Kasley Killam, author of "The Art and Science of Connection," told Business Insider that she can relate to loneliness sneaking up on her, "as someone who's introverted and will happily stay at home by myself or with my husband."
In researching the habits of socially healthy people, she was struck by how often they reach out to others and how deep their relationships are.
Killam wanted to create a structure to make sure she was getting enough meaningful social interaction in her life.Her research inspired her to create the 5-3-1 rule, a guideline for measuring social health. "We need to be intentional about connection, just like we are with exercise and eating healthy foods," Killam said. As with skipping sleep or not moving your body enough, avoiding meaningful social interaction can snowball into adverse health consequences.
"If I get three workouts in, I know I'm going to feel super good," Killam said of physical exercise. "If I get just one in or none at all, I'm immediately going to feel the effects on my body." The same could be said for socializing.
Killam broke down the 5-3-1 rule — and what to do if you find it hard to follow.
Killam told Business Insider that these people can include "friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors," and that it's good to prioritize a diverse range of interactions, from long walks with a best friend to brief chats with acquaintances at your gym.
While it's great to expand your social network, Killam stressed the importance of focusing on about three deep relationships, based on her research of socially happy people across various cultures. "We need a few people who we can reach out to for support," she said.
In the book, she said a good way to gauge who these people are is to think of who tends to be at the top of your phone messages or who you'd list as an emergency contact.
Aim for one hour of quality connection every day
The last step is to shoot for one hour of social interaction each day. "That doesn't have to be all at once," Killam said, " It could be 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there."
If you're pressed for time, you can always run an errand with a friend or hop on a short call with a parent. The only hard rule is it has to feel meaningful.
Use 5-3-1 as a rule of thumb
If you feel like you're great at talking to seven people a day but only have two very close relationships, Killam said not to worry — the 5-3-1 rule is more of a rule of thumb.
Killam struggles the most with getting one hour of socializing a day because she works from home. "I'm guaranteed to see my husband, but not necessarily friends or other people," she said. "That anchor point has helped me be more intentional about FaceTiming with a family member or calling a friend when I go for a walk."
In the end, Killam said the goal is to help you be more aware of the relationships in your life. If you've felt lonely but haven't known how to address it, the 5-3-1 rule can help you pinpoint where to start.
Noland Arbaugh said if he's connected to his computer, a hacker could in theory look at his texts and emails.
SOPA Images/Getty
Neuralink's first human patient discussed hacking concerns on Joe Rogan's podcast.
Noland Arbaugh said a hacker could, in theory, see his brain data or access his PC by controlling a cursor.
However, Arbaugh said he isn't too worried about getting hacked.
Neuralink's brain chip has already shown promising results for its first recipient Noland Arbaugh, since he received it in January.
But is it possible the chip could be hacked?
"The short answer is yes," Arbaugh said in a podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Thursday.
While Rogan lightheartedly discussed the possibility of humans being hijacked and becoming cyborgs, Arbaugh said hacking his brain implant wouldn't do much — at least at this point.
"You might be able to see like some of the brain signals," Arbaugh said. "You might be able to see some of the data that Neuralink's collecting."
It's unclear what this kind of data would look like. The Neuralink chip, which is about the size of a coin, contains thousands of electrodes that monitor and stimulate brain activity. The information is then digitally transmitted to researchers.
Arbaugh, a 29-year-old quadriplegic, previously told Business Insider that the brain chip has given him more independence and helped him reconnect socially.
The chip allows him to control a cursor on his computer using only his brain.
"I've been using it to message people on X, use Instagram, reply to emails, play fantasy sports, read comics online, and access a site I use to learn Japanese," he said. "I also used it to book a hotel for when I visited Neuralink's headquarters."
A diagram of Neuralink's brain chip procedure.
Neuralink/YouTube
Arbaugh told Rogan that if he was connected to his computer at the time of the hacking, someone could steer and control his mouse cursor. They could also potentially access his messages and emails by getting into his computer, Arbaugh said.
The possibility of hacking isn't a taboo subject for Arbaugh, though. He said he was warned about the risk before he started the study, but he's not worried about it.
"It is what it is," Arbaugh said. "I think if it happens, it happens."
The current focus on Neuralink is for medical uses.
Neuralink founder Elon Musk has predicted the chip will one day be able to "solve" mental conditions like autism and schizophrenia. That's been contested by some neuroscientists who don't think the chip will be able to change the developmental structure of the brain impacted by certain conditions. But the technology may be able to help paralyzed patients like Arbaugh experience improved movement.
Eventually, though, Musk hopes to make Neuralink chips mainstream and turn them into a "Fitbit in your skull." If that becomes a reality, hacking concerns might be more pressing.
Chip and Joanna Gaines renovated a lakehouse in Waco, Texas.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Chip and Joanna Gaines flipped a lakehouse to celebrate 10 years of "Fixer Upper."
They used midcentury modern design in the home, which was built in 1965.
Chip and Joanna also made natural light and the surrounding nature a focal point of the design.
Chip and Joanna Gaines have officially been household names for a decade, as the first full season of "Fixer Upper" premiered on HGTV in 2014.
Since their first show premiered, the Gaineses have created an empire through their home renovation series, the Magnolia network, the brick-and-mortar stores they opened in their hometown of Waco, Texas, and more.
To mark a decade of the "Fixer Upper" franchise, Chip and Joanna flipped a lakehouse in Waco and documented the experience in a six-episode series called "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse."
Take a look inside the renovated home.
Chip and Joanna Gaines celebrated 10 years of "Fixer Upper" by renovating a lakehouse.
Chip and Joanna Gaines' "Fixer Upper" premiered in 2014.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Chip and Joanna shared in the first episode of the series that the lakehouse, which is a little over 5,100 square feet, was originally built in 1965 and later renovated in the 1990s.
Chip said on "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse" that he had long dreamed of renovating a waterside property, making it ideal for their anniversary project.
"This house was the right price, the right lake view," Chip said of the property.
"For 10 years, we have been in the 'Fixer Upper' universe," he added. "And this lakehouse feels like the cherry on top of it."
The lakehouse has five bedrooms and five bathrooms. Chip and Joanna have not revealed how much they bought or sold the lakehouse for, but other similar-sized homes located near the lake range in price from $725,000 to $1.25 million, according to Zillow data.
Joanna embraced the home's original architecture with its design.
The home was built in the 1960s.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Joanna reviewed the home's original plans before she and Chip started their renovation, discovering that they were heavily influenced by midcentury modern and Spanish Revival design, as she shared in the series.
She decided to celebrate those styles with the design, marking a departure from the farmhouse aesthetic she favored in the early years of "Fixer Upper."
Joanna added angular windows to the front paneling of the home and rounded sconces, nodding to the midcentury feel.
The home also feels more luxurious than many of Chip and Joanna's earlier projects. For instance, Chip was inspired to add a koi pond and water feature to the courtyard near the front door, setting a high-end tone for the property.
Windows covered the entirety of one wall in the living room, providing a view of the nearby lake.
The windows covered almost the whole wall.
Courtesy of Magnolia
The living room wall originally had five shorter windows that overlooked the backyard.
But the Gaineses swapped the windows for two taller panes that added a foot of extra light to the living room, which they said was a bit of a splurge for the project on "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse," though they didn't specify their budget for the flip.
Much of the living room featured Magnolia products, including the paint on the walls and the $1,899 Deco Marble Coffee Table in the center of the space.
The light fixtures throughout the home had a midcentury modern flair.
The chandeliers added to the aesthetic.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Chip and Joanna added bold chandeliers to several rooms in the home, including the living room and kitchen.
They chose retro fixtures for both rooms that pointed to the home's roots in the 1960s.
Though they made several updates, the Gaineses also kept some existing structures for the home, like the rounded fireplace in the living room.
The kitchen was originally just a breakfast nook.
The island has bar seating.
Courtesy of Magnolia
As she designed the home, Joanna replaced the breakfast nook and laundry room with a new kitchen that overlooks the surrounding greenery.
The space's centerpiece is a large island with bar seating. The base features metal detailing, while the top is marble, creating contrast.
The marble continues on the counters and backsplash, and Joanna optimized the room's space by building the refrigerator and a walk-in pantry into one of the kitchen's walls.
They were covered with custom wood cabinetry, giving the wall a seamless look.
Skylights brightened the dining room.
The dining room features natural lighting.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Joanna and Chip wanted to brighten the dining room, so they added skylights to the sloped ceiling to fill it with more natural light.
The dining room also looks onto the koi pond, celebrating the home's interior and exterior. It features a tile wall that adds a sense of modernity to the space.
Like the living room and kitchen, the dining room features a massive $2,249 chandelier designed by Visual Comfort & Co. The gold hardware and round bulbs both incorporate the house's midcentury modern vibe.
The first floor also features a sophisticated library.
The built-in shelving covers a whole wall.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Like much of the home, the library has wood detailing, including a gridded wall of shelving with a lighter wallpaper backing that acts as a focal point.
Chip and Joanna also painted the walls and the ceiling dark green, making the room cozy yet moody.
The library sits opposite the staircase, as seen through its sliding glass doors.
The staircase has architectural detailing.
Courtesy of Magnolia
The library spotlights the cherrywood staircase that leads to the second floor with its reeded glass sliding doors.
The built-in shelving in the library is made of the same wood, so the rooms feel cohesive.
Joanna also used greenery in the staging of the room, tying it to the exterior.
The recreation room pays homage to the 1960s.
The original kitchen became a rec room.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Joanna turned the original kitchen into a rec room. She said on the series that she wanted to ensure the design would work for a big family, and she thought the rec room could be multifunctional.
"I don't have a buyer on the end, so I now have to create this family in my mind," she said of her thought process. "How do they live? How many kids do they have? How am I creating this space that's functional and beautiful for a larger family?"
The rec room features wood paneling on the walls and built-in seating in an L-shape that serves as a couch. A rounded, white fireplace from Malm Fireplaces fits with the space's retro vibe.
Chip and Joanna also added a skylight to the room.
Touches like built-in furniture add to the luxurious feel of the home.
The bedroom has built-in furniture.
Courtesy of Magnolia
The primary bedroom epitomizes the lakehouse's high-end feel with a built-in bed. The bed sits against a rounded wood panel and has a green headboard.
The bedroom also features a seating nook built into the wall and multiple closets, as well as textured wallpaper.
The primary bathroom also looked high-end, thanks to its walk-in shower.
The walk-in shower is a focal point of the primary bathroom.
Courtesy of Magnolia
The bathroom is full of contrast, with dark tiles, white walls, and a large countertop covered in marble with wooden drawers.
It features a free-standing tub and a massive walk-in shower, which has privacy with reeded glass but still looks open.
The bathroom's rounded mirrors and angular sconces reflect the midcentury modern aesthetic.
The property also features a pool.
The house features a pool.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Chip and Joanna removed some of the greenery in the backyard, so it has a clear view of the nearby lake.
They made the pool a focal point of the yard and added a firepit to celebrate the property's exterior features. They revamped a greenhouse in the yard as well.
Chip and Joanna have already sold the lakehouse.
They sold the lakehouse.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Throughout "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse," Chip and Joanna said they intended to flip the lakehouse, and they already sold it. The Gaineses have not released information on how much the home sold for.
"It's been a really special project, and I'm so glad that you and I have gotten to do all of these incredible things together," Chip told Jo of the renovation on the series finale.
You can watch "Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse" on Magnolia and Max.
Elon Musk is involved in a slew of lawsuits and investigations.
PATRICK PLEUL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI
Elon Musk has a lot of legal problems.
BI scoured the dockets to find the biggest court cases and investigations posing a threat to the billionaire.
If Musk throws his support behind Donald Trump, he stands to gain if Trump wins the presidency.
It's not unusual for a high-profile businessman to attract a lot of lawsuits. But by any standard, Elon Musk is spending a lot of time and money on lawsuits.
Musk and his companies — especially Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly known as Twitter) — keep running into controversies, whether it's over whether the products actually work as well as they're supposed to, the billionaire's pay structure, his hiring practices, and even his firing practices.
He has also become a magnet for personal lawsuits. Musk is involved in messy litigation with Claire Boucher, AKA Grimes, the mother of three of Musk's children. He has also launched lawsuits of his own through his companies, wading into arguments about free speech on the internet. Musk often relies on Alex Spiro, his longtime personal lawyer, to fight and coordinate the lawsuits.
Business Insider has combed through court records and created a list of the most significant legal challenges on Musk's docket. Tesla shareholders are weighing some of these issues as they decide whether to approve a pay package that was estimated to be worth $55 billion in 2018— which would be the largest pay package in history.
The lawsuits and government investigations into Musk and his companies range from discriminatory hiring practices to allegations that some of Tesla's features don't work as advertised.
Some of his highest-profile battles — such as the recent withdrawal of a lawsuit against OpenAI and founder Sam Altman, the court victories over Musk's "funding secured" tweet and "pedo guy" tweets, his losses against an anti-hate group and the SEC over a "Twitter sitter," and his settlement with a Black Tesla employee who was the victim of racist discrimination — have been resolved, and aren't included on this list.
With his vast wealth, Musk could stand to gain from supporting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Over the past several years, Musk's politics have drifted rightward, and there were reports he was being considered for an advisory role in a second Trump administration if the former president wins the election. As the leader of the executive branch, Trump — who in his first term used the levers of the federal government for his own benefit — could seek to force agencies to drop investigations and ongoing cases against Musk and his companies.
Spiro and representatives for Elon Musk did not immediately respond to BI's requests for comment.
Elon Musk.
Anna Webber/Variety/Getty Images
Lawsuits brought by Musk
Musk v. Media Matters
The issue: Musk's company X Corp. filed a lawsuit in Texas against the liberal advocacy group Media Matters in November, alleging the group launched a "blatant smear campaign" against X.
What's going on: Last year, Media Matters published a report that indicated X was placing advertising content next to pro-Nazi posts on the social media site. The nonprofit's report appeared to launch another advertising exodus from Musk's social media site.
Musk claims in his lawsuit that the group manipulated its findings and cherry-picked information. In response, Media Matters president Angelo Carusone called it "a frivolous lawsuit meant to bully X's critics into silence."
The issue has broadened into investigations from right-wing state attorneys general in Texas and Missouri, who are examining whether Media Matters broke civil laws with its reporting on Musk's social media company.
Media Matters laid off several employees in May, blaming the "legal assault" that it says restricted its resources.
What's next: Media Matters filed a motion to dismiss Musk's lawsuit in March, but a judge has yet to rule.
Gina Carano v. Disney
The issues: Actress Gina Carano is suing Disney after it fired her from "The Mandalorian" after she made posts on X comparing the treatment of conservatives in America to Jews in Nazi Germany. One post also engaged in Holocaust denial, claiming that "thousands" of Jews were "rounded up," rather than millions. X is funding the lawsuit, and Musk has championed it on the platform.
What's going on: Musk has promised to support lawsuits supporting people who were fired because of their X posts, and Carano's is a test case for that project, which Musk says is meant to protect free speech.
The lawsuit, crafted by boutique conservative law firm Schaerr Jaffe, focuses on California labor laws that protect political activism outside the workplace.
Disney has filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing the company has a First Amendment right not to associate with Carano's views, which also include criticism of vaccine mandates and questioning the results of the 2020 election.
What's next: The judge overseeing the case has yet to rule on the motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Musk v. NLRB
The issues:Musk's Tesla is fighting a decision by the National Labor Relations Board that the electric-car company CEO violated labor laws back in 2018 when he tweeted that Tesla employees could lose their stock options if they unionized.
What's going on: A three-judge panel of the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld the NLRB's finding that Musk's tweet unlawfully threatened Tesla employees' benefits. Musk's May 21, 2018 tweet at the center of the matter read: "Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing? Our safety record is 2X better than when plant was UAW & everybody already gets healthcare."
Attorneys for Tesla — which argued that Musk's tweet could not be interpreted as a threat — asked the federal appeals court to reconsider the ruling. That request was granted.
What's next: The full 5th Circuit heard oral arguments in the case earlier this year, and the 17-judge panel has yet to issue a ruling.
Elon Musk and his companies face several lawsuits and investigations brought by the government.
VCG/Getty
Government lawsuits and investigations
SEC investigation into Musk's Twitter takeover
The issues: The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Elon Musk's Twitter purchase.
What's going on: The SEC and Musk have a long history together. In October, the agency announced it had opened an investigation into his $44 billion purchase of the social media company. The SEC hasn't said specifically what it's looking into — only that the probe concerns his purchase of Twitter stock and his 2022 statements and SEC filings relating to his purchase.
What's next: In May, Musk agreed to testify in the investigation, which remains ongoing.
Tesla Autopilot investigation
The issues: Justice Department prosecutors — as well as regulators from other federal agencies — are looking into Tesla's claims of self-driving.
What's going on: Federal prosecutors are examining whether Tesla committed wire fraud or securities fraud with exaggerated claims of self-driving using the cars' "Autopilot" feature. The Securities and Exchange Commission is also looking into whether investors were misled by the claims, according to Reuters. And in a separate probe, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into reports of Tesla crashes involving the Autopilot feature.
What's next: Tesla has already issued recalls — which, in its case, just means a software update — to add more safeguards to its Autopilot feature. Tesla recalls are essentially just software updates, and the company already issued a recall on 2 million of its vehicles to add more safeguards to its Autopilot feature. The NHTSA is still looking into whether those updates were sufficient.
The company also recently settled a civil lawsuit over a crash that killed an Apple engineer while one of its cars was in Autopilot mode — one of several dozen Tesla deaths involving the feature.
Tesla steering loss investigation
The issues: The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating thousands of complaints that drivers of Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 vehicles suddenly lost steering control.
What's going on: The investigation began in 2023. Earlier this year, the agency advanced its investigation and sought more records from Tesla.
What's next: The probe's recent upgrade to the "engineering analysis" stage suggests the NHTSA may soon issue a Tesla recall.
NLRB v. SpaceX
The issues: In a complaint earlier this year, the NLRB accused Musk's SpaceX of illegally firing eight employees for criticizing Musk in an open letter.
What's going on: The former employees alleged that they were terminated in 2022 over their involvement in the open letter to SpaceX executives that called Musk's public behavior "a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us." The NLRB filed its complaint in connection with the matter earlier this year.
What's next: In response to the complaint, SpaceX sued the NLRB in federal court, alleging that the government agency's structure is unconstitutional. An appeals court handed Musk a legal win in May when it temporarily blocked the NLRB's case against the rocket company.
What's going on: The lawsuit, filed in August, pointed to Elon Musk's own social media posts where he claimed that US law requires "at least a green card" to be hired at SpaceX for national security reasons. That simply isn't true, the Justice Department alleged.
Instead of suing in a federal district court under a Senate-confirmed judge, the Justice Department brought the lawsuit through an administrative court, where the judges are appointed by the US Attorney General. SpaceX sued in a federal district court in Texas over this arrangement, and a judge agreed with the company, ruling in November that there were constitutional problems with the arrangement.
What's next: The case has been gummed up in the federal district court in Texas, as the Justice Department and SpaceX exchange volleys over the jurisdiction for different parts of the lawsuit. The US Supreme Court has also shown a willingness to reconsider the constitutionality of administrative law judges in different agencies, and pending decisions from the high court could continue to alter the trajectory of the SpaceX case.
Tesla racism lawsuit
The issues: The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Tesla in September, alleging Black employees at a California manufacturing facility have been subjected to racist harassment.
What's going on: The federal agency's lawsuit joined dozens of other cases from Tesla workers who've said they experienced racist abuse. One employee, Owen Diaz, won a major victory when Tesla was ordered to pay $3.2 million in a racial discrimination case.
What's next: A federal judge denied a motion to dismiss the EEOC lawsuit in March, putting it on the path for a trial.
Claire Boucher, AKA Grimes, and Elon Musk have each filed lawsuits in a custody dispute.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Personal lawsuits against Musk
Tornetta v. Musk
The issues: Tesla shareholder Richard Tornetta sued Musk and Tesla in a class action lawsuit regarding Musk's compensation package, which was worth $55.8 billion at the time.
What's going on: In 2018, Tesla set up a pay plan for Musk that involved a 10-year grant of 12 tranches of stock options that would vest when Tesla hit certain targets tied to the automaker's market value and revenue. Musk was able to hit all 12 targets in 2023. With each milestone, Musk received stock equal to 1% of outstanding shares at the time of the grant.
Tornetta's lawsuit alleged that the pay package was "beyond the bounds of reasonable judgment" and claims Musk had influenced the board's approval of the plan, including through his close personal relationships with board members such as his brother Kimbal Musk.
Tesla has argued that compensation was needed to maintain Musk's attention and shareholders have benefited from the impact Musk's leadership has had on Tesla's stock, which has climbed dramatically since 2018.
The Delaware Court of Chancery struck down Musk's pay package in January. Musk is trying to regain the pay package by another route, with a Tesla shareholder vote this week.
What's next: Must is expected to use the vote to ask the Delaware Chancery Court to reconsider its decision, hoping that shareholder approval will help convince the judge that the pay package is sensible. He's also likely to continue appealing the case if he loses.
Boucher v. Musk
The issues: Claire Boucher, AKA Grimes, and Musk have each filed dueling lawsuits in a custody dispute in California and Texas, respectively.
What's going on: The Musk-Grimes custody battle began in September whenthe CEO sued his ex-partner to "establish the parent-child relationship" with their three kids: X Æ A-XII, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus. In his petition, the billionaire said he filed the lawsuit after he realized Grimes "was not returning to Texas with their younger children." Three-year-old X has remained with Musk.
A few weeks later, Grimes sued Musk in San Francisco court, seeking primary physical custody and joint legal custody of the pair's three children.
What's next: The case was sealed in January and remained ongoing as of April, when Business Insider was last able to view the docket. Neither side has publicly indicated that the case has been resolved.
Benjamin Brody v. Musk
The issues: California man Benjamin Brody filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk in Texas last year, alleging that the billionaire amplified a conspiracy theory that falsely affiliated the college graduate with a neo-Nazi extremist group.
What's going on: Brody's lawsuit accuses Musk of boosting the claims on his X social media site and says Brody endured "severe personal harassment and permanent damage to his reputation." Musk's "personal endorsement of the false accusation against" Brody reverberated across the internet, transforming the accusation from anonymous rumor to gospel truth for many individuals, and causing others to use Musk's endorsement to justify their desire to harass Ben Brody and his family," the lawsuit says. In a deposition, Musk said he didn't know who Brody was.
What's next: Brody's lawsuit is seeking $1 million in damages and a trial by jury. Musk's attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Twitter severance lawsuits
The issues: Hundreds of former Twitter employees are suing X for unpaid severance.
What's going on: When Elon Musk took over Twitter, he quickly fired thousands of employees — he claimed over 80% — and didn't pay any severance to many of them. In court filings, X claims the merger agreement that allowed Musk to control Twitter didn't require any payments and that the former employees have no standing to sue because they weren't part of the merger.
Even former Twitter executives have sued Musk over severance. Twitter's former chief accounting officer, Robert Kaiden, alleged the Musk falsely accused him of misconduct so he could fire him without paying out severance. Kaiden said he's owed $3.75 million in unpaid severance.
There are multiple different lawsuits in different districts. Litigation has stalled in most of them as a California court weighs whether to turn one of them — asking for $500 million in damages — into a class-action lawsuit. Several lawsuits also allege Musk discriminated against them because of their race, gender, or disability in choosing to fire them.
What's next: Deciding a class action certification for the California case could take years. In the meanwhile, Twitter has weighed settling some of the claims.
Agrawal v. Musk
The issues: Four former Twitter executives (ex-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, ex-Twitter CFO Ned Segal, ex-head of legal, policy, and trust at Twitter Vijaya Gadde, and ex-senior legal counsel at Twitter Sean Edgett) sued Musk and X in March, alleging the company failed to pay out millions of dollars in severance.
What's going on: After Musk took over Twitter in 2023, he terminated the four executives within minutes.
The executives were set to receive golden parachutes, but claim Musk and X have not paid them out. The group says X collectively owes them $128 million in severance.
Musk has said he fired the executives for cause and does not owe them anything. In August, Agrawal, Segal, and Gadde separately sued Twitter for over $1 million, alleging the social media company hadn't paid the legal fees they accrued during their time at Twitter.
What's next: The lawsuits are all in various stages, with judges having yet to rule on motions to dismiss them.
Buying a home has become a pipe dream for millions of Americans, a Harvard University study shows.
It found the monthly payment for a median-priced home after taxes and insurance is about $3,100.
Just 6% of renters earn the $120,000 required to afford that payment and can cover buying costs.
Owning a home is quickly morphing from part of the American dream to an unattainable fantasy, as housing costs spiral beyond the reach of millions of people.
The median US home sold for 3.2 times the median household income in the 1990s. That ratio jumped to 4.1 in 2019, then 5.1 in 2022, and remained around that level last year.
The multiple exceeds 9 and approaches 12 in the hottest markets, rendering them "impossibly unaffordable," per a recent study.
Meanwhile, the monthly payment for a median-priced home after taxes and insurance has hit about $3,100, the highest level in more than three decades. That's according to "The State of the Nation's Housing 2024" report published by Harvard University this week.
Affording a payment of that size requires a household income of at least $120,000 a year, assuming a 3.5% downpayment and no more than 31% of income is spent on housing, the report said. Adjusted for inflation, that number was $82,000 in the first quarter of 2021.
Only 6.6 million — fewer than 15% — of the 45 million renter households in the US make enough to afford the median payment. That's down from 10.2 million in 2022.
Assume the household needs sufficient cash to make a 3.5% downpayment and cover 3% closing costs, and only 2.6 million or a dismal 5.8% of renter households make the cut, the report's authors calculated using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances.
The Harvard study also found that households must earn at least $100,000 to afford the median-priced home in 48% of all metro areas, up from 11% in the first quarter of 2021.
A housing complex in La Habra, California.
Robert Gauthier/Getty Images
Cocktail of challenges
Buying a house has become so expensive partly because prices have soared: the median home cost almost $390,000 last quarter. The report noted that prices have jumped by about 50% since early 2020, and have more than doubled since 2010, to reach record highs this year.
Fewer houses are being listed for sale as well, pushing up prices. Only 1.11 million homes were on the market in March, down 34% from March 2019. Inventory also shrank in 94 of the 100 largest metro areas last quarter, with an average decline of 42% from 2019.
The slump contributed to the sale of only 4.1 million existing homes last year — the lowest figure in nearly 30 years and a 33% decline from 2021, the report found.
Experts have cited years of low interest rates and government stimulus programs during and after the pandemic as major drivers of house-price growth.
The Federal Reserve has also raised interest rates to curb historic levels of inflation, which has driven mortgage rates to two-decade highs and discouraged those who've locked in cheaper rates from selling. The combination of rising prices and more expensive mortgages has fueled an affordability crisis.
At the same time, households are paying higher prices for basics like food and fuel, and shelling out more each month to cover their credit cards, car loans, and other debts. Throw in rising insurance premiums and property taxes, and it's clear that both homeowners and renters face challenges.
Indeed, the Harvard study found that 23% of homeowner households were "stretched worryingly thin," and more than a quarter of renters were paying at least half their incomes toward housing and utilities in 2022. The brutal burden of housing costs has also left the lowest earners with only a few hundred dollars a month to get by.
Many homeowners are seeing their incomes squeezed by steeper prices and interest payments, and many renters have given up on buying a home. These new numbers help to quantify the scale and severity of those challenges and put them in sharp relief.
I tried several menu items from CosMc's to see how the food stacked up.
Emily Krivograd
I tried CosMc's, the McDonald's spin-off, to see how tasty the food and drinks were.
I wasn't overly impressed by most of the menu I tried, and I'm not sure this chain is built to last.
The mixed-bag McPops were the only item I'd order again.
This year, McDonald's entered the spin-off game with the new chain CosMc's — and its first stop is, of all places, an Illinois suburb near my house.
The test run began in December when the fast-food giant opened its first CosMc's location in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The galactic chain sells a variety of "otherworldly" coffees, teas, lemonades, slushes, sandwiches, and snacks.
On its opening day, I saw dozens of Instagram stories from friends and neighbors who waited in massive lines of cars just to order from the new spot.
It's been months, and social-media buzz about the chain has died down, especially in my local circles. Since CosMc's grand opening, the chain has only opened three more locations in North Texas.
Still, I was curious if the chain was any good. Was a better alternative to Starbucks right under my nose? Had I been missing out for months by not taking advantage of its blue-and-yellow drive-thru lanes?
Finally, I visited CosMc's and ordered several items to find out.
I was excited to visit CosMc’s for the first time.
CosMc's had a drive-thru-only setup.
Emily Krivograd
From the design alone, I wouldn't have assumed CosMc's was a McDonald's spin-off.
In fact, the Bolingbrook CosMc's is located next to a McDonald's — an interesting choice, especially since the latter looked far busier and the menus have some overlap.
The chain takes its name from CosMc, an alien creature who appeared in McDonald's ads during the '80s and '90s. So, I expected the building to have a more obvious space theme and possibly an image of CosMc somewhere on the building, but it looked basic.
The blue-and-yellow color scheme also reminded me more of Ikea than space.
To my surprise, CosMc’s was almost completely empty.
No cars were in the drive-thru lanes when I arrived at the restaurant.
Emily Krivograd
Since it seemed like CosMc's was getting a lot of customers a few months ago and the Bolingbrook location is drive-thru only, I decided to stop by on a Monday at 3:30 p.m.
I expected to see at least a few people grabbing a late lunch, but I saw only three or four other cars during my entire visit.
The location's four drive-thru lanes felt pretty excessive.
I ordered my food at the drive-thru, where I finally got some space vibes.
The screen showing the menu changed after I ordered.
Emily Krivograd
Because of its beverage-heavy menu and drive-thru setup, CosMc's seemed like a cross between Starbucks and Sonic.
I noticed the space theme finally came through on the ordering screen. The menu had a dark-blue background sprinkled with stars.
The menu seemed pretty standard for a fast-food chain, with eye-catching images of the offerings (mostly beverages) and prices on par with other franchises I've dined at. Many items were about $5 to $6.
After I ordered, CosMc and illustrations that resembled UFO spotlights popped up. A few minutes later, a new graphic appeared, signaling it was time for me to pull forward and grab my food and drinks.
I ordered a wide variety of items, but mostly beverages.
I ordered two food items and four drinks.
Emily Krivograd
For a total of $34.50, I got the creamy avocado-tomatillo sandwich, a mixed bag of McPops, Island Pick-Me-Up Punch, s'mores cold brew, churro cold-brew frappé, and Sour Cherry Energy Burst. Each drink was a medium.
I went to CosMc's on a hot day, and a few minutes after I got my drinks, they started melting. Many had a frozen, slushie consistency, so I drank them immediately after leaving the drive-thru.
The Island Pick-Me-Up Punch was all right.
The Island Pick-Me-Up Punch reminded me of a Refresher from Starbucks.
Emily Krivograd
Island Pick-Me-Up Punch is one of CosMc's Signature Galactic Boosts, which comes with a shot of caffeine. The punch contains berry lemonade, pieces of dried strawberries, and an energy shot.
Out of the four drinks, I thought this one had the most natural-tasting fruit flavor. As I sipped, I tasted pineapple tartness and strawberry sweetness.
The drink's freeze-dried strawberry pieces floating reminded me of a Starbucks Refresher. It was a bit sweet, but I thought this drink was pretty good and decently priced at $5.50 — for reference, a grande Starbucks Refresher is $5.25.
I thought it was nice that the Galactic Boosts could give people who don't like coffee a caffeine boost.
The s’mores cold brew disappointed me.
I thought the s'mores cold brew had an oddly bitter aftertaste.
Emily Krivograd
CosMc's describes this drink as having the sweet taste of s'mores and a cold foam with toffee-sprinkle topping.
As a fan of the campfire classic, I was excited to try the s'mores cold brew. However, I wasn't getting much of a s'mores flavor when I took a sip.
I could tell the creators of this drink were trying to make it taste like toasted marshmallows, but to me, it was ambiguously sweet, with an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.
As I drank, this aftertaste turned into an almost burnt flavor. This drink cost $5.30, which didn't seem worth it.
The churro cold-brew frappé was a little too sweet for me.
The churro cold-brew frappé was very sweet, and I wasn't sure if it tasted like a churro.
Emily Krivograd
This drink consisted of blended, flavored cold brew topped with whipped cream and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
The churro frappé, which cost $6, had the consistency and sweetness of semi-melted ice cream. Though I wasn't expecting a fast-food beverage to have a subtle sweetness, I was at least hoping for cinnamony depth.
It wasn't bad, but if I ordered it again, I'd get a small because it was so sweet. I still thought it was a little expensive for what it was.
The Sour Cherry Energy Burst surprised me a little bit.
The Sour Cherry Energy Burst had a very strong flavor.
Emily Krivograd
Like the pick-me-up punch, the Sour Cherry Energy Burst was also one of CosMc's Signature Galactic Boosts. This drink features a tart-cherry slush with fruity popping boba at the bottom and an energy shot.
The drink looked beautiful with its bright-red coloring and yellow-orange pearls. From its appearance alone, I could see why it cost $6.
I hadn't tried popping boba before, but sure enough, each pearl expelled a sweet, fruity juice when I bit down on it.
The Sour Cherry Energy Burst had a good balance of sour and sweet cherry flavors, though it was intense. Because of its strong flavor and price tag, I'd probably prefer a small size of this drink as well.
The creamy avocado-tomatillo sandwich wasn’t my favorite.
I wanted more flavor from the creamy avocado-tomatillo sandwich.
Emily Krivograd
At first glance, the creamy avocado-tomatillo sandwich — an egg patty, applewood bacon, white cheddar cheese, and avocado-tomatillo sauce on a brioche bun — looked delicious.
It cost $5.20, which seemed comparable to the price of breakfast sandwiches at chains like Dunkin' or Wendy's. Unfortunately, it didn't have much flavor.
I thought the sauce tasted like a vinaigrette with almost no detectable avocado flavor. The spongy egg patty and cheddar cheese were a bit bland to me, but the applewood bacon gave the sandwich a nice flavor.
The sandwich had too many strong flavors: bacon, avocado, and tomatillo. I also wish the avocado had been visible or more present.
This is probably one of my least favorite breakfast sandwiches I've had, especially compared to others I've ordered from McDonald's.
The mixed-bag McPops were my favorite part of the meal.
I liked the mixed-bag McPops.
Emily Krivograd
Finally, I tried the mixed-bag McPops, which came with one of each flavor: hazelnut, apple cinnamon, and cookie butter.
The small, doughnut-like pastry pieces seemed like Munchkins from Dunkin', but less bready.
The apple-cinnamon McPop had a tasty cinnamon coating and a tart fruit filling that reminded me of a green-apple Jolly Rancher. The cookie-butter version tasted just like a sugar cookie, which I enjoyed.
My favorite flavor was the hazelnut McPop, which had a chocolate-hazelnut filling that tasted like Nutella.
I didn't expect these to be huge, but for $3.80 a bag, I wished each puff was bigger.
Overall, I wouldn't go back to CosMc’s.
I didn't enjoy most of my meal from CosMc's.
Emily Krivograd
At the end of the day, I wouldn't go out of my way to visit CosMc's.
Many of the flavors and ingredient combinations in the items I ordered seemed a bit too complex for a fast-food chain, so it wasn't surprising that CosMc's couldn't execute them very well.
Though its specialty is its drinks, most of them were too sweet for me. None of the menu items seemed like a particularly great value, either, consideringI can get something I already know I enjoy from a similar chain for about the same price.
CosMc's is set to open 10 locations by the end of 2024, but so far, the chain hasn't even reached half that number. Maybe the slow rollout is because the experimental chain is working out some kinks.
Even so, CosMc's still has a long way to go before it builds a loyal fan base like McDonald's or Starbucks have.
Given the lack of crowds and the vast number of drinks on the menu, this chain might be a good quick stop for people who need a quick, caffeinated beverage. But I'll probably just stick to waiting in line at Starbucks — and maybe return to CosMc's for some McPops.
TikTok videos of people eating and reviewing their Triple Dipper orders have accumulated over 30 million views on the app, and the item has received high praise.
"If you're going to Chili's and you are not getting the Triple Dipper, especially the mozzarella sticks with the Triple Dipper, you are doing it so wrong," said the creator of one TikTok video that has been viewed over 5 million times.
However, while the Triple Dipper, which comes with a choice of three appetizers and three sauces, is having a moment, it isn't new — and longtime fans of the appetizer combo are bemoaning how popular it's become because of the online trend.
"I've been getting them for so long, so I'm kind of mad everyone else is onto it now," a user commented on one TikTok video.
"The Triple Dipper has always been a fan-favorite, so I love seeing it get a viral moment on TikTok," George Felix, Chili's chief marketing officer, told Business Insider in an email. "Part of our brand purpose is to create a fun atmosphere in our restaurants, and we're now seeing that spill over into social media with our guests showing off all of their epic cheese pulls and heavy-handed ranch dips."
To see if the viral menu item was truly worth the hype, I ordered it for myself at my local Chili's.
The Triple Dipper is one of Chili's most famous menu items and has been around for years.
A Chili's menu showing the Triple Dipper and burger options.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The Triple Dipper comes with a choice of three appetizers and three sauces. The price of most Chili's menu items vary by restaurant, but the appetizer combo usually costs under or around $20. The combo cost $17.29, excluding tax and tip, at the Chili's location I visited.
Customers can choose from a variety of appetizer options to include in the combo, from boneless or bone-in wings to the chain's Southwestern egg rolls, Big Mouth Burger Bites, Chicken Crispers, and fried mozzarella.
There's no suggestion for how many people the Triple Dipper serves, but as an appetizer, I'd say it's ideal for two people based on the number of each item you get.
I ordered one of the most popular combinations I saw on TikTok.
TikTok users have posted about ordering Chili's Triple Dipper appetizer platter as their meal. I thought it was a great value.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
After watching some of the most-viewed Triple Dipper videos on TikTok, I noticed that one of the most popular orders was a combo of the Big Mouth Burger Bites, which are the chain's sliders, fried mozzarella, and the honey-chipotle Chicken Crispers.
When the large basket of food arrived at the table, my mouth started watering.
I've ordered the Triple Dipper in the past to share with friends as an appetizer. Often, we had to fight over the last egg roll or cut the sliders in half so we could all get our fill. This time around, I couldn't wait to have the entire thing to myself.
The first item I tried was the fried mozzarella.
Chili's fried mozzarella.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
Rather than a standard mozzarella stick, Chili's fried mozzarella is larger, almost the size of a hash-brown patty. The platter came with two pieces.
It was warm and fried to a golden crisp, smelled of Italian seasoning, and was served with marinara sauce.
The fried mozzarella was stuffed with gooey, melted cheese.
Chili's fried mozzarella.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
When I bit into the fried mozzarella, the cheese pull was out of this world. The fried mozzarella paired well with the marinara sauce, which had a classic tomato and basil flavor.
The cheese itself was perfectly melted, but the outside was super crispy. I could immediately see why this menu item is such a fan-favorite.
The next item in the Triple Dipper was the Big Mouth Burger Bites.
Chili's Big Mouth Burger Bites.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The Big Mouth Burger Bites are Chili's version of sliders. They can be served as an entrée or as part of the Triple Dipper appetizer combo platter.
The sliders come with a beef patty, American cheese, bacon bits, and sautéed onions.
These sliders perfectly filled my burger cravings.
Chili's Big Mouth Burger Bites.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I thought the two burger bites were a satisfying portion size and very flavorful, especially when dipped in the chain's ranch. The bacon bits were crispy and salty, and the cheese was melted perfectly over the bite-sized burgers.
The burger patty itself was a little small, but that was to be expected considering they were sliders. They were also a tad overdone for me — I thought they could have been a little more rare, but that's just my preference.
My favorite of the three appetizers was the honey-chipotle Chicken Crispers.
Chili's honey-chipotle Chicken Crispers.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
The meal came with three honey-chipotle Chicken Crispers, Chili's version of chicken tenders. The tenders were drenched in the spicy-sweet sauce but still exceptionally crispy and crunchy.
The inside the chicken tender was juicy, and the sauce had a lot of flavor.
Chili's honey-chipotle Chicken Crispers.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
I really enjoyed the kick the sauce had, without being overly spicy. Dipped in the chain's ranch, these chicken tenders really blew me away. They were flavorful and I loved the sticky texture of the sauce, which coated every inch of the tenders.
I would definitely order the Triple Dipper instead of an entrée the next time I eat at Chili's.
The author outside Chili's.
Erin McDowell/Business Insider
After ordering the Triple Dipper as my meal, I could see why it's gone viral. Not only were all three dishes extremely tasty, but I thought this meal was a great value.
Given the rising costs of dining out, and even fast food, the Triple Dipper seemed like a great deal at $17.29, especially considering how much food I received. For reference, most Chili's entrées range from $14 to $30 at my local restaurant in Glendale, New York.
I arrived at Chili's very hungry, but I still couldn't finish the massive appetizer platter. Chili's motto is "If you leave hungry, that's on you" — and the chain's embracing of this trend proves it's committed to that message.
Michael B. Jordan said he's a big fan of yoga, and thinks the idea that it's feminine is outdated.
The rate of men taking up yoga and Pilates is growing, data show.
Mobility exercises can boost endurance, strength, and longevity.
Michael B. Jordan wants to end stereotypes about how men should work out.
To build up his physique for some of his biggest roles in movies like "Creed" and "Black Panther," Jordan relied heavily on old standbys like weightlifting, boxing, and HIIT.
But to stay fit, healthy, and maintain his muscle and endurance beyond movies, Jordan has a much broader workout routine.
Jordan spoke to Business Insider in an interview about his partnership with bottled water brand Propel, an initiative designed to promote community fitness in cities including Newark (Jordan's New Jersey hometown), Atlanta, and Houston.
Over the years, he's expanded his training from working out on the basketball courts of his youth to taking up everything from cycling to stretching.
Jordan is also a big fan of yoga and meditation — and he said he's over the cliché that yoga, Pilates, and similar workouts are for women. "Meditation and yoga are extremely important. I think the notion of men can't do yoga and Pilates, or we shouldn't, or whatever that is, I would like to think that we're all past that mindset," he said.
Jordan, now 37, said doing more mobility exercise and cooling down after workouts over the years has helped him maintain his health and fitness.
"As I got older, I think you definitely have to train harder, but you have to train smarter as well, and I think that's something I've incorporated into my routine," he said.
He's not alone.
More men taking up yoga and Pilates
As the fitness industry offers more options than ever before, more men are embracing exercise beyond bro staples like the bench press.
Even elite athletes in notoriously difficult sports like MMA and American football have found yoga to be a worthy challenge.
UFC star Dustin Poirier previously told BI that he regularly does yoga for core strength and flexibility and finds it to be "really hard."
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds is a force to be reckoned with on the field, has said Pilates and yoga are his go-to strategies for injury prevention.
A recent CDC survey found that while women are still twice as likely to do yoga as men, men are more likely to practice yoga for pain relief or management.
That's for good reason. Yoga and other mobility exercises offer a wealth of physical benefits, such as enhancing performance, reducing injury risk, and even boosting longevity, fitness experts have previously told BI. Staying flexible is also known to help offset the health risks of sitting all day.
Just a little bit of yoga or other gentle exercise is enough to reap the benefits, research suggests.
Holly Matthews, 39, became a single mom after losing her husband to cancer in 2017.
The couple had always kept things structured regarding bringing up their daughters.
Matthews practices a more relaxed style of parenting to help them deal with the death of their dad.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Holly Matthews. It has been edited for length and clarity.
When my husband Ross was alive, we were a family that observed schedules and had certain rules.
Our daughters, Brooke, now 13, and Texas, 11, followed routines. Many of them were set by Ross, who was autistic and liked things to be structured and more regimented.
We sat down every evening for a meal together. The girls had set bedtimes. They didn't come into our bedroom, which we kept as Mom and Dad's space.
I was comfortable with our style of parenting. It seemed to work well for everyone.
But, after Ross died of brain cancer in July 2017 at 32, I was forced to rethink it. Practically speaking, it was harder to maintain structure when only one person was enforcing it.
But it went deeper than that. I quickly realized that rigidity wouldn't give the girls enough time to process their feelings and emotions.
I'm OK with letting things go and dropping the ball
I didn't let them run wild or be disrespectful — but things changed. I became a more flexible parent. I've heard it called jellyfish parenting or "going with the flow." The best way to describe it is to be OK with dropping the ball.
Before Ross died, I always assumed we'd be strict about using devices at the table and going to places like McDonald's for chicken nuggets. I thought my kids would never swear at home.
But, when you're dealing with heightened emotions caused by grief and loss, you have to pick your battles. If you're exhausted after going toe-to-toe for three hours solid, it's fine to let things go.
If sleeping in my bed when they've woken up during the night helped reassure them or eating in front of the TV was more relaxing, my girls could do it.
Matthews with her late husband, Ross Blair, and their daughters.
Courtesy of Holly Matthews
Brooke was particularly anxious after Ross died. She worried about losing me, too. She would make me justify anything I did in case it was too dangerous, whether going somewhere different or driving for a long distance. She'd get up in the night to check on me.
She was only 6 at the time, and Texas was 4. It was a lot for them to deal with. They're still dealing with it, and I want them to experience as little extra stress in their lives as possible.
I also let them off-load. One day, Texas came home from school and said she'd needed to tell a teacher that her dad had died. The teacher had said, "Oh, that's not very nice."
Texas was confused. I told her it's "not very nice" when you drop your ice cream or something like that. "It's fucking shit when your Dad is dead," I said.
So, I allowed them to swear when they were very young — at least at home. It was a tool because they needed to get their emotions out. At that age, swearing was such a shocking thing to them; it matched how they were feeling internally. It reflected their rage, loss, and sadness.
We still have boundaries in place
We'd listen to music when we were driving to school. One of our favorite songs was "Fuck You" by Lily Allen. We'd sing along. It felt liberating to shout the lyrics out loud.
Meanwhile, we're very direct as a family — we had to be. I've chosen absolute honesty. "There will never be any lies with me," I've told my daughters. "You can ask me any question you want, and I will tell you the truth." I never hide things from them, including my own emotions. I share my philosophy in my work as a self-development coach.
But it's not to say we don't have boundaries. The girls know there will be consequences if they over-step them. However, I have much more of an understanding of why some behaviors come up. If a child has been through something as traumatic as they have, trying to "teach them a lesson" isn't necessarily going to work.
I sometimes look back at my attitude to parenting before Ross died. It often came from a space of naive judgment, thinking I had to play by the rules or be considered lacking. But the reality is that you do the best you can.
Do you have a powerful story about your parenting style that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Please send details to jridley@businessinsider.com.
Olive Garden hasn't been raising prices as much as its rivals — and execs say this is helping it buck industry traffic trends.
Its guest counts topped industry benchmarks, even though same-restaurant sales slumped.
Darden Restaurants' CEO said that low prices were "more sustainable" than deep discounting.
Olive Garden's parent company says the Italian chain is bucking industry traffic trends and luring in diners by not raising prices as much as its competitors.
Olive Garden's same-restaurant guest counts in the fourth quarter were about 0.6% higher than the industry benchmark, Darden Restaurants CFO Raj Vennam told investors at the company's earnings call on Thursday, using Black Box data.
Despite this, Olive Garden's same-restaurant sales in the quarter fell by 1.5% year-over-year, Vennam said. He attributed the fall to its "decision to minimize pricing."
Olive Garden's average prices went up by about 1% in the quarter, he said.
"Maybe that's why we didn't outperform on the sales side, but we did continue to outperform on the traffic side," CEO Rick Cardenas said.
"If we would have taken the pricing that the industry took in the fourth quarter, Olive Garden would have been positive and would have performed even more," he said.
In the year to late May, Olive Garden raised prices by about 3.5%, Vennam said — putting it in line with average increases at full-service restaurants across the US. Olive Garden is planning to increase prices by between 2.5% and 3% over the next year, Vennam said.
Other brands Darden owns include LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, and Ruth's Chris Steak House.
In recent months, some casual-dining chains have focused their marketing on discount combos to lure diners away from fast-food giants. Chili's, for example, has a "3 For Me" deal offering an appetizer, entrée, and drink for $10.99.