Meet the 6 brands taking the stage at the 2026 Perfect Pitch

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Bronx Burger Co., Dizzy Bird, PLOMO Quesadillas, Griller Bros, Redhead Burger and Tiki Bagel will compete in the 2026 competition.

How Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ maintains food quality across shrinking footprints

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

September 16, 2026

Crave Founder Samantha Rincione is putting more emphasis on smaller footprints, lower operating costs and takeout and delivery.

Nominations are open: Is your fast casual brand one to watch in 2027?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Nominations close Oct. 5, 2026.

WOWorks unleashes tiered franchise incentives, co-branding discounts to drive growth

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

September 10, 2026

WOWorks, the parent company behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek, Barberitos and Zoup Eatery, has launched a…

6 ways c-stores and grocers are stealing fast casual lunch traffic

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

A Toast study reveals how cash-flush retailers are leveraging AI, prepared foods and aggressive hiring to win dining dollars.

Pita Pit's Crispy Donair raises a question: Isn't this just a sandwich?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

A sandwich by any other name would taste as sweet?

Brothers, friends launch Griller Bros in Bangladesh, ready to grow

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Founded by three brothers and a core group of culinary professionals with two decades of international food industry experience, Griller Bros was born out of a…

Evergreens dangles reduced royalty rates to land 1st franchisees

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Excluding airport units, the top half of Evergreen's company-owned restaurants averaged more than $1.45 million in annual sales last year

4 reasons (and a raccoon) why you can't miss the Fast Casual Executive Summit

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Keynoters, Perfect Pitch contestants and a trash panda walk into Arlington; here's your Fast Casual Executive Summit October 4–6 game plan.

Why Gwyneth Paltrow-backed Goop Kitchen is adding dine-in to $6.7M delivery empire

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The company opened its first dine-in restaurant this month at One Paseo in Del Mar, California, a 92-seat flagship that marks a new chapter for a brand that…

AI, location data reshaping how restaurant brands chase foot traffic

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Azira's Gladys Kong and Good Way Group's Isabel Soriano break down how predictive analytics, privacy shifts and hyper-local targeting are changing site…

Inflation, labor and AI: 5 things fast casual operators need to know

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Toast’s latest industry survey reveals why restaurant operators are still betting on growth despite rising costs and hiring challenges.

Restaurant resales fall in 2026; turnkey, franchise deals surge

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

High interest rates and construction costs are reshaping the restaurant resale market, driving buyers toward equipped second-generation spaces and proven…

How Teriyaki Madness flips franchise growth by vetting real estate before the deal is signed

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Franchise Development Real Estate Manager Jake Lowell breaks down how the fast-casual chain cut opening timelines to 18 months and secured over 80 leases in 1…

Stop being reactive: How restaurants can double catering sales

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

August 21, 2026

CaterZen founder and former restaurant operator Michael Attias will share strategies for finding new catering customers, winning back former buyers and growing…

Panera takes points-based MyPanera loyalty program nationwide after pilot

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

August 19, 2026

Panera Bread is rolling out a redesigned, points-based version of its MyPanera loyalty program nationwide Wednesday, following a pilot the company ran earlier…

Jersey Mike's tops Chick-fil-A in customer satisfaction rankings

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

August 10, 2026

Jersey Mike's Subs, which announced IPO plans last month, has achieved something few restaurant brands have managed in the last decade: the fast-casual…

Sweetgreen turnaround plan: 5 strategies to drive restaurant traffic and profitability

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Following its Q2 2026 earnings report, Sweetgreen executives outlined how the fast casual chain plans to improve operations, increase transactions, leverage AI…

5 restaurant pricing trends operators must know from Q2 2026 consumer data

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Revenue Management Solutions’ latest consumer report reveals how restaurant guests are responding to higher prices, changing value expectations and shifting…

3 things fast casual operators can steal from Starbucks' turnaround quarter

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The company's latest earnings call shows how targeted store upgrades, daypart-focused operations and smarter loyalty perks helped fuel growth — and why the…