'Lifestyle' is the fast casual buzzword of 2020

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

It wouldn't be the new year without restaurants around the world pushing "better-for-you" menu items in an effort to appeal to "lifestyle diners," consumers…

Click this: Top 10 fast casual stories of 2019

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

It's almost bottle-popping time, but first let's take a look back at FastCasual's most popular articles of 2019.

RFIS 2020 Sponsor Preview: HotRocks

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The Hot Rocks Oven is a new way to cook pizza, combining a conveyor for speed and stones for high quality, said CFO Vincent Tourigny.

Kansas City fine-dining experts open fast casual concept

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Chef Michael Corvino and his wife and business partner, Christina, are experts when it comes to fine dining. The owners of Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room…

Newk's reveals new digs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

After polling guests to learn what they wanted in their hometown Newk's, the brand has revealed its makeover in Jackson, Mississippi.

Why Florida fast casual brand doubled down on mobile marketing

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

By implementing a mobile proximity marketing strategy, EVOS Restaurants in Florida saw a 9% lift in sales and increased website visits by over 110%.

How Cousins Subs CEO knew it was time for $8M rebrand

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Cousins CEO Christine Specht reveals how she knew it was time for an $8 million rebrand and how those changes have lead to huge increases in AUVs and…

Square Pie Guys ‘bootstrapping’ it to the top

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although Square Pie Guys first opened last year as a weekly pop-up inside Vinyl Wine Bar in San Francisco, the "scrappy" pizza concept now has its own…

Fast casual LTOs hitting the sweet spot

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Holidays are a time of indulgence, which is why a plethora of fast casual chains from coffee concepts to sandwich joints, have released winter menus inspired…

Winter LTOs bring on the heat

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although the holidays conjure up images of cookies, pies and hot chocolate as featured in Part 1 of our winter menu series, they're also a time for rich, warm…

Gott's was fast casual before 'fast casual' was a thing

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Although the term "fast casual" hadn't been coined when Gott's Roadside opened in 1999, in St. Helena, Northern California, the seven-unit chain was operating…

How 1 VP manages supply chain of 4 brands with 1,100 units

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Debbie Pagliai, VP of Supply Chain at Coffee & Bagel Brands, discusses her strategy to managing the supply chain of a 1,100-unit brand.

Why Schlotzsky's can't win using Starbucks' delivery strategy

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Beto Guajardo may have a ton of delivery expertise considering he used to be SVP of global strategy for Starbucks, but as the president of Schlotzsky's, he is…

Presented by FastCasual.com

Potbelly's redesign streamlines ordering process

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Potbelly Sandwich Shop rolled out a redesign featuring a streamlined ordering experience with separate ordering and dining areas at its location in Logan…

Swedish college student becomes Subway franchisee

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Two years after Amira Ben Khalifa began working as a sandwich maker at a Subway in Sweden, the 25-year-old college student is now its owner.

El Pollo Loco pledges to be more inclusive of Hispanics

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Launched at the World Economic Forum in 2019, The Hispanic Promise is a non-legally binding way to encourage business leaders and companies to create a more…

8 foodservice innovations that should be on your radar

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Check out eight innovative foodservice products designed to make operating a restaurant a little easier and energy efficient.

Fast casuals bliss out over plant-based ice cream

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Ice cream and frozen novelties made up $304 million of the retail plant-based market in the U.S. as of April 2019, with revenues increasing 26% over last year…

Learn how to meet customers' delivery demands without going broke

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Many brands are still in the evolutionary phase of the delivery disruption, where product quality, price point and customer experience have not quite aligned…

The women of Which Wich on success, sisterhood and having it all

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Members of Which Wich's leadership team discuss what it takes to run a thriving business and the importance of raising up other women.