How San Pedro Fish Market built a $30M legacy

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Speaking at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit Tuesday in San Diego, Michael Ungaro shared the gritty, tenacious history of his family's brand — a journey that began in 1956 as a 200-square-foot seafood shop and evolved into a destination serving 2 million customers a year.

How going digital helped Hawaiian Bros increase catering revenue

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Networld Media Group

Hawaiian Bros Island Grill turned to Lunchbox's digital catering platform to meet the growing demand for group orders. The move also allowed the Hawaiian comfort-food brand to expand to a new audience.

How to build a thriving company culture that inspires and engages

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

A strong, intentional company culture drives success by boosting productivity, attracting top talent and fostering an environment where employees feel valued through transparent leadership and meaningful connection.

Shake Shack breaks into Top 50 US restaurants by consumer spending

Shake Shack has entered the top 50 U.S. restaurant brands as measured by total consumer spending, according to Circana's 2026 Definitive U.S. Restaurant…

The $600K gamble: Why Jae Kim nearly walked away from the Sharks

Jae Kim, founder of Chi'Lantro, joins Fast Casual Nation to share how he built a Korean-Tex Mex fusion brand from a single Austin food truck in 2010 into a 13-location Texas fast casual empire.

Jeff's Bagel Run

Jeff’s Bagel Run is a scratch bakery with a simple and delicious menu of bagels, spreads and a full coffee program. The shops are open daily from 6:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., allowing operators to schedule on a single-shift model. The simple menu enables the brand to keep excellent and consistent products while maximizing revenue.

Digital in the Drive-Thru: Designing Outdoor Experiences for QSR Brands

Digital menu boards at the drive-thru are no longer a luxury. In today’s competitive QSR landscape, they’ve become a requirement.

2025 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers

This year, the exceptional caliber of leadership across the industry led to a slight adjustment in our numbers—we were compelled to recognize 100 brands and 25 executives instead of our usual 75- 25 split. We also added an extra executive, a testament to the fierce competition and outstanding contributions within the fast-casual arena.