Why Alton Brown Gave Up Alcohol; While McDonald's Goes Bust, Shake Shack Is Booming

— Food Network host Alton Brown revealed on Facebook that he is giving up alcohol for a year. Brown — a noted bourbon enthusiast — says that he does not "have a problem" but that for various other reasons, like weight gain, he is taking a break from drinking. His new go-to beverage? Sparkling water with aromatic bitters.

— The worst kind of customer recently stole a donation box from a McDonald's in Nashville. Police say that on Sunday night someone snatched the box, which was displayed near a register within the restaurant. The money that is collected in the box is for the Ronald McDonald House, a charity that helps "families and sick kids who need a place to stay when they're far from home." About 10 percent of the annual total donations to the charity are collected in the boxes. No one has been arrested yet.

— As McDonald's faces a major sales slump, beloved burger chain Shake Shack can't seem to stop making money. The chain reported a 12.9 percent jump in same-store sales yesterday, which is 4.3 percent higher than what analysts expected. Shake Shack's total revenue for the last financial quarter hit $48.5 million. The chain's stock price is up over four percent today.

— Burger King has launched a spicy version of its internet-pandering Chicken Fries. The Fiery Chicken Fries are apparently the chain's "spiciest item yet" and comes seasoned with black pepper, cayenne pepper, and "other savory spices." Unlike many other restaurants' spicy offerings, Burger King's appears to be Sriracha-free.

— Chef Jason Atherton (Pollen Street Social, London; The Clocktower, NYC) is opening a restaurant in Dubai next month. Marina Social, which was first announced in 2013, will open on September 4. Diners can expect a menu of shared British-Mediterranean plates. The restaurant will also include a lounge and a bar known as The Social Room. Atherton explains why he decided to expand to Dubai: "I love Dubai. I first worked [there] more than 10 years ago and the city holds a lot of special memories for me... so it was always an ambition to return and open up my own restaurant."

— Here's some good news for Disney World fans: The theme park announced that a number of its popular restaurants will now open for breakfast and remain open later in the evening. Robert Gilbert, the executive chef of the Magic Kingdom, says that serving breakfast will pose a small challenge, however: "You want to be able to offer the same creative and visual appealing entrée as you would for dinner," but you "have to take less steps so you can feed your guest [very quickly]."