Food & Beverage

Why Chain’s ‘pop cuisine’ concept is testing food hall format

The American pop-cuisine food brand is launching its newest dining format to determine the viability of different, experiential locations.

Source: Chain

September 8, 2026 by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

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Steve Miltion, Courtesy of Chain

American pop-cuisine brand Chain has experimented with a plethora of food-delivery formats since its 2021 launch, appearing in Southern California parking lots and nationwide pop-ups.

Now the company is determining if its chef-driven take on fast-food nostalgia can translate into a longer-term retail setting.

On Sept. 2, Chain launched its six-month residency at Topanga Social, the 55,000 square-foot multi-concept food hall inside Los Angeles's Westfield Topanga Mall at 6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Canoga Park. Here, chefs Roy Choi, Calvin Eng, Mason Hereford and Mei Lin are creating and serving up dishes that put a personal spin on a familiar chain-food favorite.

Additionally, the Topanga pop-up provides another outlet for Chain to test a different food-delivery system.

"We're building an experience-led company with food at its core, so exploring different formats is an important part of that strategy," Chain CEO Steve Milton told FastCasual.

Beyond the menu

Chain has relied on different physical settings to shape how it wants people to experience its food, which consists of modern revamps on nostalgic chain-food recipes. Milton said that different locations have provided ways to build new business lines, refine its concept and engage with the community in new ways.

Topanga Social will allow Chain to reach a broader audience while providing the company with a controlled environment to test its food and customer experience.

"We love collaborating with chefs, and this model allows us to take those partnerships beyond a single event, scaling the recipes and getting great food into more people's hands," Miller said.

In addition to introducing the newer, chef-inspired recipes, there are other items from past menus including the Wagu ChainBurger and Chicken Tender Wrap-ups.

The opportunity also means different brand collaborations. The company debuted Chain Snacks, a snacks and dessert concept developed with General Mills, and plans monthly brand collaborations beginning with The Cheez-It Court.

"We're excited to learn how guests respond to the menu, the format and the overall experience in a high-traffic retail environment," Miller said.

What's next?

The Topanga residency is temporary, but it's laying the foundation for the next moves. Miller said the immediate goal is to collect information from the Topanga Social residency before announcing anything permanent. Miller said that learned insights will determine the company's next moves.

Additionally, Chain is moving forward with partnerships and collaborations, with an eye toward expansion.

"Longer term, we see potential across multiple formats, from pop-ups and partnerships to more permanent locations. We'll have more to share soon," Miller said.

About Amy Sorter

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Amy W. Sorter is an award-winning journalist, copywriter and content producer. Sorter has generated quality articles, blogs and thought leadership pieces for multiple industries during her many decades as a writer. Her byline has appeared in local and national publications including the American Business Journal, Connect CRE, Bankrate, CURE Magazine and the Dallas Morning News.

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