How artificial intelligence, automation can put small brands on equal footing with larger brands

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Technology is the great equalizer, Don Hawkins Jr., group vice president of emerging chains, government and retail, The Middleby Corporation.

Freshii founder: How mistakes lead to brand growth

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Although Freshii has reported one of the industry's highest same-store sales for the last four years, CEO Matthew Corrin told a crowd at this year's Restaurant…

3 restaurant franchisees tell franchisors how to earn their buy-in on tech upgrades

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Three franchisees advise corporate execs on how to get buy-in from their own franchisees when it comes to tech upgrades.

Red Robin, Melt Shop execs share cost-cutting secrets

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Spencer Rubin, founder and managing partner, Melt Shop; Carin Stutz, COO and executive vice president Red Robin; and Doug Hogrefe, a partner at 4 Top…

KFC Ad Director on turning Col. Sanders into brand's 'James Bond'

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In 2015, deep in a tunnel beneath the "lions and tigers and bears" of the Louisville Zoo where KFC stored its corporate archives, the chicken chain's ad agency…

Native Puerto Rican overcomes Hurricane Maria to open Pita Pit in San Juan

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

After falling in love with pita bread during a post-college graduation trip to Lebanon in 2016, Puerto Rico native Valeria Quinones returned home five months…

Jersey Mike's searching pizza market for franchisees

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Sometimes a brand's best potential franchisee "pickings" are already operating entirely different buy operationally similar types of restaurants.

Top 3 technology innovations changing the restaurant industry

Why robotics, 3D printing and the blockchain should be on your radar.

Summit to probe trends driving 64 percent sales slump at top UK restaurants

Successful restaurant execs from around the world will discuss how to thrive in such an unsteady climate during the second annual Restaurant Franchising and…

Why more plant-based options are sprouting up on mainstream menus

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Approximately 87 percent of Americans consume plant-based proteins, and nearly two-thirds do so at least once a week.

Balance Grille founders building Aquaponics farm in downtown Toledo

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Balance Pan-Asian Grille Founders Prakash Karamchandani and HoChan Jang are building an 8,600-square-foot aquaponics farm in the middle of downtown Toledo…

International Women's Day: Q&A with 25 female execs from Subway, Tender Greens, many more

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

In celebration of International Women's Day, FastCasual interviewed 25 of the industry's leading ladies.

Spring beverage trends going back to the basics

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Embracing spring's trendiest flavors via beverages is one easy way for restaurants to boost check spend. Those trends are a return to historical, more familiar…

Starbucks gives inside look to newest Reserve store in Seattle

Starbucks has opened the doors of its Starbucks Reserve in Seattle, where customers can sample small-lot Starbucks Reserve coffees and Princi food.

HuHot franchisee proves life goes on after Olympics end

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Jay Warick, a bronze medalist in Taekwondo at the 1988 Olympics, has used his passion for training and hard work to build a successful career in the restaurant…

Why Smiling Moose is betting on full-service concept

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli — based in Colorado with 16 units in seven states — unveiled a prototype last month in Denver for a casual dining version of…

How targeting only lapsed visitors helped HuHot increase sales

HuHot relied on Paytronix scoring tool to entice only its infrequent visitors with freebies.

Garbanzo trucks it to St. Louis

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The Denver, Colorado-based chain recently opened its 25th brick-and-mortar unit in St. Louis and has also been driving sales there with its first food truck.

Valentine's Day LTOs include $500 Pizza from Firenza, KFC's chicken scratch-and-sniff cards, sweet treats from Starbucks

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Hoping to attract Valentine's Day customers, limited-service brands around the world are offering a variety of sweet deals.

Will the Senate push back menu-labeling law again?

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

The U.S. House passage this week of the so-called "Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act" (H.R. 772) is either an attempt to water down previous menu-labeling…