “significant” compensation.

The firm, Pintus & Mullins, says the talc that was present in the powder also contained asbestos, a known carcinogen. 

“Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has a long history with Asbestos,” the firm says on its website. “The earliest reports of asbestos in J&J talc products date back to 1957-1958. Many victims have been exposed to asbestos through J&J baby powder.”

Johnson & Johnson denies any link to cancer-causing ingredients in its product. Even so, the company removed talc from its baby powder in 2020.

The court must approve

Before anyone receives compensation the settlement must be approved by the court. Legal analysts say approval is likely since a large number of the plaintiffs and their lawyers have backed the proposal.

Johnson & Johnson created a subsidiary corporation, LTL Management, to pay the claims. The subsidiary has already declared bankruptcy.

Mikal Watts of the law firm Watts Guerra and TalcPowderJustice.com said the $8.9 billion settlement would be the largest products liability settlement ever realized after a bankruptcy filing. 

Even if the bankruptcy court approves the settlement plaintiffs might not see any money for years. Lawyers involved in the case said they expect the money to be paid out over a 25-year period.

Grocers across the country are hopping down the bunny trail with specially-priced bundles just like they did for the 2022 holidays and St. Patrick’s Day this year.

If you’re planning some sort of Easter get-together, here’s what grocery chains are offering through this Sunday.

Hy-Vee: Hy-Vee actually has two family bundles – one, an Applewood Pit Ham Meal (serves 8) for $119.99 and a Brown Sugar Spiral Ham Meal (Serves 8) for $99.99. It also is offering a brunch deal for two.

The Fresh Market: The Fresh Market is trying to cover every possible Easter dining option. It has a Ham Meal (with pineapple, dinner rolls, cake mix, etc. Serves 8-10) for $99.99. It also has a ready-to-heat Ham Meal for 4 for  $59.99, as well as a Prime Rib Meal for two, and a Brunch Meal for 4.

Walmart: Walmart doesn’t have bundles, per se, but it has marked down prices on the typical things you might buy for Easter – hams, pies, veggies, etc. It also has candy, eggs, etc. for Easter baskets.

BJ’s Wholesale Club: Much like Walmart, BJ’s Wholesale Club is offering members additional savings on Easter essentials through Easter Day. Plus, every member who spends $140 online or in-store in a single qualifying transaction through Easter will receive a $15 digital coupon valid for shopping from April 13 to April 23.

Target’s saving its best deals for after Easter

Target isn’t avoiding Easter, but it’s decided that it would be better served by putting its eggs in a post-Easter clearance basket where consumers can save up to 90%.

“Starting the day after Easter, you can get deeply discounted crafts, home decor, Easter candy, cookware, and more at Target. I’m talking about items you can repurpose and use the rest of the year — or stuff you can save until next Easter,” the Krazy Coupon Lady said.

When ConsumerAffairs looked into what she was talking about, the clearance discounts break down like this:

One day after Easter: 30% off food and candy and 50% off everything else in the clearance section.

Three to four days after Easter: 50% off food and candy and 70% off everything else in the clearance section.

Six to seven days after Easter: 70% off food and candy and 90% off everything else in the clearance section.

However, there might be some extra deals that could pop up on Target’s text alerts. To subscribe to those, just text TARGET to 57299.

Working remotely has become a mainstay since the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are countless ways for consumers to earn money – or extra money – from home. 

For those who may be looking to bolster their bank accounts, earn some extra income, or improve their financial standing, a remote side job could be just the thing. 

Picking a remote side job

FlexJobs, a site dedicated to highlighting remote work opportunities, put together a list of over two dozen remote side jobs that are currently hiring. Below are just some, including the average hourly wage for each, though actual pay will depend on where employees live. 

• Project Manager ($37/hour): This option came with the highest average hourly wage, and interested candidates can choose from positions like Senior Software Engineer, Senior Product Manager, Database Administrator, Program Coordinator, and more. 

• Curriculum Writer ($33/hour): The second highest-paying remote side job is a curriculum writer. Some companies are based in Hong Kong or Toronto, but employees can work anywhere in the world. Interested applicants for these jobs must have strong writing, organization, and communication skills, and in some instances, knowledge about specific state standards or rubrics may be necessary. 

• Executive Assistant ($29/hour): Organization is essential for remote executive assistants. Those hired will be responsible for keeping schedules in check, planning travel, taking care of expense reports, and sometimes even posting on social media.

• Writer ($29/hour): These positions can include everything from Bloggers, Reporters, Content Managers, Editors, Journalists, Copywriters, News Writers, or Columnists. There are also opportunities for technical writers and authors.  

• Recruiter ($27/hour): These remote side jobs range from industry-specific recruiters, like Blood Donor Recruiters or American Sign Language Recruiters, to general Corporate Recruiters. Experience and skills will vary from position to position. 

• Social Media Manager ($26/hour): Interested applicants for these positions should have a solid grasp of all things social media. This includes the different platforms – Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube – as well as different post formats – videos, images, text, etc. 

• Copy Editor ($25/hour): Do you have a solid grasp of grammar, punctuation, and spelling? Can you check documents for consistency? Do you excel at proofreading? Then these remote side jobs are likely to be a good fit. 

• Graphic Designer ($24/hour): Whether you’re interested in part-time, full-time, contract, or freelance work, there are many opportunities for graphic designers. These positions could be Creative Directors, Illustrators, Conceptual Professionals, Commercial Artists, Layout Managers, Designers, or Art Directors. 

• Search Engine Evaluator ($24/hour): Many of these positions are geared toward consumers who are bilingual – Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, and Spanish are just a few of the languages that require Search Engine Evaluators. 

• Career Coach ($24/hour): Whether you’re interested in working with students, seniors, or those in the middle of their career lives, there are options when it comes to remote career coaching. There are also language-specific career coaches, including French and Portuguese, as well as scouting for sports like soccer, football, or volleyball. 

Don’t fall victim to job-related scams

While consumers looking for jobs online should consider a number of things, including their skill set, how much time they want to devote to the job, and what their schedule will look like, it’s also important to be aware of the scams that exist within the job search.

Some red flags consumers should keep in mind are salaries that are much higher than similar jobs, employers asking for personal information (Social Security number, bank account information) right off the bat, emails that come in from personal accounts, not company accounts, or a company making a hiring decision very quickly. 

People should be diligent in their job hunt, researching the companies, the open positions, and the salaries they’re being offered. 

The failure of a couple of banks last month sent a case of the jitters through a lot of folks. Not to the point where they started putting their money under the mattress, but still...

So, the logical questions that were raised include, is my money safe, how do I know, and what should I be doing?

The answer to the first question is, if your money -- up to $250,000 -- is in a bank insured by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), you can be confident that it's safe.

What's covered and what's not

FDIC deposit insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, and covers the following:

• Checking accounts
• Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) accounts
• Savings accounts
• Money Market Deposit Accounts (MMDAs)
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Cashier’s checks
• Money orders
• Other official items issued by an insured bank

On the other hand, FDIC deposit insurance does not cover:

• Stock investments
• Bond investments
• Mutual funds
• Life insurance policies
• Annuities
• Municipal securities
• Safe deposit boxes or their contents
• U.S. Treasury bills, bonds, or notes
• Crypto assets

It's important to understand that non-bank companies and financial institutions that offer various banking services but do not have a banking license are never FDIC-insured.

Even if they are partners with insured banks, the money you send to a non-bank company is not FDIC insured unless the company deposits it in an insured bank.

What if my bank fails?

If your money in a failed bank is covered by FDIC and your account is less than $250,000, you should get full reimbursement from Uncle Sam.

You don’t really have to do anything to get your money as it'll be transferred to another FDIC bank and you’ll be notified about your new account.

More than $250,000 in a failed bank? You’ll be reimbursed that amount but you may or may not get the rest.

If you want to protect yourself from that $250,000 limit, here are a couple of suggestions from banking experts:

• Split up your money by opening an account at a second FDIC member bank.
• If you're using accounts that earn interest at a bank with only FDIC insurance, be sure your deposits are low enough that your balance with interest will be within that limit. Once an account reaches the $250,000 limit, you can open another new account at another institution.

While single, individually owned accounts are insured up to $250,000 total at FDIC member banks, joint accounts — with two or more owners — are insured up to $500,000 total. So to double the insured amount in deposit accounts at a single bank, you can add another owner.

American, Frontier, and United have cut some flights from their schedules due to delays in delivering new jets and a shortage of pilots. And, nope, we’re not back in COVID-19, either.

Reports from various sources say that the impact will hit both big and small markets alike.

A spokesperson for United put the blame on the U.S. pilot shortage that’s affecting regional carriers more than long-haulers.

“But pilots are not the only issue,” AirlineWeekly’s Edward Russell said. “Continuing aircraft delivery delays at Airbus and Boeing have also hamstrung airline schedules; the latest example being American’s decision to suspend flights between Philadelphia and Madrid in May and June due to late Boeing 787 deliveries.”

Russell says that there's a third problem – a shortage of air traffic controllers – which caused the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to step in and suspend usage rules for 10% of the slots at airports in New York and Washington, D.C.

Frontier’s cutting 14 routes

Frontier is also chopping some of its routes, but basically because they’re dead weight. A Frontier Airlines spokesperson told The Points Guy that it periodically reviews and updates routes based on demand, seasonality, and other factors. It’s not pulling out of 13 of those markets completely, but it is hanging it up in Rochester, N.Y., (ROC) where its bread and butter has been regular flights to and from Orlando. Those flights will cease on May 8. 

United chops 17

United is completely getting out of Erie, Pa., and will cut 16 other regional routes from its network. The Points Guy reported the changes, outlining everything that’s getting taken off the board. They include:

Chicago O’Hare to Bismarck, N.D.; Charlottesville, Va.; Jackson, Miss.; Pasco-Tri-Cities, Wash.; and Redmond, Ore. 

Denver to Dayton, Ohio. 

Houston Bush to Alexandria, La.; Columbia, S.C.; and Akron, Ohio

Newark to Oklahoma City; Omaha, Neb.; and Knoxville, Tenn.

Washington Dulles to Allentown, Pa.; Lexington, Ky.; Madison, Wis.; Oklahoma City; and Pensacola, Fla. 

American’s cuts hit Philadelphia pretty hard

American had already announced plans to eliminate 3,729 flights – about 10% – from its summer schedule at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Those flights won’t operate from June through August. writes Holden Wilen and Emma Dooling at Philadelphia Business Journal.

Do you have a reservation on one of these routes?

It's a safe bet that any airline that cuts a flight from its schedule will make things right with the traveler. For example, in American's situation, a spokesperson said anyone whose flights were changed will be granted alternate options and, if there’s a traveler who can’t be accommodated, refunds will be available because of the airline’s schedule-changing policy. You can find United's schedule change policy here, and Frontier's here.

Homebuyers hoping to purchase a home during the spring housing market are finding it tough sledding. Yes, still-high home prices and mortgage rates that have doubled since 2021 are presenting a challenge.

But added to those issues is a significant drop in available homes to buy. Even after buyers pre-qualify for a mortgage, a new report from Zillow suggests they are finding limited options.

"We know there are a lot of motivated buyers looking for homes. When we see mortgage rates fall, sales pick up," said Skylar Olsen, Zillow's chief economist. "But buyers are disappointed in their options. Homeowners aren't giving up their current house and low monthly payments to join a tight, expensive market. Meanwhile, volatility in the economy makes planning extremely difficult." 

February is typically the month that home listings begin to rise in anticipation of the spring market. That didn’t happen this year, Olsen says.

In fact, the addition of new listings in February fell to a record low for late winter, nearly a third lower than before the pandemic and 22% lower than last year. Zillow suggests that mortgage rates are likely driving the decline. If a homeowner has a 3.5% mortgage rate they aren’t selling their home and taking out a 6.5% mortgage on a new place to live unless they absolutely have to.

A return of bidding wars?

And this shortage of listings is contributing to yet another buyer frustration. Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says when there are more buyers than sellers, it will likely lead to a return of bidding wars that were common during the pandemic.

"Inventory levels are still at historic lows," Yun said. "Consequently, multiple offers are returning on a good number of properties."

When there are multiple offers on a property the house usually sells for more than the asking price, keeping home prices elevated. According to Fortune Magazine, the housing market correction that began late last year may be losing steam, confronting buyers with both higher prices and steep mortgage rates.

Consumers are taking on an increasing amount of debt, and in some cases it's more than they can handle. The total consumer debt balance increased to $16.38 trillion in 2022, up from $15.31 trillion in 2021, according to credit reporting company Experian.

And as we recently found out, there are debt collection agencies that are more than happy to make sure consumers pay -- sometimes even if the debt has been discharged.

Because debt collectors can buy “bad debt” for pennies on the dollar, every dollar they can collect in return is pure gravy. 

“We’ll hunt you down and make you pay…”

Out of the more than three million complaints the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has received in the last five years, nearly 150,000 were about attempts to collect debt not owed either because the consumer didn’t owe anyone anything or the debt had been resolved by the court or paid off

When ConsumerAffairs lifted the rug on those grievances, there was some nasty stuff going on – being screamed at, leaving intimiating messages/robocalls threatening to sue someone, and calling the children of one consumer asking for banking information while she was in the hospital.

That’s some pretty heavy-handed stuff no matter who you are. The federal government’s Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and several states protect consumers from being harassed, but debt collectors sometimes don't mind their manners. 

A debt collection pro shares their magic

ConsumerAffairs wanted to know if there’s anything someone in a debt collection situation could do, especially if they aren’t in default on a debt or they’re not even the exact person who owes the money.

We reached out to someone who has studied and dealt with unpleasant debt collectors on those two fronts. Megan Hanna, DBA, CFE, who’s worn hats as a finance expert, professor, and a former banker, gave us her best advice for consumers caught in those traps.

Offer proof. “You can start by talking to the debt collector about the situation and sharing details about when and how the debt was paid (or any other details about why it's not owed). You should follow up on this conversation by sending a written notification to the debt collector to formally dispute the debt,” Hanna said. 

“Restate what you discussed in the phone conversation and include factual details, including such things as proof of payment or any correspondence you received from the original creditor or other parties about the debt.”

Go back to the original creditor and see if they can help. Another tact you can take is to contact the original creditor to talk about the situation. “Sometimes, the original creditor might not want to speak with you if they sold your debt to a debt collector. However, if you can provide proof that it was sold to the debt collector in error (e.g., a copy of a canceled check you sent to the original creditor, a payoff statement, or confirmation numbers from prior phone calls), they may realize they made an error and help you resolve the situation.”

She said that if you’re still not getting anywhere, you can ask to have your call escalated to a supervisor or manager or send a written dispute to the original creditor, just like you did with the debt collector. But, she warns that manners count. “Be calm and present factual information while being persistent when discussing the situation with the debt collector or creditor.”

If all else fails… “If you cannot resolve the situation with the debt collector or creditor, you can also file a complaint with the credit reporting agencies (if it's on your credit report), the CFPB, or both,” she suggested. When filing a complaint with those agencies, she said you should make sure you have all your facts – including supporting documentation – ready to present. “The more thorough you are in presenting your case, the easier it will be for everyone to look into the situation and, hopefully, help you resolve it.”

If you want to dig deeper into all the options you need to outsmart a sinister debt collector, just visit this special CFPB website. It lays out everything you need to know--  plus the agency offers a toll-free helpline if you want to speak to a real person.

By 2027, Americans will spend more time eating at a “fast casual” restaurant than ever before. Analysts forecast fast casual’s trajectory to have grown 67% from 2019-2027, completely dominating the dining scene. 

It’s a wide-ranging slugfest, too. There’s Panera Bread, Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Blaze Pizza, Shake Shack, Jersey Mike’s, and all sorts of burger, pizza, chicken, Asian-inspired, and barbecue places. They are all trying to prove that not only can they provide good food, but a better overall experience than the guy down the street.

And overall experience is indeed the difference maker. Using data from customer ratings, reviews, and comments across sites collected by Merchant Centric, the Nation’s Restaurant News’ (NRN) Happy Customer Index found that out of the three key themes it focused on — food, price/value and loyalty/referral — Chicken Salad Chick emerged as the winner when it comes to guest satisfaction ratings among the top established brands.

It’s taken 15 years to rule the roost, but the chicken salad concept’s 225 locations scored 7.7 for food, 1.8 for price/value and 4.4 for loyalty/referral. NRN said Chicken Salad Chick’s food scores received nearly eight times as much praise as complaints and likely drove a high score for loyalty and referral.

The other restaurants in the Top 5 fast-casual list are: 

• Cheba Hut, a Fort Collins, Colorado-based toasted sub concept that scored a category-leading 8.2 on food

• Clean Eatz, a healthy food franchise founded in North Carolina. The analysts said that the chain is notable in that it was one of four established fast-casual brands that increased its customer satisfaction scores by double digits in the last year.

• Velvet Taco, a Dallas-based concept 

• D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, a Massachusetts-based sandwich concept 

Rounding out the Top 10 were Skyline Chili, Maple Street Biscuit Company, Biscuitville, Muscle Maker Grill, and Greek’s Pizzeria, an Indiana-based pizza concept dating back to 1969 that now counts more than 140 restaurants on its roster. 

The up-and-comers

The analysts said that it should come as no surprise that the Top 25 emerging brands — ones with fewer than 20 locations — scored higher in guest satisfaction than their established peers, mostly because they have fewer locations to manage, allowing for more focus on such fundamentals.

“We’ve seen some very impressive food scores from these brands, which are driving off-the-charts loyalty scores in many cases,” Adam Leff, cofounder of Merchant Centric, said.

Who should diners keep an eye out for among emerging brands? NRN’s Index counted these chains as the the Top 10, in no particular order:  

• Yats Cajun Creole – billed as a “local New Orleans-style joint” but actually out of Indianapolis. This concept scored a staggering 13.9 on food, 6.3 on price/value and 7.7 on loyalty/referral.
• Gandolfo’s Deli – a New York-style deli first opened in Salt Lake City.
• Bellagreen – a Texas-based American bistro founded that prides itself on its Certified Green ingredients.
• Flatbread Company – a wood-fired pizza concept.
• The Melt – coming out of California, The Melt focuses on grilled cheese, mac and cheese and burgers.
• Mark’s Feed Store – a barbecue concept was founded in 1988 in Louisville, Kentucky, and now includes six locations.
• Joella’s Hot Chicken – another Louisville-based concept that has grown to nearly 15 locations in the last eight years. 
• Wildflower Bread – an Arizona-based restaurant and artisan bakery
• The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – a 12-year-old brand founded in Nevada 
• Taco Bus – a Mexican concept that began as a food truck around the Tampa FL market but expanded into five brick-and-mortar locations.

Walmart shoppers are about to get a special deal on mountain bikes. The company has announced a new partnership with Ozark Trail that will bring the typically high-priced bikes to consumers for a lower cost. 

“We have developed a bike for the weekend warrior that is ready to hit the trails,” said Maddy Johnson, associate merchant for adult bikes at Walmart U.S. “Many of the bikes in this sport come with a high price point. We wanted to offer our customers a more affordable option while maintaining the quality and versatility that the sport requires, and I think we’ve done that with the Ozark Trail bike.” 

Finding the right bike at the right price 

Because mountain bikes are designed to cross different kinds of terrain and hold up under the demands of the sport, that usually means they come with a high price tag. However, Walmart said it partnered with Ozark Trail to bring consumers a durable mountain bike at a better price. 

The new line of mountain bikes with Ozark Trail will be available at Walmart in varying price ranges, and shoppers will have the option to customize and upgrade their bikes to best suit their needs. 

Customers can choose between a 27.5-inch wheel or a 29-inch wheel, and there’s an option for kids that comes with 24-inch wheels. In addition, there are different options for frame sizes, so riders can find the option that best suits their size and needs. The bikes are also equipped with mechanical disc brakes, groupsets from Microshift and Shimano, and short-travel suspension forks. 

Kids’ bikes are priced at $198 at Walmart, while adult bikes start at $298 and can go up to $398 for the most premium option. Walmart will also carry accessories for the bikes, including both youth and adult helmets (priced at $19.96 and $24.96, respectively), a universal bike water bottle cage ($9.96), and 27-piece bike repair tool kit ($29.96).