• Americans are annoyed about soaring fast-food prices.
• Some diners are turning to independent restaurants, casual dining chains, and home cooking instead.
• Some say they'd rather pay a few extra dollars to have a sit-down meal with their family at Chili's or Applebee's.

As fast-food prices continue to soar, Americans are looking for ways to get more bang for their buck.

Some say they're switching to local Latin restaurants and casual dining chains.

Others are just buying more groceries and cooking at home instead.

Like fast-food prices, grocery prices soared during the pandemic. But grocery prices are now largely back to pre-pandemic levels, while inflation at limited-service restaurants still remains elevated.

And some consumers see the benefit of cooking healthier meals at home.

Chad Frye, a cartoonist and illustrator in California, said that he used to be a "fast-food junkie," eating it around four or five times a week, but that he has cut this down to about twice.

"I do a lot more cooking at home now," Frye said. "It's much more economical."

Thomas Valentine, a 32-year-old from Arizona, said he generally buys prepackaged meals from grocery stores.

"The most cooking I'll do is throw some chicken thighs in the oven and make some instant potatoes or some ramen," he said.

For Jordan Sanchez, a 27-year-old loader for a delivery company who lives in California, eggs and chicken tenders are the go-tos. He said he's started cooking more, both for his health and because of the rising costs of fast food.

Lawrence Milford's family, meanwhile, is recreating a fast-food favorite at home.

To mimic the taste of dining out, the 48-year-old financial planner from Florida, who has two kids, said his wife sometimes cooks McDonald's-like burgers "to make the kids happy."

Grocery stores are fast-food chains' biggest rivals

Executives are spotting the shift toward home cooking, too.

"Many customers are being more exacting about where and how they choose to spend their money," Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan told investors at the company's last earnings call, adding that some customers had been saving money by eating more at home.

McDonald's has acknowledged this, too.

It all comes down to the "delta" — or the gap — between grocery and restaurant inflation, Danilo Gargiulo, a restaurant analyst at Bernstein, previously told BI.

After all, groceries, not rival restaurants, are the biggest competitors to fast-food chains because people are trying to decide whether to eat at home or get fast food, he said. When fast-food prices rise at a faster rate than grocery prices, consumers notice.

Some grocery stores are seeing the effects of customers' changing habits. Walmart US CEO John Furner said at an Oppenheimer conference this week that shoppers had started buying more home-cooking ingredients, such as fresh produce, proteins, and dairy.

R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai — an analytics company that tracks footfall — told BI that there had been a shift in traffic away from fast-food chains toward full-service restaurants and discount grocery stores in recent weeks. He attributed this to the price increases at fast-food chains.

Diners are turning to Chili's, Applebee's, and Mexican restaurants

As well as cooking more, people are changing where they dine to save money.

Some consumers told BI they're opting for casual-dining chains, independent restaurants, and their neighborhood Mexican and Latin eateries, meaning they can get better-quality food and enjoy a sit-down meal with their families.

"You can get something that tastes really good for almost the same price at a sit-down," Frye said.

Family-friendly casual-dining chains like Applebee's and Chili's typically have broad menus and offer some entrées for under $15. For many diners, it's about the value proposition.

When Martin Jennings, a 51-year-old truck driver from Florida, and his wife dine out with their kids, they try to visit sit-down restaurants like Chili's or TGI Fridays "and have better quality food than [getting] a hamburger through the drive-thru."

"And it's only a few dollars more. Honestly, it seems lately the only thing we pay extra for is a tip," Jennings said.

For similar reasons, some diners say they're heading to independent restaurants, too.

Brooks Ferrante, a 32-year-old construction worker in Florida, said he'd largely ditched McDonald's and Wendy's for fast-casual chains like Chipotle and local restaurants selling Cuban and Puerto Rican food. He typically spends $10 or $11 on a meal, including tips.

Ben Heyworth, an account executive in Florida, has made a similar change to his dining habits.

He told BI that some Mexican restaurants near where he live sold better-quality food than fast-food chains and charge between $10 and $15 for an entrée and drink.

"I feel like I'm getting more value," he said. "You can sit down, it's got a good atmosphere, better service, better quality food, better options."

• Tesla investors voted on Thursday to approve Elon Musk's multibillion-dollar pay package.
• However, some institutional shareholders told BI that Musk's award was a mistake.
• One investor questioned if Musk is the right person to continue leading Tesla.

Some institutional Tesla shareholders told Business Insider that approving Elon Musk's record-shattering pay package was a mistake and that they have lingering concerns about Musk's ability to lead the company.

Investors representing about 72% of the company's shares voted on Thursday to green-light Musk's $55 billion pay package, which was struck down by a Delaware court in January. The vote doesn't immediately reinstate Musk's award, but it does provide Tesla lawyers with some ammunition when they make their case again in Delaware.

Reuters reported that Vanguard, the largest institutional shareholder with a 7% stake in Tesla, voted to approve the pay package.

Yet despite the majority approval of Musk's pay package, institutional shareholders who spoke to Business Insider were skeptical that the $55 billion stock option is commensurate with his performance and remained concerned about the company's leaders, including Musk.

"Once again it has been solidified that Tesla is a great company with not so great governance," Anders Schelde, chief information officer of AkademikerPension, a Danish pension fund that invests in Tesla, told BI in an email. "We remain invested, but governance is red flag, and I seriously wonder if Tesla would be a better company with or without Mr. Musk, and I think many investors have the same doubts."

AkademikerPension is one of eight institutional Tesla shareholders that cosigned a letter in May advising other investors to vote against both Musk's pay package and the reelection of James Murdoch and Musk's brother, Kimbal Musk, to seats on Tesla's board. Investors voted to retain both men on the board.

It's unclear how many Tesla shares AkademikerPension owned as of June 14.

Shareholders call for board oversight

During Thursday's shareholder meeting, Musk challenged concerns from institutional shareholders, though he did not name specific investors.

"Talking to a lot of the sort of big institutional investors … they're often in like New York, and they don't drive cars," Musk said at the meeting. "So I'll be like, 'Um, have you tried self-driving? You know, the version 12.3?' And they're like, 'Uh no.' OK, well, you should try it. That would be a good thing to do."

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who also cosigned the May letter, told BI in an email that approving the pay package was a "mistake," but that the company should move forward with clear plans to steady growth and ensure Musk is focused on that goal.

"We expect genuine board oversight and a CEO deeply committed to Tesla's growth rather than other ventures," Lander said in a statement. "The Board should ensure its approval is required for any attempts to leverage Tesla's resources for Musk's other ventures, aligning shareholder interests with company goals."

Lander added that the the board should hire a "compensation consultation" to renegotiate an incentive plan for Musk that won't be dilutive to shareholders instead of defending the pay package in court.

Lander's spokesperson told BI that as of April 30, the New York City Retirement System owned more than 3.4 million shares of Tesla stock.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System, or CalPERs, which, according to the pension fund, owns about 9.2 million Tesla shares, has also been vocal about striking down Musk's pay package.

A CalPERS spokesperson declined to comment but pointed to a statement released a day before the Thursday shareholder vote, which stated that Musk is "entitled to be well compensated for his work," but the current award package is excessive and "highly dilutive to shareholders."

"This exorbitant compensation package is at odds with CalPERS' longstanding views on executive pay," CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost said in the statement. "The compensation is excessive when compared to executives at peer companies, highly dilutive to shareholders, and isn't tied to the long-term profitability of Tesla."

Musk and a spokesperson for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and professional chef.
• She explains why eating well helps to fuel beneficial bacteria in the gut, supporting the brain. 
• Simple grocery store staples like fresh herbs and leafy greens are great. So are blueberries.

You can eat your way to a younger brain and healthier gut by stocking up on some basic ingredients from your local grocery store, according to a doctor and nutrition expert.

Dr. Uma Naidoo is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and professional chef featured in a new brain health class from MasterClass, which offers simple tips to help improve memory and focus while preventing cognitive decline that comes with aging.

She told Business Insider that what you eat can significantly boost your brain health and mood while supporting your digestive system all at the same time.

That's because the brain and the gut are closely connected — so much so that the gut is a key producer of neurotransmitters like serotonin that we need to maintain mental health and cognitive function.

"People think of the brain as an above-the-neck concept that is unrelated to the rest of the body, but gut health is so critically important as well," Naidoo said.

The upshot of the brain-gut connection is that eating well is a double win for your health, and you don't need expensive superfoods or supplements to do it. Naidoo's favorite brain-boosting staples on her grocery list include yogurt, dark chocolate, and fresh herbs.

"The first and foremost thing I want people to really learn from this class is that healthy food can be delicious," she said. "All you need to do is add in very simple ingredients, easily accessible ingredients, whether it's leafy greens or herbs and spices."

Yogurt and cottage cheese are rich in protein and gut-friendly probiotics

Two of the major staples in Naidoo's fridge are plain yogurt and cottage cheese, known as probiotic foods. They're packed with beneficial bacteria from the fermentation process, which can help support the friendly microorganisms that live in the human digestive system. Both yogurt and cottage cheese are good protein sources to help you feel full, too.

The key to making yogurt or cottage cheese a healthy breakfast or snack is being mindful of what you mix in. A lot of premade products or additives like granola can be high in sugar, too much of which is linked to potential health issues, including higher risk of anxiety and depression.

Naidoo said she makes her own brain-food granola (the recipe is included in her book) with hearty oats, seeds as a source of healthy fats, and a bit of honey for natural sweetness.

Nuts and berries are full of fiber for a healthy snack

Popular snacks like chips and pasties are processed foods, which research has linked to worse mood and brain function.

Naidoo's go-to snacks instead include nuts and berries, which provide plenty of fiber to keep your digestive system healthy.

Berries are often recommended for brain health as part of eating plans like the MIND diet because they're packed with disease-fighting compounds called antioxidants.

"We want to eat antioxidants because these fend off oxidative stress in the body and the brain," Naidoo said.

Leafy greens may keep your brain younger

Another easy way to eat healthier is to add a few servings of leafy green veggies to your regular meals, Naidoo said.

Produce like spinach and kale contain high amounts of nutrients such as vitamin K and folate, and research suggests they're linked to healthier aging.

Also, look for microgreens like cress, arugula, and pea shoots. These are easy to mix into recipes like salads for extra vitamins and minerals.

"If I see microgreens, especially in the summer, I try to get some of those because that added to the top of my salad just is more nutrition for me," Naidoo said.

Dark chocolate is a brain-boosting dessert

Brain food can also include treats, according to Naidoo. Dark chocolate offers a wealth of minerals and a specific type of nutrient called flavanols, which are linked to cognitive benefits.

"Not only is it a brain-healthy food, it's low in sugar. So rather than a candy bar, I have my patients get used to eating small chunks of extra dark natural chocolate," Naidoo said.

For best results, avoid products with a lot of sugar or other additives and look for a high percentage (at least 70% cocoa) to get the most out of your chocolate. Enjoying chocolate in moderation is also key, since too much can cause you to overdo it on sugar and/or calories and offset the potential health benefits, research suggests.

Naidoo added that pairing chocolate with citrus, like an orange or clementine, can make it even more nutritious since vitamin C helps the body absorb iron.

Fresh herbs like basil and parsley add nutrients and make healthy food delicious

Naidoo's training as a professional chef has taught her that healthy food can be delicious but doesn't have to be complicated.

Stocking up on fresh herbs like basil and parsley can boost flavor and provide even more healthy benefits.

In the brain health class for MasterClass, Naidoo shares recipes for brain-healthy foods like jerk cauliflower that you can make at home. Over time, you can explore your favorite herbs and spices to find flavors and recipes that work for your tastes and support good health.

"The most important thing is that people understand how simple healthy food can be and that it is tasty, that they're not giving up flavor," Naidoo said.

• Hybrid work boosts job satisfaction, a study published in Nature found.
• And productivity loss in hybrid work was negligible.
• Hybrid work also fosters employee well-being and benefits businesses like cafes and gyms.

One of the greatest debates of the post-pandemic age is whether hybrid work is the best — or worst — of both worlds.

Advocates of hybrid work say it helps them achieve a better work-life balance and is more engaging. Studies show it has also boosted women's participation in the labor force. Employers, meanwhile, worry that it lowers employee productivity and collaboration.

A new study published in Nature could end the debate. It suggests that productivity concerns are negligible and that hybrid work really could be the ideal setup for workers.

The study divided more than 1,600 employees of Trip.com, a Chinese travel agency, into two groups and tracked them for two years. One group worked from the office five days a week, while the other spent three days in the office and two days at home.

The latter group showed improved job satisfaction. The rate at which these employees quit also reduced by a third, with the impact especially pronounced on employees who weren't managers, females, and those with long commutes.

There weren't really any downsides. The study found that hybrid work didn't have a measurable impact on workers' performance or productivity. Managers, too, were more supportive of it after participating in the study.

The authors concluded that hybrid work can boost companies' profits by reducing quit rates "estimated to cost about 50% of an individual's annual salary." It also "offers large gains for society by providing a valuable amenity (perk) to employees, reducing commuting and easing child-care."

It can also be a boon to businesses like cafés, bars, gyms, and beauty salons — all of which have seen increased earnings due to the work-from-home economy.

• Joe Alwyn spoke about his relationship with Taylor Swift to The Sunday Times.
• Alwyn said the end of their relationship was a "hard thing to navigate."
• Swift and Alwyn dated for six years before breaking up in 2023.

Joe Alwyn, speaking openly about his breakup with Taylor Swift for the first time, urged fans to have some empathy.

Alwyn, 33, and Swift, 34, dated for six years before their split in April 2023. The breakup became a hot topic on social media, where Swifties shared fan theories and analyzed Swift's lyrics for subtle nods to Alwyn.

The release of Swift's latest album — "The Tortured Poets Department" — launched another round of fan speculation as some fans thought the song "So Long, London" was about Alwyn.

Alwyn, an actor, shared his thoughts on the topic for the first time in an interview with The Sunday Times on Saturday. When asked if he's listened to the album, Alwyn acknowledged the difficulties of ending a long-term relationship in the public eye.

"I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years," he said.

He said the end of their relationship was a "hard thing to navigate."

"What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it's suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in," he added.

Alwyn told the Times that he had made his "peace" with misconceptions surrounding their split, especially after the couple had gone to great lengths to keep their relationship private.

"As everyone knows, we together — both of us, mutually — decided to keep the more private details of our relationship private. It was never something to commodify and I see no reason to change that now," he said. "And, look, this is also a little over a year ago now and I feel fortunate to be in a really great place in my life, professionally and personally. I feel really good."

Representatives for Swift did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Following her split with Alwyn, Swift briefly dated 1975 frontman Matty Healy before starting a relationship with Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 2023 announcement of her breakup with Alwyn came shortly after her renowned "Eras Tour" began, prompting heightened speculation and scrutiny of her performances by her fans.

The tour cemented her reign over the music industry while catapulting her — and practically everything she touches — to a new level of economic power.

Between her tour and her movie, she injected billions into the US economy last year, while her highly publicized relationship with Kelce caused NFL viewership to skyrocket.

• OpenAI appointed former NSA Director Paul Nakasone to its board of directors.
• Nakasone's hiring aims to bolster AI security but raises surveillance concerns.
• The company's internal safety group has also effectively disbanded.

There are creepy undercover security guards outside its office. It just appointed a former NSA director to its board. And its internal working group meant to promote the safe use of artificial intelligence has effectively disbanded.

OpenAI is feeling a little less open every day.

In its latest eyebrow-raising move, the company said Friday it had appointed former NSA Director Paul Nakasone to its board of directors.

In addition to leading the NSA, Nakasone was the head of the US Cyber Command — the cybersecurity division of the Defense Department. OpenAI says Nakasone's hiring represents its "commitment to safety and security" and emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity as AI continues to evolve.

"OpenAI's dedication to its mission aligns closely with my own values and experience in public service," Nakasone said in a statement. "I look forward to contributing to OpenAI's efforts to ensure artificial general intelligence is safe and beneficial to people around the world."

But critics worry Nakasone's hiring might represent something else: surveillance.

Edward Snowden, the US whistleblower who leaked classified documents about surveillance in 2013, said in a post on X that the hiring of Nakasone was a "calculated betrayal to the rights of every person on Earth."

"They've gone full mask-off: do not ever trust OpenAI or its products (ChatGPT etc)" Snowden wrote.

In another comment on X, Snowden said the "intersection of AI with the ocean of mass surveillance data that's been building up over the past two decades is going to put truly terrible powers in the hands of an unaccountable few."

Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia and the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on the other hand, described Nakasone's hiring as a "huge get."

"There's nobody in the security community, broadly, that's more respected," Warner told Axios.

Nakasone's expertise in security may be needed at OpenAI, where critics have worried that security issues could open it up to attacks.

OpenAI fired former board member Leopold Aschenbrenner in April after he sent a memo detailing a "major security incident." He described the company's security as "egregiously insufficient" to protect against theft by foreign actors.

Shortly after, OpenAI's superalignment team — which was focused on developing AI systems compatible with human interests — abruptly disintegrated after two of the company's most prominent safety researchers quit.

Jan Leike, one of the departing researchers, said he had been "disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company's core priorities for quite some time."

Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientist who initially launched the superalignment team, was more reticent about his reasons for leaving. But company insiders said he'd been on shaky ground because of his role in the failed ouster of CEO Sam Altman. Sutskever disapproved of Altman's aggressive approach to AI development, which fueled their power struggle.

And if all of that wasn't enough, even locals living and working near OpenAI's office in San Francisco say the company is starting to creep them out. A cashier at a neighboring pet store told The San Francisco Standard that the office has a "secretive vibe."

Several workers at neighboring businesses say men resembling undercover security guards stand outside the building but won't say they work for OpenAI.

"[OpenAI] is not a bad neighbor," one said. "But they're secretive."