Speaker Spotlight: Jeff Perera, co-founder, vice president, Jeff's Bagel Run

Jeff Perera, co-founder and vice president of Jeff's Bagel Run, shares a look at his career, his achievements and industry trends ahead of his appearance at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit 2026.

How top franchise brands turn culture into direct profitability

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Industry leaders will gather at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit to share actionable strategies for transforming workplace culture and technology into a powerful engine for talent retention and long-term profitability.

Empowering Restaurants to Thrive: How Smart Technology is Transforming the Guest Experience and the Bottom Line

by Fast Casual

Amid modern restaurant challenges lies a powerful opportunity – by embracing innovative technology, restaurants can not only survive but truly thrive.

Zenzap helps restaurateurs control IP, communication in house

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Zenzap, a communication app for restaurants, can help operators control intellectual properties and notifications.

Mountain Mike's Pizza

For over 45 years, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis and Mountain-sized pizzas, has been quietly building one of the largest regional pizza franchises in the West. Today we're developing coast-to-coast with 300+ restaurants, and we're primed for explosive growth nationwide

Labor Forecasting 2.0: Predicting Future Demand and Staffing for Efficient Growth with AI

Labor is your most significant controllable cost—but leveraging labor as a growth driver is more complex than ever. Enter labor forecasting 2.0: an AI-driven approach that helps multi-location units match staffing to real-world demand, while optimizing schedules for labor compliance, operations efficiency, and sales.

25 Fast Casual Brands to Watch in 2026

FastCasual’s sixth annual report, “25 Brands to Watch,” identifies the trailblazers poised to become the next household names. These concepts are not just keeping pace with the industry; they are actively redefining it. Congratulations to the class of 2026!

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.