How to control labor cost using restaurant labor Allocation: Part 2

by Dave Bennett — President & CEO, Mirus Restaurant Solutions

In order to properly leverage labor allocation, it's important to understand what variables affect cost. Customer demand and employee resources are two main…

Starbucks loyalty change brews anger, filters out value of experience

by Bryan Pearson — President, LoyaltyOne

The shift in how members of My Starbucks Rewards earn stars may be a test of its customer loyalty, but with the program's expanding mobile payment and other…

How to build a team that performs well in the weeds

by Jennifer Yugo, Ph.D. — Principal Consultant, Engaging Business Communications

Are you putting the right motivators and structure in place so your team will perform well when they are weathering a storm or serving in the weeds?

Why calculating restaurant labor as percentage of sales is foolish: Part 1

by Dave Bennett — President & CEO, Mirus Restaurant Solutions

It's safe to say, the timely collection of relevant, detailed and accurate information is critical to understanding labor costs.

4 ways to control your food costs in 2016

by John Krebs — President, Axis Purchasing

Commodity prices have temporarily fallen and taken some pressure off food cost. Now is the time for strategic buyers to align with manufacturers, distributors…

Technology: A brand-driver or a necessary evil?

by Steve Starr — Chief, starrdesign

Allowing your guests to view menus, place orders and read nutritional information while at home or on-the-go is paramount. But just because we can, should we…

Food fight on Capitol Hill: A breakdown of the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Betsy Craig describes eight ways menu-labeling guidelines will change if HR 2017 becomes a law.

Strategic employee scheduling boosts consumer experience, bottom line

by Fast Casual

It may not sound as sexy as emerging technologies like mobile pay or cutting-edge digital signage, but workforce scheduling delivers just as much value.

Why you should never listen to your customers

by Jon Smith — Founder, Owner, Jon Smith Subs

"Sometimes I think the perfect restaurant would say “Mother Nature's Health Food” in big letters on the outside, but inside only serve burgers, cokes and…

Construction costs on the rise: How to mitigate the risk

by Steve Starr — Chief, starrdesign

The current construction climate, especially in the fast casual restaurant world, is very different than even in the pre-recession boom.

Menus shift to reflect transparency

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

While larger chains like Noodles and Company and Panera Bread have taken great measures to provide transparent menu items, other chains are following suit.

9 must-know menu trends of 2016

From consumers eating in food halls to ordering on-demand delivery services and burnt food, 2016 will feature a few unusual food trends.

Dessert destinations: 4 trends that will inspire customers to indulge

by Mindy Armstrong — Insights Manager, FoodIQ

Regardless of the path chosen, keeping an eye to flavor trends and offering a fast casual spin to these trends is the way to approach the opportunity.

Year in review: Top 10 headlines of 2015

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

In no particular order, here are 10 headlines that received the most attention from our readers.

Now trending: Restaurants will continue to make 'cage-free egg' pledges in 2016

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants serving cage-free eggs turned out to be one of this year’s top trends, and it will also be a popular move in the coming year.

Business intelligence spurs 'future lab' innovation at McDonald's Corner Café

by Lon Southerland — Executive Vice President, GuestMetrics, LLC.

The latest data trends continue to show a consistent and predictable migration to, "better for you" healthier meal options. These trends are on McDonald's…

Catering checklist: 4 must-dos before serving customers offsite

by erle dardick — CEO, MonkeyMedia Software

Before any restaurant brand jumps into catering, there are a many thoughts to consider in order to ensure success.

Food fight: Industry responds to NYC sodium mandate

by Betsy Craig — CEO and Founder, MenuTrinfo

As restaurants in New York City prepare themselves to label menu items that contain more than 2,300 mg of salt (the recommended daily limit), the National…

Fast Casual's top execs revealed

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

This year's Top 25 list turned into the Top 26 after judges couldn't bring themselves to make a final cut.

Street Value: The real economics of launching a food truck

The food truck bubble hasn’t burst yet.