News & Media From Cherryh Cansler

How San Pedro Fish Market built a $30M legacy

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Speaking at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit Tuesday in San Diego, Michael Ungaro shared the gritty, tenacious history of his family's brand …

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Professor Green teams with Hero Brands to launch PG in UK

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

PG Fast Food is shunning the traditional burger-and-fries blueprint in favor of a "naughty but nice" menu that emphasizes choice. Offerings include the "UFO" …

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Secret Burger Kitchen targets 'institutional-grade' scaling with trio of industry heavyweights

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Dave Bloom will oversee development discipline and governance; Douglas Fry is in charge of menu discipline, throughput, training systems, decision architecture…

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The future is collaborative: 17 female restaurant leaders reveal power moves

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Guided by the colors of progress, 17 industry trailblazers reveal how they are trading the grind for a new era of radical community.

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Bankruptcy may not be the end for Pinky Cole

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Pinky Cole has built an empire on grit. She's faced the worst before, and she's come out on the other side. As she navigates this latest chapter, the question…

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5 strategic plays behind Cava's $1B year

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Cava Co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman didn't just report numbers during the company's Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings call on Tuesday; he reported a…

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Pinky Cole stripping down Slutty Vegan’s business realities on ‘Real Housewives’

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

By bringing the fast casual world to one of reality TV's biggest stages, Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole is betting on the idea that authenticity — not just…

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Got marketing chops? Prove it: The 2nd Annual Top 30 Movers & Shakers Nominations are live

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Calling all restaurant marketing visionaries!

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Can Dave’s Hot Chicken leaders conjure magic from Mike's Red Tacos?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Mike's Red Tacos, a beef birria concept born just four years ago, has deals in place to open more than 200 locations. While the rapid expansion is turning…

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Wingstop's Q4 earnings: The good, the bad, the X-Factor

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

While 2025 saw the brand’s first same-store sales decline in over two decades, leadership is betting on a transformational operational shift and a new loyalty…

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Pizza vs. Chicken: The ultimate industry 'vibe check' at RFIS

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Executives in the pizza and chicken restaurant fields will answer questions about feedback in a 'Family Feud'-style game at the Restaurant Franchising and…

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2026 State of the Industry: 10 trends redefining the restaurant landscape

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The 2026 restaurant landscape is more data-rich than ever, but it remains a people-first business. By leveraging technology to remove friction, operators can…

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6 ways restaurants are making Valentine's Day 'wonderfully weird' in 2026

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Forget flowers and candy; we are doing bro-quets, McNugget Caviar and puppy love.

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Bridging the restaurant coaching gap: LEAD announces leadership events in KC, Dallas

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

As the publisher of FastCasual.com and a proud Kansas Citian, I've always said that some of the best leadership in the restaurant industry is bred right here…

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The Rewards Wars: Starbucks bets on AI while Panera returns to traditional math

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Panera is moving toward a more traditional, transparent math — replacing "surprises" with a predictable points-per-dollar system. It is about removing the…

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Panera testing points-based loyalty program to boost customization, value

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The shift comes in response to direct feedback from MyPanera members seeking more clarity on how they earn rewards.

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Founderology Growth Summit honoring inaugural 'Visionary Restaurant Founders'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

To celebrate the spirit of innovation, the Founderology Growth Summit, being held Feb. 2-4 in Austin, will host a special ceremony to honor the "Top 5 Movers …

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The countdown is on: 10 ways RFIS will change your life

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Think of this as your official invite to the industry family reunion. Matching shirts not required!

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Aloha, Innovation: Why L&L’s Eddie Flores Jr is a must-see at RFIS 2026

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Anyone who knows Eddie knows he brings a witty, frank and refreshingly honest perspective to the table. He's going to talk about the "unconventional…

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Smoothie King, Tropical Smoothie Cafe join the 'proteinization' of the fast casual industry

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Both beverage brands join Starbucks, Nekter Juice Bar and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in the focus on protein

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