A lesson on loyalty: Where Starbucks went wrong

Brands can learn a lot from the Starbucks reward program controversy — from using best methods in the program development stages, to structuring reward…

Franchising focus: Little Greek Fresh Grill growing as Americans embrace new flavors

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The Tampa-based chain is on a mission to make Greek food more accessible.

Restaurants offering Tax Day specials

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The tax man cometh. One of Americans' least favorite days — income tax filing day — is Monday.

Kitchen design and technology: 5 ways to improve foodservice operations

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

A successful foodservice operation must incorporate three elements: food, people and equipment.

How Smashburger, Billy Sims BBQ, East Coast Wings get franchisees to be social

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Marketers have been touting the benefits of digital marketing for years, but motivating franchisees to carve out time to learn the ropes can be difficult.

At the Summit: Are you embracing the Internet of Things in your franchise?

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Everyone seems to be talking about the "Internet of Things," or IOT, but what does that have to do with restaurants?

Who's winning the fast casual pizza game?

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The fast casual pizzeria craze shows no signs of ebbing.

Restaurant, retail customer experience leaders headline ICX Summit

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Gurus from Smashburger, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Detroit Red Wings, Domino's Pizza and Wingstop are among a hefty list of speakers and panelists offering expert…

LeBron 'Ron' James working at Blaze Pizza?

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Meet the newest Blaze Pizza employee, "Ron."

At the Summit: How to create a franchise-friendly supply chain

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The supply chain is often the thorn in the side of franchisors, especially those that have brands spread nationwide or globally.

Wingstop, Pizza Hut, Cici's Pizza execs debate importance of mobile apps

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The customer experience at a restaurant is paramount to a restaurant's success. Mobile apps have become increasingly part of that experience, but how important…

4 things you don't know about the ACA (but should)

The employer shared responsibility rules under the Affordable Care Act (sometimes called "pay or play") is just one more area that is moving so fast that many…

Why millennials make valuable franchise partners

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Millennials have ignited rapid change in the industry and view franchising differently than the previous generation of business owners.

Slapfish CEO urges Summit attendees to 'make your most annoying customer your best friend'

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Slapfish founder Andrew Gruel responds to approximately 30 online reviews daily about his company — regardless of whether they are positive or negative. He…

Why investing in 'corporate governance' is key to restaurant survival

This will involve investing in legal counsel to prepare documents governing the relationships between your company's officers, directors, and shareholders…

52 billion reasons fast casuals are upgrading catering programs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Off-premise catering in 2015 hit $52.3 billion, a 20 percent increase over 2011.

Why restaurants should embrace 'Fail-Fast' methodology

by Tal Zvi Nathanel — US CEO, MyCheck

"When restaurants try something new, they aren’t looking to fail, they are looking to adapt or evolve. Fail fast is evolving, taking risks, and recognizing…

Infographic: Are you using Instagram to attract millennials?

Of Instagram's 40 million monthly users, 90 percent are millennials.

Enough of the 'why' on employee engagement, give me some 'how'

Creating engagement doesn’t need to be abstract, however, because the basics of engaging a workforce are commonly recognized business principles.

Starbucks urges citizens to reflect, make good choices

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Starbucks take full page ads in top newspapers to urge citizens to achieve balance between profitability and social impact.