Consumer News: Swapping butter for plant-based oils can improve longevity, study finds

The company is targeting underperforming locations

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Papa Johns plans to close approximately 300 underperforming locations over the next 18 months.

• The move is part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at stabilizing profits and improving franchisee performance.

• Company executives say digital sales growth and streamlined operations will offset the reduced footprint.

The shakeout in the restaurant continues as inflation-weary consumers order less takeout. Papa Johns International said this week that it will close roughly 300 restaurants across North America over the next year and a half, marking one of the largest footprint reductions in the companys history.

The closures, which will primarily affect underperforming and overlapping locations, are part of a broader strategy to improve profitability and modernize operations, executives said during a quarterly earnings call.

Company officials said most of the targeted stores have struggled with declining sales, rising labor and food costs, and increased competition from national and regional pizza chains. Some closures will also involve markets where multiple Papa Johns locations compete for the same customer base.

Long-term trend of underperforming

Executives emphasized that the decision was made after a comprehensive review of store-level performance and market conditions. Officials said that about 70% of the closures involve restaurants that have consistently underperformed for several years.

The company did not specify which cities would be most affected but said the majority of closures would occur in the United States, with a smaller number in Canada.

The announcement comes as quick-service restaurant chains face mounting pressure from inflation, cautious consumer spending and intensifying competition in the value meal segment.

Pizza chains in particular have been battling for market share as consumers shift toward delivery aggregators and discounted bundle deals. Larger rivals have ramped up promotions, squeezing margins across the industry.

Slower growth

Papa Johns has struggled in recent years to match the sales growth of competitors while also managing franchisee concerns about profitability. Same-store sales have been flat or slightly negative in several recent quarters, prompting renewed scrutiny from investors.

Papa Johns leadership said the restructuring will be accompanied by increased investment in technology, marketing and loyalty programs. Digital orders now account for more than 65% of total sales, and the company plans to expand AI-driven ordering tools and personalized promotions.

Executives also outlined plans to streamline supply chain operations and renegotiate certain vendor contracts to reduce input costs.

Papa Johns operates more than 5,500 restaurants worldwide. The company said it expects the majority of closures to be completed by the end of next fiscal year.

The company said the average dividend will be around $100

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• State Farm Mutual will return $5 billion in cash to auto policyholders through a one-time dividend this summer.

• The payout follows recent rate reductions in 40 states that are already saving customers an estimated $4.6 billion annually.

• The average dividend payment will be about $100 per vehicle, with distributions varying by state and premium amounts.

Car insurance rates have been one of the leading drivers of inflation, with costs rising at double digit rates. State Farm policyholders are getting a bit of relief.

The insurance giant has announced that it will pay $5 billion back to auto insurance customers through a one-time dividend, marking one of the largest policyholder returns in the companys history.

The payments, which will begin this summer, will be distributed to qualifying customers covering more than 49 million State Farm Mutual auto vehicles nationwide. On average, customers can expect about $100 per insured vehicle, though the exact amount will vary depending on state regulations and the premiums paid.

The reason for the dividend

The Bloomington, Illinois-based insurer said the dividend is made possible by the companys strong financial position and better-than-expected underwriting performance, reflecting broader improvements reported across the auto insurance industry.

As a mutual company with a customer-first focus, State Farm Mutual is able to provide value directly to our customers while maintaining financial strength to keep our promises in the future, said Jon Farney, State Farm Mutuals president and CEO. That translated this year to lower auto rates and cash back in the form of a $5 billion policyholder dividend.

Unlike publicly traded insurers that answer to shareholders, State Farm Mutual operates as a mutual company, meaning it is owned by its policyholders. Company leaders say that structure allows earnings to be returned directly to customers when financial conditions permit.

Rates reportedly softening

The dividend announcement comes on top of significant rate reductions already implemented in 2025. State Farm Mutual said it has lowered auto insurance rates in 40 states in recent months, citing declining auto repair costs and a drop in collision frequency. The company estimates those rate cuts are saving customers approximately $4.6 billion annually, with average premium reductions of about 10%.

State Farm said it will continue monitoring trends in repair costs and accident frequency and adjust rates as conditions warrant.

The insurer, which has operated for more than a century, said the financial turnaround reflects ongoing investments in research and safety initiatives aimed at reducing risk. Among those efforts is a recently launched national distracted driving awareness campaign, grounded in the companys consumer research, designed to curb accidents and improve road safety.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage now averages below 6%

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.98%, dipping into the 5% range for the first time in three and a half years.

• Rates are down slightly from last week and significantly lower than a year ago.

• Freddie Macs chief economist says the drop could boost spring homebuying activity.

Mortgage rates edged lower this week, crossing an important threshold and offering prospective homebuyers a sign of relief ahead of the spring buying season.

Freddie Mac reports its Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.98% as of February 26, 2026. That marks a slight decline from last weeks average of 6.01% and a notable drop from 6.76% a year ago.

For the first time in three and a half years, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped into the 5% range, falling even lower than last week's milestone, said Sam Khater, Freddie Macs chief economist.

This rate, combined with the improving availability of homes for sale, is meaningful and will drive more potential buyers into the market for spring homebuying season.

The run-up in home prices since 2020 has made 6%-plus mortgage rates unaffordable. The return of rates to the 5% range could improve affordability for many buyers who have been sidelined by higher borrowing costs in recent years.

Even small declines in mortgage rates can translate into meaningful monthly savings for borrowers, particularly in higher-priced markets.

The 15-year rate is even lower

Meanwhile, the average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage often popular with homeowners looking to refinance or pay off their loans more quickly rose slightly to 5.44%, up from 5.35% last week. Despite the weekly increase, the 15-year rate remains below the 5.94% average recorded at this time last year.

The combination of easing 30-year rates and a gradual increase in homes available for sale may help stimulate demand during what is traditionally the busiest period of the year for real estate. Market observers will be watching closely to see whether the dip below 6% provides sustained momentum for buyers and sellers alike as the spring season unfolds.

Updated dietary guidelines raise protein recommendations, but health experts urge caution

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Has the U.S. Department of Agriculture flipped everything you thought you knew about nutrition on its head?

• At first glance, the newly released dietary guidelines featuring a new food pyramid may seem like a protein-first approach to eating well.

• However, registered dieticians and public health experts say the basics are largely the same as the advice author Michael Pollan shared in his book Food Rules.

The U.S. has flipped the food pyramid, and all of a sudden, protein is having a moment. From protein-fortified cereals and snack bars, to high-protein coffee drinks and even soda, grocery store shelves reflect Americas growing fascination with the macronutrient.

Social media influencers tout high-protein meal plans for weight loss, muscle gain, and metabolic health. And now, updated federal dietary guidelines appear to reinforce the trend, raising the recommended daily protein intake from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to between 1.2 and 1.6 grams per kilogram.

But nutrition experts caution against mistaking the shift for a green light to load up on steak and cheese.

The increase in protein recommendations doesnt mean weve abandoned everything we know about healthy eating, said Dr. Susan Veldheer, associate professor of family and community medicine and public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine.

The guidelines still limit saturated fats to 10% of daily calories, still recommend five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and emphasize whole grains.

Eating better-quality food

In fact, she says, the new pyramid isnt about eating more protein so much as its about eating better-quality foods especially whole foods while minimizing ultra-processed products.

Ultra-processed foods industrially manufactured products made mostly from refined ingredients and additives include sodas, chips, cookies, candy, lunch meats, and frozen meals. Many are now marketed as high-protein options.

But Americans already exceed recommended limits for saturated fat, Veldheer says, meaning red meat and full-fat dairy cant be the only answers.

You need to find protein sources that are leaner and lower in saturated fat or plant-based, she said. This is particularly important if you are concerned about heart health, managing diabetes, or trying to lose or maintain weightwhich most people are.

Plants are important

Thats where beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, quinoa and soy come in. Even leafy greens, whole grains, and fruit contain smaller amounts of protein that add up over the course of a day.

Veldheer likens amino acids the building blocks of protein to coins in a bank.

It doesnt really matter if some amino acids come from broccoli and whole grains and some from steak and yogurt, she says. When you eat steak and yogurt, you get all the different types of amino acids at once, but plants have these protein building blocks too.

While the new guidelines increase general recommendations, experts stress they are just that general.

Individual protein needs vary greatly based on age, health status, medications people are on, and specific conditions they may have, said Angelina Sickora, a registered dietician and clinical nutrition manager at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. What works well for one person may not work well for everyone.

Both Sickora and Veldheer say most Americans already get more than enough protein, even under the updated guidelines. The bigger issue, they say, is where that protein comes from.

Natural, whole-food sources are easier to digest and dont come packaged with added sugars, sodium, or artificial ingredients.

The takeaway? Despite the buzz, the recently revised food pyramid doesnt represent a radical shift. It reinforces a familiar message: prioritize whole foods, limit ultra-processed products, balance protein with fiber, and keep saturated fat in check. In other words, even in a protein-obsessed era, the foundation of healthy eating remains largely unchanged.

The three seller types and how to negotiate with each

• Shop the right windows. Hit Thursday/Friday mornings for first dibs, negotiate around 10:30 a.m. when traffic slows, and circle back late on the final day for rock-bottom please take it pricing.
• Target resale winners. Power tools (DeWalt, Milwaukee), KitchenAid mixers, vintage Levis, solid wood furniture, outdoor gear, and tested vintage electronics consistently outperform random clutter.
• Read the seller fast. De-clutterers = best deals. Optimizers = firm early, flexible late. Sentimentalists = build rapport, bundle gently, and use kindness to close the deal.

Every March, April, and May, neighborhoods across America turn their yards and garages into open-air clearance warehouses.

Closets get cleaned out, and garages get reorganized. Suddenly, every other street has folding tables in the driveway filled with treasures for the taking.

With that said, its important to realize that yardsales arent random chaos. Theyre often quite predictable and they follow some clear patterns. And if you understand the patterns, you can consistently come out way ahead.

Lets break it all down.

Yard sales are all about timing

Show up at the wrong time, and your odds of scoring the best deals decrease significantly.

Here are the three most profitable windows:

1. The early-bird window

Many garage/yard sales start on Thursday morning and run through the weekend.

The tip of showing up on Thursday and Friday mornings is very underrated. Not only will you score first dibs, but many serious sellers prefer weekday sales because the walk-up traffic is lighter, and buyers are more intentional.

Also, if youre targeting tools, collectibles, or brand-name gear, weekday mornings give you first crack before the Saturday crowd rolls in.

On Saturdays, the posted 8 a.m. start time often means 7:30 a.m. in reality. Experienced garage sale shoppers know this. If you show up on time, youre already behind.

2. The negotiation window

By around noon, sellers start recalculating how the day is going. As the morning rush starts to slow down, they begin thinking about having to haul items back inside.

In my experience, this is when bundling a deal works best.

Say something like:

Would you take $20 for all of this?

Be willing to negotiate and dont insult them with a ridiculously low offer. You have some ammo in your pocket when it comes to negotiating as youre solving a labor problem for them later.

3. The liquidation window

This is the final hours of the last day of a yardsale, when sellers are often happy to let stuff go for pennies on the dollar.

By noon or 1 p.m., sellers are tired and want it all gone. If youre polite and decisive, you can land deep discounts because they want closure more than profit.

The three types of yardsale sellers (and how to spot them fast)

Its important to understand that some sellers price their items emotionally, not strategically. This means if they have any sort of emotional attachment to an item, they tend to price it higher than they would otherwise.

Others have zero attachment to stuff and just want it all gone. Then you have some people who price check everything and know all the recent comparable sales on eBay from the past 30 days.

Heres how these three seller types break down:

1.The de-clutterer

The de-clutterer is your BEST opportunity for awesome deals.

They have zero attachment to most items. They want it all gone and tend to price stuff to move.

They are also very open to negotiating a deal with you, especially if youre buying multiple items.

Clues youre dealing with one:

• Organized tables
• Clean and clear pricing
• No long backstories about each item

2. The optimizer

These folks tend to Google everything and are firm in their prices because they know what they have.

If you find yourself dealing with an optimizer, come back during the last few hours of the yardsale and see if theyve changed their tune. Often, a lack of sales will do just that.

3. The sentimentalist

They tend to overvalue items due to memories associated with almost everything theyre selling.

When dealing with a sentimentalist, its best to let them talk. Then throw in a quick little Thats really cool, how long have you had it?

Youre building trust before you ever mention a price. Then instead of lowballing them on one item, say, Would you take $40 for these three? By doing it this way, it feels less like youre discounting the memory.

Then end the deal with a sincere, Itll get used and appreciated. Handling it this way will work much better than pushing for a rock-bottom price.

The items that consistently holdresale value

When looking for items that you can possibly flip for a profit on eBay, Poshmark, or Facebook Marketplace, remember that not everything has resale upside.

These are the items that you want to target:

• Recognizable brands
• Durable build quality
• Strong secondary market demand

Power tools

Brands like DeWalt and Milwaukee move quickly on eBay. Even heavily-used drills can flip for a decent profit if you dont pay too much for them.

Always do this:

• Check battery compatibility
• Test function
• Inspect for excessive wear

The best brands for resale:

• DeWalt
• Milwaukee
• Makita
• Bosch
• RIDGID
• Hilti
• Festool
• Metabo HPT
• Ryobi
• Craftsman

Pro tip: Keep in mind that a used drill from a quality brand, like DeWalt or Milwaukee, with a newer battery system (like 20V/18V lines), will sell much faster than older, discontinued models. Even if the older model looks practically new.

Small kitchen appliances

Items like stand mixers and high-end blenders hold surprising value. So, if you ever see a KitchenAid, Vitamix, or Cuisinart under $40 (in working condition), thats worth your attention.

Here are the 10 best brands for resale:

• KitchenAid
• Vitamix
• Blendtec
• Breville
• Cuisinart
• Ninja
• Instant Brands (Instant Pot products)
• All-Clad
• Zojirushi (rice cookers hold value)
• Smeg (retro aesthetic = strong demand)

Pro tip: Dont just check to see if it powers on. Run it and listen for things like grinding gears and test it under multiple speeds.

Also, with high-end blenders like Vitamix, make sure it moves smoothly from low to high without hesitation. If you notice that its jerky, loud, or has a burning smell, youre better off walking away.

Apparel

Here are 10 apparel brands that consistently resell well especially on resale platforms like eBay, Poshmark, Grailed, and Depop:

• Levis (vintage, made in the USA)
• Nike (especially stuff made around 2000)
• Patagonia
• The North Face
• Carhartt (Vintage)
• Lululemon
• Filson
• Arc'teryx
• Ralph Lauren
• Vuori

Pro tip: If youre unsure about brands, focus on natural fibers like 100% wool, linen, silk, or cashmere. Fabric content alone can dramatically increase the resale value.

Solid wood furniture

Real wood, dovetail joints, weighty construction. Avoid laminate and particle board unless youre paying almost nothing for it.

Outdoor gear

Think things like coolers, camping stoves, folding chairs, and even lawn equipment.

Here are 10 outdoor gear brands that consistently resell well, especially as spring and summer demand ramps up:

• YETI (coolers & drinkware fly)
• Coleman
• Weber (portable grills do well)
• Goal Zero
• Blackstone
• Big Green Egg
• Osprey (packs & hydration)
• Hydro Flask
• EGO (battery-powered tools sell fast)
• Traeger

Pro tip: List camping stoves, coolers, folding chairs, and lawn equipment in MarchMay when buyers are gearing up for trips and backyard projects. Youll get much faster flips and higher prices.

Vintage electronics

Older stereo receivers, record players, and game consoles often outperform expectations. However, test before buying if at all possible.

Here are 10 vintage electronics brands that consistently resell well, especially if fully tested and working:

• Pioneer Corporation (vintage receivers are hot)
• Marantz
• Sansui Electric
• Technics (turntables = strong demand)
• Sony (Walkman, Discman, early consoles)
• Nintendo (NES, SNES, GameCube)
• Sega (Genesis systems sell steadily)
• Yamaha Corporation
• Panasonic (including vintage boomboxes)
• Kenwood

Pro tip: Always ask if you can test the electronic before you buy it. Most sellers are happy to run an extension cord for you if they dont already have one nearby.

Once you get it plugged in, check all the channels on stereo receivers, test the inputs, confirm turntable speeds (33/45), and make sure game consoles power on and try to play a game if you can.

Keep in mind that listings that include the word untested often read as probably broken for interested buyers. Try to avoid the word untested if possible.