The accidental franchisor: Eddie Flores Jr. kicks off Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit with candid look at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
Eddie Flores Jr. transitioned from real estate to become the franchisor of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, building a legacy based on the "aloha spirit" and family values that has grown into a leading international restaurant chain.
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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.
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Measuring the impact of culture change in the workplace
by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker
To successfully transform company culture, organizations must move beyond mission statements by tracking specific metrics — such as engagement, turnover and productivity — while utilizing consistent feedback loops and data-driven tools to ensure the shift drives both employee satisfaction and business results.
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Beef costs jump 32%, burger prices rise 14% since 2023
Hamburger menu prices increased 14% from January 2023 to December 2025, while federal Food Away From Home inflation rose about 13% during the same period…
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Fueling growth from 1 cup to 100+ locations
Brandon Knudsen, co-founder and CEO of Ziggi’s Coffee, shares critical advice on how he bootstrapped Ziggi's from a single coffee shop to more than 100 locations across 22 states.
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The New Front of House: Why Pizza’s Next Growth Era Runs on Self-Order Kiosks + Intelligent POS Systems
Easy-to-use kiosks fully integrated with a modern POS system have emerged as the most efficient and cost-effective solution to the challenge of front-of-store ordering during busy times. This solution provides an app-like experience inside the store, built specifically for busy walk-in customers.
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.
