Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) is currently trading at $301.42, up $8.17 or 2.79% so far today to the stock’s highest trade price in the last year. Already today, 869,047 shares have traded hands as opposed to a 30-day average volume of 734,394.00. The current share price is up 137% from its 52-week low of $127.30. Yesterday the restaurant chain announced they would be increasing menu prices in order to offset higher commodities costs. The company’s margins have been decreasing as input costs increased but menu prices did not because the company feared losing customers. CMG was selected as a buy in July 2010 at $140.41 per in the Wall St. Cheat Sheet Premium Investment Newsletter. The stock now trades at $301.42 per share today, up over 115% for premium subscribers!

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) shares are up 0.72% today after the fast food giant introduced new menu offerings, including strawberry-banana and wild berry smoothies. According to McDonald’s director of marketing for beverages, Sofia Therios, “Beverages are growing as a proportion of McDonald’s revenue and now account for about 25 percent. The smoothies do drive customers to stop in for snacks between meals. That’s important because analysts predict that snacks and breakfast will be the restaurant industry’s only growth categories for the near future.”

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) shares are up 1.69% today and 41.7% in the last year as the ubiquitous coffee retailer continues to rise out of a revenue slump in 2007 and 2008. In 2010, the company had its best year yet, with earnings-per-share skyrocketing 60%.

YUM! Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM) shares are up 1.23% today as its iconic A&W Restaurants kick off their largest sweepstakes ever, giving away over $1.7 million in prizes, including eight Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight motorcycles.

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