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 Tony Roma's is using fast-casual strategies to reinvent itself

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

CEO Mina Haque explains how the 54-year-old brand is adapting to changing consumer habits without abandoning its casual-dining roots.

5 restaurant pricing trends operators must know from Q2 2026 consumer data

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Revenue Management Solutions’ latest consumer report reveals how restaurant guests are responding to higher prices, changing value expectations and shifting spending habits across QSR, fast casual and full-service segments.

Square sellers can get discovered, take orders via Google's Ask Maps AI tool

Thanks to Sqaure expanding its partnership with Google to bring U.S. food and beverage sellers into "Ask Maps," restaurants using Square may now appear in…

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.

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

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, walked through the playbook to start personalizing your own offers right away.

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.