Kura Sushi VP: Why balancing tech, human involvement is an art

Hideto Sugimoto, VP of System & Menu Development at Kura Sushi USA, describes why his tech-centric brand will never give up human service.

Leaving your labor woes in 2022

David Werner, vice president of Product Marketing, HungerRush, believes AI is the key to solving labor issues and reveals how Jets Pizza is proving him right.

5 food trends that should drive your menu design

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides, reveals what you need to know about Eatertainment, preps and seasonings, plants and protein; global flavors and…

WaBa CEO: 3 ways to build franchisee trust, loyalty

Andrew Kim, president and CEO of WaBa Grill, discusses how growing from 52 units to 174 in three years forced him to pivot away from a company-run strategy and…

So, you wanna be a franchisee?

by Marla Topliff — Strategic Franchise Consultant, Kathleen Wood Partners

Franchise expert Marla Topliff advises franchise candidates to ask the "right" questions before jumping into any "great" deal.

Famous Toastery president: '3 ways to reduce opening costs'

Mike Sebazco, president of Famous Toastery, outlines how strong vendor partnerships, a smart build-out model and purposeful incentives can cut costs for owners.

Experts explore NFTs, digital innovation, labor shortages, food insecurity needs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Attendees will become mini experts in all-things NFT, digital innovation, fixing the labor shortages and meeting food insecurity needs. Speakers include Blaine…

Fixing the Leaky Bucket: How fast casuals should rethink retention

Rahkeem Morris, founder and CEO of HourWork, shares results from an exit survey of over 8,000 fast-food restaurants nationwide that found that management was…

3 ways Playa Bowls attracts Gen Z franchisees

Abby Taylor and Rob Giuliani, co-founders of Playa Bowls, describe how offering a business model that adapts to sustainable and simple business practices…

How Pollo Campero plans to dominate in US

Blas Escarcega, director of Franchise Development of Pollo Campero, discusses how the 400-unit chain born in Guatemala, plans to thrive in the U.S.

Workshopping what your guest experience is missing

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Big Chicken's Sam Stanovich, Dog Haus' CJ Ramirez and Ovation CEO Zack Oates will help attendees evaluate their customer experiences and provide dozens of…

3 restaurant tech trends with staying power in 2023

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Executives from Chipotle, Jersey Mike's, Big Chicken, Modern Market, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Focus Brands and Garden Catering reveal the technologies they deem…

How Cookie Plug went from 1 to 25 locations in 3 years

Cookie Plug CEO Chris Wyland explains how having a low-labor franchise model has been key to the chain's rapid growth. Founded in 2019 and franchising since…

Tony Roma's, Duck Donuts, Tropical Smoothie among CEOs closing Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit attendees will learn about Tony Roma's transition into the fast casual market, Duck Donuts' growth strategy and…

Why The Melt CEO contributes 1 'simple factor' to company's growth

"Since 2017, our average unit volumes have increased more than five-fold from less than $700,000 to almost $3.5 million," said Ralph Bower, CEO of The Melt…

5 ways to protect your restaurant's online reputation

by Adam Leff — Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Merchant Centric

Adam Leff, co-founder and chief strategy officer for Merchant Centric, shares best practices for protecting your brand's digital reputation.

What families want from fast casual brands

by Jennifer Loper — President, C3 Brand Marketing

The lack of focus on kids is a big miss given that parties with children 12 and under bring in checks that are twice as high as parties without them.

Restaurants want to lower energy use, but need help

by Al Subbloie

Amid rising inflation, America's small- to medium-sized businesses, which the U.S. trade representative calls the "backbone of our economy," are no better off…

Biggby Coffee co-CEO reveals top 4 growth strategies

Mike McFall, co-founder and co-CEO of Biggy Coffee provides a glimpse into what's behind the brand's booming sales.

Fast Casual accepting 2023 Top 100 nominations

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Nominations close Feb. 1