Restaurant catering doesn't need more tech. It needs better tech

Catering companies have plenty of tech options. The key is selecting the right ones for maximum efficiency.

How Latitude Food Group CEO James O’Reilly is scaling &pizza, Tijuana Flats

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

As CEO of Latitude Food Group, industry veteran James O'Reilly is leveraging a centralized backend support model and rigorous operational discipline to strategically scale vibrant fast-casual brands like &pizza and Tijuana Flats without sacrificing their unique cultural identities.

3 leaders every Founder must hire to scale

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To successfully scale a company and transition from an overwhelmed operator to a confident CEO, founders must stop trying to manage everything themselves and instead invest in a strategic financial leader, a proactive business attorney and an experienced operational leader.

Chipotle pulls jalapenos from some restaurants amid salmonella outbreak investigation

After a weeks of worrying about lettuce being contaminated, customers may now need to avoid jalapenos.

How Urban Bird Hot Chicken turned a bad lease into a fast-growing brand

Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp built 32 Wingstop franchises across three states over 20 years, then let it all go to bet on themselves. They opened the first Urban Bird Hot Chicken in 2020, in a space another restaurant left behind. Six years later, they have 24 locations open, many more on the way, and every single one built 100% debt-free

AI and the Future of Restaurants: From Foot Traffic to Predictive Insight

As consumer behavior and privacy expectations evolve, restaurants need smarter ways to understand diners and drive growth. Gladys Kong of Azira and Isabelle Soriano of Goodway Group explore how AI and location intelligence can inform site selection, media strategy, audience engagement, and faster, more informed decisions.

2026 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers

Welcome to the 2026 edition of the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Each year, this report serves as a pulse check for the industry, celebrating the brands and leaders who aren’t just keeping pace with the market—they are redefining it.