Bubbakoo’s Burritos opens 1st Charlotte-area restaurant, signs deal for Greensboro and High Point

Bubbakoo's Burritos has opened its first restaurant in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area and signed a deal to expand into Greensboro and High Point. The…

University swaps vending for robotic hot-meal kiosk, sales jump tenfold

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The kiosk stores meals from restaurant partners in a frozen compartment, heats them in three industrial-grade microwave ovens and uses two robotic arms to move them between compartments, with orders ready in five to seven minutes.

5 build-out mistakes that stall your restaurant's opening date

By Robert Reid, Principal, Corporeal Visions, reveals five mistakes that push opening dates and what to do instead.

Second Cup Coffee hires former McDonald’s executive Kim Rezk as chief of staff and transformation

Second Cup Coffee Co., the international arm of Canadian coffee chain Second Cup, has hired Kim Rezk as chief of staff and transformation as it prepares for…

How 3 words helped The Melt grill up $3.5M in AUVs

What if the secret to taking a fast casual brand from $700K to $3.5 million in average unit volume wasn't a new menu or a tech stack, but three words? This week on Fast Casual Nation, Cherryh Cansler and Paul Barron sit down with Ralph Bower, CEO of The Melt, and Greg Vojnovic, VP & Head of Franchising.

Pizza Brands to Watch in 2027

Every pizza concept has a story. The 27 Pizza Marketplace Brands to Watch in 2027 spotlights emerging and growing chains and independents that are investing in technology, building leadership teams, exploring franchising and rethinking what pizza can be. Download the report to see where these brands are headed next.

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.