Fast casual brands conquering 'the munchies'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although not a official holiday, April 20 has a special place in the hearts of marijuana lovers around the world, with many celebrating it each year. Fast…

FAT Brands CEO denies fraud allegations, looks forward to growth

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Andy Wiederhorn said his lawyers will prove his innocence and that FAT Brands is growing strong.

Starbucks to have 55,000 stores by 2030

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

March 16, 2022

Shortly after Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson announced his retirement Tuesday, he told shareholders during the brand's annual meeting the company would continue…

Fazoli's names president as Carl Howard retires

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Doug Bostick, who has been with Fazoli's for the past 21 years, will serve as president and shares his plans for growing the brand.

Women in the Lead 2022: 13 female execs share experiences

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

FastCasual is celebrating International Women's Day with our annual Women in the Lead story, featuring the stories of 13 females leading the industry.

Sweetgreen CEO sees 'clear runway' for 1,000 locations by 2030

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Sweetgreen's shares were up 17% Thursday after the Los Angeles-based company reported that revenues were up nearly 40% and that same-store sales increased 63…

Noodles & Co jumping on price-increase bandwagon

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

CEO Dave Boennighausen said temporary store closures and reduced operating hours caused by Covid's delta surge in the Rocky Mountain West and Upper Midwest…

Restaurant execs gambling for a good cause

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

A few hundred restaurant leaders are gathering in Nashville next month at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, where they will participate in…

Rise Biscuit founder will be missed

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Tom Ferguson, founder of Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, died Thursday, Feb. 17, at age 57.

Shake Shack raising prices, focusing on drive-thru

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

February 18, 2022

Although Shake Shack implemented a 3% price hike last year, wage and supply inflation are triggering another round of price increases, CEO Randy Garutti said…

Wingstop investing $50M in tech

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

February 16, 2022

Although Wingstop's Q4 domestic same-store sales increased 7.5%, the Texas-based chain suffered a net income loss of $6.4 million, or 21 cents per share…

Can this untapped labor pool help keep your restaurant open?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants all over the U.S. are struggling to stay open due to increased quit rates, but there is one group of people who could help if given the chance.

4 technologies that can help manage labor shortages

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants hoping to keep up staffing levels must pay more, which means cutting food and labor costs. Automating kitchen tasks, transforming customer phones…

Chipotle CEO open to price increases

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Chipotle's Q4 earnings mostly beat analysts' expectations, despite higher food and labor costs. Its December price increase helped to offset their impact…

Starbucks' Q1 miss triggering price increases

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

February 2, 2022

Starbucks is raising prices thanks to high inflation, supply chain issues, COVID-19 resurgences and labor shortages, CEO Kevin Johnson said Tuesday during the…

Is it time to automate the franchisee process?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Little Caesars, Qdoba, Juice It Up and Topper's Craft VIPs will reveal how they have automated the franchisee process.

Friendly's getting friendly with fast casual prototype

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Friendly's CEO describes why it was time for the brand to join the fast casual world.

Fast casuals embrace winter with LTOs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Winter has arrived and brought with it a plethora of limited-time offers.

Slim Chickens, Blaze Pizza among CEOs keynoting RFIS 2022

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The word "chaotic" may sum up the past year for the restaurant industry, but the most successful leaders have leaned into the chaos, creating a path forward.

Hottest tech trends of 2022

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants are investing in technology to conquer a plethora of challenges including labor shortages and food safety concerns.