Restaurant Catering Workshop keynote to reveal the 'hidden' drivers of catering growth

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The keynote opens a full day of education focused on helping restaurant operators build stronger catering businesses. Throughout the workshop, attendees will hear practical strategies from operators and industry experts, exchange ideas with peers and leave with tactics they can implement immediately.

Pinkbox owner acquires Hot Dog on a Stick

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Stephen Siegel, the founder of Amazing Brands, said the acquisition of the 80-year-old brand will launch a new phase of national and international expansion, targeting growth through flagship street-front locations, drive-thrus, airports, stadiums and resort markets.

Why more women are turning to restaurant franchising

by Carla McLean — Marketing Executive, IFA World Franchise Show

For women looking to build a business with long-term scalability, franchising presents an opportunity to combine independence with the support of an established network.

Qdoba inks deals for over 100 franchised restaurants

Qdoba is expanding its franchise footprint with new development agreements that will open over 100 restaurants across the Southeast and West.

The 1:1 Personalization Playbook: Using AI to send every guest their own offer

In this session, Hang CEO Matt Smolin, whose platform powers millions of AI-personalized offers a month for restaurant brands, and Rev Ciancio, CMO of Salad House & Handcraft Burgers and Brew, will walk through the playbook to start personalizing your own offers right away.

Moe's Southwest Grill, Schlotzsky's execs discuss AI usage, new prototypes, growth plans

GoTo Foods CBOs Mike Smith (Moe's Southwest Grill) and Donna Varner (Schlotzsky's) join Fast Casual Nation host Cherryh Cansler to discuss how a shared brand platform drives menu innovation, prototype design, loyalty data, and cautious AI adoption without eroding individual brand identity.

Momos Guest AI

Momos Guest AI is the leading AI platform built for multi-location brands. We help restaurants, QSRs, retail, and hospitality teams deliver better guest experiences across every location by unifying customer service, operations, and marketing into a single end-to-end platform - turning one-time customers into repeat guests.

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.