Upscale Indian restaurant launching fast casual spinoff

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

After establishing himself as a leader on the Indian restaurant scene in Georgia with his fine-dining restaurant — Sankranti — Srivivasa "Nimms" Nimmagadda is…

Lemonade juices up look

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurant brands are shifting strategies as a result of the pandemic, and Lemonade, a California-based fast casual brand known for its seasonal food and…

Starbucks: 'Pandemic to blame for disappointing China sales'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Starbucks reported Thursday that Q4 revenue fell short of expectations, thanks to a 7% drop in same-store sales in China.

Why Sweetgreen created smaller format for World Trade Center

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Sweetgreen, which has 140 locations and filed Monday to go public, is opening Friday inside the World Trade Center. As one of the first food and beverage…

COVID-19 forces Soupergirl to close cafes, embrace retail

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although COVID-19 forced Soupergirl to close its two cafes, the mother-daughter duo behind the Washington D.C. company is doubling its revenue in 2022 thanks…

Chick N Max wins Perfect Pitch

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The Perfect Pitch, which tasks five up-and-coming entrepreneurs with pitching their concepts to Summit attendees and an advisory panel in hopes of securing…

2 Panera VIPs keynoting Fast Casual Executive Summit 2021

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Very few fast casual brands have been as successful as Panera Bread over the years, and that success is directly linked to its willingness to take risks when…

Shaq taps restaurant pros to triple-team chicken chain competition

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Shaquille O'Neal, Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern and Chef and Co-owner Matt Silverman join Fast Casual's Cherryh Cansler for an exclusive interview about the…

Hey, fast casuals: It's time to get back out there!

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

It's almost time for the fast casual industry's family reunion. The Fast Casual Executive Summit kicks off on Oct. 3 in Charlotte.

Pumpkin spice lattes are back — earlier than ever

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

August 24, 2021

Starbucks may lead the way, but fast casuals around the world are still carving out a place for pumpkin-based menu items.

What Qdoba CEO learned from COVID-19 pivot

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Qdoba CEO Keith Guilbault reveals the strategy behind the brand's pandemic pivot, including setting up a COVID response team, focusing on first-party digital…

Are mask, vaccination rules too harsh on restaurants?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurant operators are starting to feel a sense of deja vu as cities around the country re-instate mask mandates in an effort to protect consumers from the…

5 up-and-coming fast casuals vying for 'Perfect Pitch' in Charlotte

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The founders of five brands under five years old with fewer than five locations will try to convince execs and advisers attending the Perfect Pitch during the…

Saladworks, Frutta Bowls now available under 1 roof

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Move over Ken-Taco-Hut. There is a new co-branded chain in town. Saladworks and Frutta Bowls — both owned by WoWorks — have two locations where customers may…

Why vampires, secret agents are taking delivery gigs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Josh Sugarman, chief experience officer and founder of Codename Burg3r and Vampire (dot) Pizza, describes his concepts as "an entirely new type of restaurant…

Cold drinks drive Starbucks global growth, CEO defends China

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Overall, Starbucks had a solid Q3, but Johnson defended the company's lower-than-expected numbers in China, calling the health of the business there strong.

Noodles & Co finally focusing on franchising: Why now?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

John Ramsay, the newly appointed VP of Franchise Sales at Noodles & Co., describes why the Colorado chain is leaning into franchising after 25 years.

Are smoothies finally growing up?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Smoothie brands are adding green veggies, herbs and spices to meet customers' maturing tastes.

Why you should give a cluck about Project Pollo

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Vegan entrepreneur Lucas Bradbury built his brand on bold flavors and bolder principles, including fair wages, sustainability and putting people over profit.

Lucky's Hot Chicken hatching major growth plans

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although it's less than 1 year old, Dallas-based Lucky's Hot Chicken ain't cluckin' around. With two locations open, it's on target to open five more next year…