[C]orporate chains don't have the menu flexibility to utilize leftover ingredients in tomorrow's specials.
Corporate chains probably are efficient in some sense due to standardization of portions and ingredients (though given portion sizes perhaps not), but without the flexibility to roll over ingredients they'll inevitably waste things. Also less fun.
Here in Philly the silver lining of our awful state liquor licensing system is that many restaurants don't have liquor licenses and are BYOB. Not being able to make money on liquor means that the restaurant has to be all about the food.